Former Pawcatuck movie theater being torn down to make way for $80M project

Sarah Gordon

Stonington — A crowd gathered in the parking lot of the former Regal Cinemas in Pawcatuck on Thursday as an excavator demolished the entry to the vacant movie theater.

The groundbreaking marked the start of plan to turn a section of the shopping plaza property into an $80 million mixed-use project called Stonington Village Apartments.

The 232-unit housing complex, owned and managed by the Real Estate Asset Development Co., will include studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

READCO, based in Old Lyme, has owned the plaza since 1995, and built the theater as well as a Stop & Shop supermarket, McDonald’s, Berkshire Bank and Stonington Medical Center offices there. The theater closed in September 2022 when Regal went bankrupt. READCO President Michael Lech said his firm sold its other movie theater locations but held on to the Pawcatuck location.

“Growing up in a real estate family I learned location, location, location,” Lech said. ”Over the years I’ve become more about collaboration, collaboration, collaboration. It’s collaboration that really makes a project great.”

Stonington First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough said this project will be the first true mixed-use building in town.

“I’m so excited to see all the hard work through our federal and private partnerships come together in this space for our community,” she said to the crowd.

Twenty percent of the apartments in the complex will be designated for middle-income tenants through Build For CT, a collaboration between the state Department of Housing and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority that uses $200 million in state bonding to address the housing needs of middle-income renters.

Nandini Natarajan, the CEO of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, said that since its launch in late 2023 the program has supported 16 projects throughout the state. Four of those projects are in southeastern Connecticut, providing around 500 units.

“Reusing a site in this way defies all conventional wisdom,” U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said about the concept of turning a movie theater into housing and multi-use space.

“We’re turning conventional wisdom on its head repurposing this space, and I’m so proud that it’s happening in southeastern Connecticut,” he continued. “It’s an amazing model of how to creatively approach housing.”

Work on the apartments will take place in three phases, taking about three years to complete. The first set of approximately 77 units is slated to be built in the next 12-16 months.

The facilities will include private and public garages and a clubhouse, featuring a swimming pool, barbecue pit, golf simulator and dog-washing station, as well as extensive outdoor walking trails, according to READCO. The company has also acquired an adjacent property that contains a house for future expansion.

“We need more housing and this is exactly the kind of housing we need,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said as he gave remarks during the ceremony.

“If it were up to me I might move in here,” he joked.

Construction in Norwalk, other towns on Route 7 and Route 15 will close lanes for months, officials say

Josh LaBella

NORWALK — A project to repave sections of Route 7 and the Merritt Parkway in the city will begin Friday, officials say.

In a post on Facebook, Norwalk city officials said the work on Route 7 and Route 15's north and southbound lanes is part of the Connecticut Department of Transportation's pavement preservation program.

On its wesbite, the DOT said the work will also be taking place in Trumbull, Stratford and Milford. It said the contract was awarded to Waters Construction Co. at a cost of $11,349,172.

Officials said Route 7 north and south will have lane closures from Friday until Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., with ramp closures during that same span of months from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

They said Route 15 will also have lane closures from Friday until late Oct. from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., as well as ramp closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

"This project will include milling, paving, and the replacement of guardrails, curbing, sidewalks and intersection equipment," officials said. "We ask that drivers drive slowly through construction zones and adhere to any onsite traffic personnel and detour routes. Traffic signs and State Police will guide drivers through work zones."

Modifications of the timeline may be necessary due to weather or other unforeseen conditions.

The work comes ahead of a larger project that aims to improve the interchange of Route 7 and Route 15 in Norwalk.

Likely starting in 2027, it calls for five traffic signals to regulate the flow of vehicles entering and exiting the highways; four new bridges; a replacement bridge; and new roadways on Norwalk's Main Avenue and Creeping Hemlock Drive; and new ramps that make Route 7, the Merritt Parkway and Main Avenue more accessible to each other, according to DOT's documentation from 2023.

State sues Meriden developer for allegedly encroaching on Lamentation Mountain State Park

Mary Ellen Godin

MERIDEN — Attorney General William Tong filed an enforcement action against Salvatore R. Carabetta and his LLCs for illegally encroaching on Lamentation Mountain State Park property, according to a lawsuit filed in Hartford Superior Court. Ad

The action alleges that since owning the property, Carabetta has illegally clearcut acres of state forest, and has unlawfully built numerous fixtures on state property, including guest a guest house, a basketball court, two sheds, an animal shed, an asphalt driveway and a drainage system with runoff into the state park..

The lawsuit also claims Carabetta took additional measures to prevent public access to the state park lands, including padlocking the access road with large “Private No Trespassing” signs affixed to state park trees, according to the lawsuit.

State Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection Katherine Dykes sought to begin legal proceedings after Carabetta failed to respond to a 2023 effort to stop the encroachment and restore the state property, according to the lawsuit.   

"We have been working cooperatively with the state, and we are confident that the matter will be amicably resolved," Carabetta's attorney Domenic Aprile said.

Lamentation Mountain is a state park on the border of Meriden and Berlin. Carabetta and his series of LLCs control four parcels of land directly to the south of the state park. Because one of the parcels lacks street access, the state in 1984 granted a prior property owner a limited easement allowing development of a gravel drive into that parcel through a section of Lamentation Mountain State Park.

The enforcement action, filed in Hartford Superior Court, seeks a court order to restore Lamentation Mountain State Park to its original condition, as well as declaratory and injunctive relief and damages up to five times the cost of restoration. The action seeks to hold both the Meriden Homestead LLCs, as well as Salvatore Carabetta personally liable under the Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine, according to a press statement from Tong's office.
 
“The state has zero tolerance for unlawful encroachment on and destruction of public lands,” Tong stated. “State parks such as Lamentation Mountain are held in the public trust for the benefit of all. Private encroachments on public property will not be tolerated.”
 
Efforts by the state to address these numerous violations out of court have failed. Last year, Carabetta unsuccessfully sought state legislation to transfer state parklands to his ownership to evade accountability, according to Tong's statement.

DEEP claimed the sale would set a precedent allowing property owners who build on state land the opportunity to buy their way out of the consequences. The bill would have transferred the 2.7 acres at fair market value. 

A message left for Carabetta at the company's 200 Pratt St. headquarters was not returned.

In testimony before the Government Administration and Elections Committee last year, Carabetta told lawmakers the property has been in his family for several decades.  

"My family homestead is located at 2209 North Broad Street (Berlin Turnpike) on the Meriden Berlin Town line," Carabetta stated during the April 9, 2024 public hearing. "The property adjoins a second parcel in Meriden that was added to the Homestead and is connected to my original property."

Carabetta said the site abuts state land on the Berlin side of the town line, and the Carabettas have the benefit of a 90-foot wide easement that crosses the southwest corner of the state land and provides access from the Berlin Turnpike to their property in Meriden, according to a hearing transcript. 

"If passed, this bill will resolve issues with the Homestead property line and any possible encroachments from the Homestead onto the state land,"  Carabetta said. "Through the years of owning this property we have invested in maintaining and improving the road over the easement on the state land; however, we have also experienced issues with people dumping trash on both the state land and our Homestead."

Despite concerns from the DEEP and local conservationists, the proposed bill passed a committee vote but never made it to the floor.

State halts work at Ponemah Mills site

Daniel Drainville

Norwich — State officials have stopped work on the Ponemah Mills site in Taftville as they investigate whether excavated material there is contaminated.

In an email to city planning and building officials, Uncas Health District Director Patrick McCormack said he was contacted Tuesday by Thomas Welch, the emergency response coordinator for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, about material that was being excavated from the mill complex located on Norwich Avenue.

McCormack wrote that he and DEEP officials met Tuesday with a representative of One Key LLC, the New Jersey developer in charge of renovating the historical cotton mill complex into a combination of market-rate and affordable apartments and amenities. The larger mill building on the site, which contains 237 apartments plus 77 more in a rear wing, has already been renovated and is currently housing tenants.

The second half of the renovation is still underway at the south mill, where One Key is working on a $40 million project to create 146 apartments along with a restaurant in a smaller building to the west.

McCormack wrote that a One Key representative was told Tuesday “to put a pause on the operation” because the representative was unable to document the content of the material being stored on site and removed; who removed it; and where it was taken.

Another meeting was held Wednesday at the site, with the supervisor of One Key. Also Wednesday a city inspection team was on the site, and it appeared crews were still working on the site. From Norwich Avenue, large piles of fill could be seen behind the unfinished mill building, along with two large piles on an adjacent property.

During a meeting of the Commission on the City Plan on Tuesday night, city Director of Planning and Neighborhood Services Deanna Rhodes said she spoke earlier in the day to project engineer Brandon Handfield about the “stockpiled” material being stored on a parcel at 539 Norwich Ave., near Maria’s Treasures, a thrift store. She said One Key had not requested or obtained a city permit to store the material there.

Rhodes proposed that the commission table One Key’s request to modify the site plan for the south mill to accommodate the restaurant, including adding a five-car parking lot and driveway, until DEEP could investigate the excavated material. The commission agreed, in spite of Project Manager Phil Biondo’s comments, that the question over the contents of the excavated material was not related to the modified site plan, which the commission determined should be approved.

Will Healey, DEEP’s director of communications, said in an email Thursday that his agency was notified earlier this week that material has been removed from the site. Since then, he said, various DEEP employees have gone to the mill site, including members of the Emergency Response Unit. He said that the unit so far has confirmed some of the locations where the material was taken and is planning to sample the relocated material as well as two large piles on an adjacent property at 539 Norwich Ave.

