Greenwich school board to study latest plans for a new Central Middle School — all 40 pages of it

Annelise Hanshaw

GREENWICH — As part of the first step toward creating a new Central Middle School, Greenwich’s school board will take another look at the latest 40-page draft of educational specifications for the new building during a special virtual meeting Friday morning.

The educational specifications, created by Constructions Solutions Group, provide the building’s requirements for the future architect. Design is not in the ed spec’s scope, but this step addresses spatial concerns and major features.

Educational specifications are submitted to the state to apply for the reimbursement grant. New construction, rather than renovation, is eligible for a maximum of only 10 percent reimbursement; projects that build larger than enrollment requires receive less.

Friday’s meeting, which begins at 9 a.m., is the Board of Education’s second public meeting with its consultants at CSG. The first brought concerns about the size of the building, traffic and nonbinary bathrooms.

The latest draft outlines a 104,200 square-foot school building, which would accommodate 511 students, and leaves the option for adding the Greenwich Public Schools’ central office — although the draft says the possibility “is not without challenges.”

“It is difficult to determine if, or how this could be done within the limited area of the existing school property. If the Board of Education decides to consider it then a test fit should be conducted to see if it could work,” the specifications say. “In addition, the State of Connecticut requires a separate grant application and educational specifications to be submitted to approve such a request.”

First Selectman Fred Camillo has been vocal about his intention to move the Board of Education out of the Havemeyer Building, should the board agree, but he has not pinpointed an alternative location for the 100 central office employees.

To be demolished

The educational specifications explain to the state why the district is choosing to start with a new building and raze the current one in a section called “Rationale for the Project.”

The document’s authors describe the current building’s “thin masonry” as in fair to poor condition, “with some significant structural issues.”

Diversified Technology Consultants pinpointed these concerns in an 80-page report late January. The town’s building department verified DTC’s findings during a walk-through and closed the building Feb. 4.

The district installed scaffolding and cleared inspection to reopen two weeks later for students and staff.

“The infrastructure and most of the building’s original components are in poor condition,” the educational specifications say. “This includes a majority of the programmatic spaces which are lacking in fundamental requirements such as security, technology, power distribution and quality building controls to regulate temperature and air quality.”

Western Middle School does not have a secure building vestibule, nor a set of two locking doors at the entry. After the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in 2012, Connecticut placed new requirements on schools to bolster their security.

The draft also deems the current Western Middle School as unfit for retrofitting. With the mid-century structure’s low ceilings, large windows and modern duct work are not possible, it says.

Its classrooms are 650 square feet, whereas a classroom with an average occupancy of 24 students is required to have 800 square feet in modern standards, it says.

The mechanical systems and plumbing need replacing, a pricey upgrade the board could forgo if a new structure is built, the draft says.

Plan for the future

The new building would accommodate 511 students, which is the number projected for the next school year and the largest enrollment number within eight years from the date the grant application should be submitted, the specifications say.

During the last meeting with consultants, school board members questioned whether the middle school could be built larger than current projections — suggesting that redistricting could be a solution to overcrowding on other campuses.

These ideas are not presented in the draft, which has enlarged only one space — the auditorium, to allow for the large Representative Town Meeting to gather there and for other community uses. The new auditorium would be the same size as the current one, with a minimum of 550 seats.

A small detail of the plan drew questions during the May 10 school board meeting: nonbinary bathrooms. School board members Joe Kelly and Karen Kowalski said people at a political event asked them why the educational specifications included three nonbinary bathrooms.

They asked whether the nonbinary bathrooms were required. CSG’s chief operating officer Roger LaFleur said he was not certain.

The three 50-square-foot bathrooms remain on the new draft of the educational specifications — this time labeled “single-stall toilets.”

The layout of the building is loosely described in the specifications, allowing the future architect creativity while keeping Central Middle School’s ethos of project-based, cross-disciplinary learning.