He said the unit, along with DEEP’s Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division and its Remediation Division, would continue to gather information and investigate.

“This will take a few days to a week before we complete the work and obtain the sample results,” Healey added.

He said any request to reuse polluted soil on the site would need to be authorized by the Remediation Division, which has not received such a request. One Key officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

McCormack said in his email that there have been reports that trucks are removing the material from the site to sell as fill to unsuspecting property owners. He said that in one instance, it’s alleged that oil filters, shingles and other items were found in the fill.

Healey could not confirm Thursday whether there had been a complaint, or who the source was.

Plans for crucial piece of new CT neighborhood suffers major setback. ‘More questions than answers.’

Kenneth R. Gosselin 

The preferred developer of a crucial piece in a new neighborhood planned in downtown Hartford is withdrawing from the project, a major setback for the redevelopment of a barren swath of parking lots near The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

The Michaels Organization, of Camden, N.J., — chosen in late 2022 to develop the largest parking lot in the envisioned Bushnell South neighborhood — has reached an agreement with the Capital Region Development Authority to step away from the project aimed at creating apartments and storefront space. CRDA is overseeing the reshaping of the Bushnell South neighborhood.

The two sides were unable to assemble a project that could obtain financing in times of high interest rates; deal with rising construction costs; and arrive at a public subsidy — in the form of a low-cost loan — that was in line with similar projects elsewhere in Bushnell South. As a result, the project wouldn’t produce high enough revenues for Michaels to attract investors.

“It just got to a point that there were more questions than answers,” Michael W. Freimuth, CRDA’s executive director, said. “It’s frustrating to have spent three years twisting and turning projects to make them work. And this one, I had hoped that I could get it done earlier.”

A development such as Bushnell South has been envisioned for decades along Capitol Avenue near The Bushnell.  A conceptual plan drawn up in 2021 called for as many as 1,000 apartments, restaurants, entertainment venues, “district parking” and public spaces.

The new neighborhood also aims to create a strong, walkable connection between Bushnell Park and the city neighborhoods to the south. At the same time, the idea is to place Bushnell Park at the center of downtown rather than at its outer, southern edge.

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The quasi-public CRDA will now have to decide whether to seek new proposals for the nearly 3-acre site or potentially shift to a different focus that could include a larger share of homeownership options.

In recent months, CRDA’s board has voiced support for the possible development of more housing for purchase to better balance with the 3,500 rentals created in and around the downtown area in the last decade.

But any decision would likely be delayed until CRDA hires a new executive director to replace Freimuth, who is expected to retire at the end of June.

The departure of Michaels was discussed at CRDA’s board of directors meeting Thursday.

“I was kind of sad to hear this,” Board member Joanne Berger-Sweeney, president of Trinity College and chair of CRDA’s housing committee, said, at the meeting. “I remember being on that selection committee for Michaels. It’s always disappointing that after a number of years, we basically have to go back to the start, but understood.”

As preferred developer, Michaels was obligated to come up with a workable plan for the project. No formal development agreement had been signed with CRDA.

“The numbers — they started difficult and got more and more difficult as the economy kind of soured over the last couple of years, with interest rates and things like that,” said Geoffrey S. Lewis, director of development at Michaels, said. “This is a tough project in awesome times and that’s not what we in right now, in real estate.”

Michaels was chosen from a field of four developers, including two — Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC of Norwalk and Spectra Construction and Development of New York — that have been active in mixed-use projects in downtown Hartford for years. The fourth proposal came from Lennar Multifamily Communities (LMC) of Charlotte, N.C.

When selected, Michaels’ preliminary plan was for 360 rentals, including 20% affordable, primarily in two larger buildings over 2,500 square feet of storefront space, likely including performance space tied to the arts, and some underground parking. The proposal also included 15 rowhouses along Buckingham Street, which runs parallel to Capitol to the south in the area, that could be rentals or be put up for sale.

Over the months that followed, the development was divided into two phases. The project was redesigned several times, using different approaches to construction and building materials, varying combination of rental units and differing options for the storefront space. Underground parking morphed into a surface lot and, at one point, some consideration was given to including an arts-themed magnet school.

The most recent plan called for 230 rentals in a 4-story building with 10,000 square feet of storefront space. The cost was pegged at about $80 million with tentative, public financing of about $15 million.

The development also was complicated by improvements needed in the area’s sewer and storm water drainage systems to handle the scope of development envisioned for Bushnell South. And an on-going parking study still needs to determine the long-term parking needs of the area, including in what sequence parking — most likely parking garages — would need to be added to accommodate growth.