To facilitate this hands-on style, the media center would be the center of the school and contain a 400-square-foot maker space for “creative problem-solvers.”

The library would “continue to be where teachers encourage students to develop a passion for reading” with room for 10,000 to 15,000 books, the draft says. But technology also steps into the space with touchscreens, a 100-square-foot media production room, and a room dedicated to IT and Chromebook repair.

Community outreach

The district held a community information session in April to give an overview of the ed spec process and hear ideas.

Parents, neighbors and other community members gave their concerns on a number of elements, with many expressing concerns about traffic.

The specifications document their input.

“It was expressed that there already exist some problems with the current design and volume of traffic at certain times of the day. It is imperative that any future design must not exacerbate the issue,” the draft says. “In fact, design professionals should use this as an opportunity to improve traffic patterns such that they have a less deleterious effect on the local neighbors.”

Attendees of the April meeting noted a poor turnout. School board member Joe Kelly repeated this observation during meetings.

The district sent a survey to families to provide input on the educational specifications, which will remain open until the board approves a draft. Community members can share their thoughts at surveymonkey.com/r/K99FKVF.

Friday’s meeting is only a discussion, and the board can’t vote on the draft yet.

Wilton Center pedestrian bridge construction to likely start soon

J.D. Freda

WILTON — With summer here, town officials are hopeful that the foundation of the long-discussed pedestrian bridge can soon be built and the rest of the work can commence.

“The key is to get out of the ground,” DPW Head Frank Smeriglio recently told the Board of Selectmen in regards to the timetable for a pedestrian bridge linking Wilton Center to the Wilton Metro-North train station.

Smeriglio said the bridge will feature handicap accessible ramps on both sides, have lighting for commuters coming home and pedestrians walking at night, and will be 10 feet wide. It will stretch from the train station in Merwin Meadows, across the Norwalk River.

While a timetable hasn’t been firmly established, selectmen agreed to move into contracts with both Dayton Construction, subject to state Department of Transportation approval, and with Tighe and Bond to oversee the project.

The contract with Dayton, who will oversee the project, came back at $1.18 million. Tighe and Bond’s contract totals $120,950. Smeriglio told the selectman that the bid from Dayton came back at $29,000 more than engineers anticipated. The other two bidders for the project came in slightly higher than that, he said.

Because of that $29,000 increase, Smeriglio said the town had to work with the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG). The town had received a $1.4 million grant to be put towards the construction of the pedestrian bridge. That funding will come through a Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program grant.

“We had to work with WestCOG to get that increase approved,” Smeriglio said. After being approved by WestCOG, the town just awaits an approval from the DOT to award the contract to Dayton. Smeriglio expects that to take up to a week.

The hope is for the project to begin in short order.

The project is expected to take six months, according to specifications the town included for the project and that have been adapted into the Dayton contract. Smeriglio said in March that he anticipated construction to start in the beginning part of this summer.

“So the contractor provided us with a schedule that says they’ll get it done in six months,” Smeriglio said. “But really, you know, anything can happen with delays in materials, but there is a big push to get the foundation part of the bridge out of the ground in the summer because water levels are low.”

First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice added that, if the bridge isn’t started with ample time, construction could eventually be held up by winter weather.

But, until the contract is signed, Smeriglio said it’s “hard to say what the timeframe is.”

The project is anticipated to play a large role in the interconnectivity of Wilton Center, which is currently undergoing a full master plan process.

Torrington’s Prospect Street project ready to get underway

Emily M. Olson

TORRINGTON — Nearly two years after a plan to reconstruct Prospect Street was first was presented in a Zoom forum, the “facelift” project is ready to get underway.

The project will include road reconstruction, including paving, curbing, replacement of sidewalks and associated miscellaneous work, intended to make the road safer for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. City engineer Paul Kundzins first presented the plan to the public in November 2020.

Town officials this week announced a schedule of road closures and warnings to the public as work is set to begin June 13.

Improvements include new sidewalks and bicycle lanes in wider areas of the roadway on the northern end near North Elm Street. The bumpy pavement and sidewalks that have been patched and repaired repeatedly over the past 10 years will be replaced, along with new granite curbing.

Prospect Street’s southern end is home to the Northwest Connecticut YMCA, Vogel-Wetmore School, several churches and St. John Paul the Great Academy, formerly known as St. Peter St. Francis School. Metered parking is provided up to the Pearl Street intersection.

Past Pearl Street, no street parking is permitted, and dedicated bike lanes will continue to North Elm Street. The sidewalk is being eliminated on one side for the bike lane, but will remain on the other side of the street.

The project is financed with $1 million from the state under the Department of Transportation’s Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program, and about $1 million from the city. Kundzins, former City Planner Martin Connor, Economic Development Director Rista Malanca and engineers from Milhone and McBroom developed the design.

“We’ve gone through many upgrades to Prospect Street — new gas lines in 2016, drainage upgrades in 2017 and the water mains upgraded in 2017,” Kundzins said at the forum. “So we’re good to go — that’s why we waited so long to rebuild the road.”

In November 2021, Yield Industries LLC, a Torrington-based construction company, was awarded the $1.86 million contract for the project by the City Council.

The public works department said drivers should expect daily traffic delays caused by alternating, one-way traffic and daily road closures, which will allow local traffic only, as well as emergency vehicles.

No parking will be permitted at any time within the work area. Metered, on-street parking will be limited, and any vehicles parked in the no-parking zone will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. Public works officials advised drivers to find alternate routes.

The construction has been divided into three sections, and will end with a complete repaving of Prospect Street. Section 1 will begin at North Elm Street to North Street; Section 2, from Mason Street to Pearl Street; and Section 3, from Pearl Street to North Street.

Judge orders proposed 142-unit Farmington apartment development back for consideration

Andrew Larson

ASuperior Court judge has sent a developer’s proposed 142-unit apartment development off Route 4 back to Farmington's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission for consideration.

Neighbors Douglas and Kimberly Zeytoonjian appealed the commission’s approval of the project, located across from UConn Health Center. They claimed the commission violated a state statute and the town’s zoning regulations by failing to consider a “feasible and prudent alternative.”

They also said the hearing process lacked “fundamental fairness” because the commission retracted an earlier finding that the project was a “significant activity” under the zoning regulations, and that the commission’s approval was “predetermined.”

The developer, 402 Farmington Ave. LLC, applied for a permit to conduct regulated activities near wetlands on the 16.7-acre property, which is mostly wooded. The project includes a stormwater management system and a garage with 221 parking spaces.

The principal of 402 Farmington Ave. LLC is Farmington resident and developer Geoffrey W. Sager.

The commission unanimously approved a wetlands permit for the project on April 7, 2021.

On May 31, Superior Court Judge Matthew J. Budzik issued a memorandum of decision dismissing the plaintiffs’ claims about “fundamental fairness” and “predetermination.”

However, he found that the commission failed to consider whether a “feasible and prudent alternative” exists.

The town’s zoning regulations require the commission to find that a “feasible and prudent alternative” does not exist in order to issue a wetlands permit.

The court remanded the application to the commission for a determination on the “feasible and prudent alternative” issue. 

Budzik said in his decision that the commission’s review of the application was “quite diligent” and there was no evidence of a fundamentally unfair hearing process or predetermination. Also, he said the commission did not violate state statute.

Consideration and possible action based on the court’s decision is on the agenda for the commission’s meeting at 7 p.m. June 15.

Proposed East Hartford apartment complex wins another approval. What comes next?

Don Stacom

East Hartford planners on Wednesday gave a key approval for redevelopment of a 26-acre property that could transform the Silver Lane corridor and bring nearly 440 upscale apartments to town.

In a half-hour presentation, the partnership of Zelman Real Estate and Jasko Development announced the enormous project will have eight buildings with three and four stories along with a 10,000-square-foot amenities center with gym and pool.

Brian Zelman, one of the partnership’s principals, said some of the project’s theming will be a tribute to aviation in recognition of Pratt & Whitney’s pivotal role in East Hartford’s history.

“We’ve been working on this project for 18 months. We’re calling it Concourse Park — it embodies the excitement and possibilities of air travel,” Zelman told the planning and zoning commission Wednesday night.

“There will be seven residential buildings with upwards of 439 apartments with a mix of studios, one- two- and three-bedrooms, and a very large amenity building,” Zelman said.

“This is going to be a premiere live, work and play community,” he said. “Lifestyles have really changed — people are spending more time where they live. We’re trying to create a community, almost a village feel.”

City leaders are looking for the redevelopment of the old Showcase Cinemas site to spur a revival of the dilapidated Silver Lane corridor. That section of town has been plagued in recent years by abandoned buildings, shabby and half-vacant plazas and the retreat of commercial tenants - most recently the closing of Stop & Shop.

Coupled with National Development’s recent proposal for 300 acres of the nearby Rentschler airfield, Mayor Michael Walsh and economic development staffers believe the corridor can be revitalized in a matter of only a few years. National Development plans to construct two large-scale logistics centers along with a complex of research, development and manufacturing facilities.

The Concourse Park property, about a mile from the National Development site, would become what development partner Avner Krohn called the best work-at-home residential project in central Connecticut.

“There will be work nooks built in in most apartments, over 2,000 square feet of office space, Zoom rooms, conference space. There’s going to be the ability to work outside your apartment and inside. The clubhouse is going to open to the outside, we’ll have community gardens,” Krohn told the Courant before the meeting.

“And the gym is not going to be a token gym — you won’t need to join another gym,” Krohn said.

Designers are working with Eversource and solar consultants to make the buildings as energy efficient as possible, and the developers are examining how to connect Concourse Park to the fiber optic network that SiFi Networks is constructing.

The commission on Wednesday night questioned Zelman about wetlands, open space and traffic concerns, but ultimately agreed to bring those issues up when the company submits a detailed site plan for approval. Commissioners approved changing the property’s zoning from business to planned development district, which was essential for the project to advance.

Zelman and Krohn will next seek approval from the wetlands commission. If there are no significant delays, construction could begin this fall and conclude in late 2024, they said.

Engineer Kevin Solli told the commission that the project will have 872 parking spaces, some with garages or carports. There will be extensive landscaping along with a network of walking paths, wide sidewalks and bike racks, he said.

Zelman said most tenants will likely have dogs, and Concourse Park will have a substantial dog park.

Monroe Tractor Adds Jason Falcone to Connecticut's South Windsor Product Support Team

Jason Falcone has been named Monroe Tractor's product support representative to cover Connecticut's Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London counties.

Falcone's career began as a fabricator/welder, then as a service technician, where he worked his way to lead technician for a local construction company. Understanding and enjoying the industry, he transitioned to inside sales for the past two years before joining Monroe Tractor.

Falcone will be responsible for helping increase the profit and productivity of each customer by offering them parts and service support and providing customers with one-stop shopping for all their equipment needs.

"Much of my experience comes from the construction industry, mostly in equipment management. Having spent a few years in the field as a lead technician and inside as an equipment sales representative, I understand the nuances of the construction world. I enjoy working in this industry, and I'm looking forward to great success while keeping customers up to date with the wide span of parts and services Monroe offers," said Falcone.

"Jason's experience and positive attitude toward the construction industry, his mechanical and equipment sales knowledge, and hands-on work will be a great asset to our product support team," said Rick Bisesto, branch manager. "With his relationship-building skills, Jason will help our customers realize the breadth of service we offer with our top-notch service and parts departments. The entire team welcomes Jason, and I look forward to watching him grow with our South Windsor team."

For more information, visit www.monroetractor.com.