In addition, The Bushnell has long expressed concern over parking for its patrons as development unfolds in the future.

Some strides are being made in other parts of Bushnell South, financed partly with CRDA taxpayer-backed, low-cost loans.

Spinnaker is renovating the former offices of the attorney general and other Constitutional officers at 55 Elm Street —  the northeastern corner of Bushnell South — into apartments. Spinnaker also plans new residential rental construction on the parking lots surrounding 55 Elm.

Spinnaker also has acquired the parking lot just east of the 3-acre lot that Michaels had been working on, also for future development.

And on the northwestern corner, developers Philadelphia-based Pennrose LLC and The Cloud Co., of Hartford, plan more than 100 units of rental housing in two buildings, at 18-20 and 30 Trinity Street. The partners purchased the historic structures — formerly state offices — for $1.1 million from the state in January and are now seeking to close financing for the conversion.

Top construction-related podcasts

Matthew Thibault

While it’s important for construction pros to stay up to date on the latest trends and technologies, who has time for a class or book? Another form of learning — podcasts — lets listeners absorb insights and tips on the go.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite construction-related podcasts, from new construction technology trends to effective management topics. Did we miss one of your go-to downloads? Let us know.

ASCE Plot Points

Brought to listeners by the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE Plot Points delves deep into contemporary engineering topics, sometimes driven by the news. Recent episodes include what listeners need to know about the aviation industry, what happens when a wildfire comes to your neighborhood and how artificial intelligence is changing civil engineering. Listen to the ASCE Plot Points Podcast here.

The Art of Construction

This show aims to help listeners build up their contracting businesses, with the help of expert guests from a variety of backgrounds in the industry. The podcast covers topics including leadership strategies, emerging tools, financing, safety and more. Listen to the Art of Construction Podcast here.

The Builders’ Table

A production of the National Center for Construction Education and Research, The Builders’ Table urges listeners to inspire the next generation of craftworkers. Hosted by Jennifer Wilkerson, NCCER’s vice president of innovation and advancement, it features interviews with AEC professionals from across the industry. Listen to The Builders’ Table here.

Buildings Podcast

Buildings Podcast touches on topics including facility management, green issues, security and building performance, in segments ranging from four to 30 minutes, making it a quick dive into the latest trends in construction. Listen to Buildings Podcast here. 

CONEXPO-CON/AGG Podcast

Launched in 2016, the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Podcast aims to expand listeners’ construction knowledge with interviews and segments on the building industry. The podcast is released twice a month. Listen to the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Podcast here.

Construction Genius: A Leadership Master Class

For construction company owners and executives who want to learn from their peers, this weekly podcast offers wisdom and practical inspiration. The podcast talks with a different industry leader each week about strategic planning, business development and more. Listen to the Construction Genius Podcast here. 

Construction Leaders Podcast

Produced by the Construction Management Association of America, the Construction Leaders podcast is helmed by Nick Soto, vice president of professional development at CMAA, along with Carly Trout, the organization’s senior manager of professional development eLearning. The podcast covers topics ranging from starting a construction firm to the economy and mentorship. You can listen to the Construction Leaders Podcast here.

The Construction Management Podcast

The Construction Management Podcast is for both new and seasoned construction professionals who want to better understand how to further their management career in the industry. The podcast shares knowledge and ideas, and brings in special guests to discuss the intricacies of a career in construction management. Listen to The Construction Management Podcast here.

Construction Revolution

This show from Canada-based Giatec Scientific covers the practices, people and companies that are shaping the construction industry, with an emphasis on materials and cutting-edge technology. The podcast interviews people on a variety of topics ranging from drones, data and robotics to ways to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Listen to the Construction Revolution Podcast here.

Constructive Voices

For a European perspective, check out this podcast about innovation in construction. The U.K.-based podcast produces a mix of reporting and interviews with movers and shakers in the industry. They’ve covered inclusivity, health, sustainability and more with their expert guests. Listen to the Constructive Voices Podcast here.

The Contech Crew

Hosted by construction technologists who geek out on a different topic each week, the Contech Crew podcast discusses news and current trends within the construction and technology industries with special guests. Listen to The Contech Crew Podcast here.

ICC Pulse

The ICC Pulse podcast offers a rotating cast of hosts from the International Code Council and expert guests who bring the latest news and new technology in the building safety industry. Every month or so, they demystify safety, inspection, engineering and other code-related topics. Listen to the ICC Pulse Podcast here.

Infrastructure Investor Podcast

Produced by Infrastructure Investor, a media outlet that covers private equity in the infrastructure realm, the Infrastructure Investor Podcast interviews leaders in the infrastructure investment space, along with original reporting from the outlet’s team of journalists. Listen to the Infrastructure Investor Podcast here.

Infrastructure Technology Podcast

The brainchild of infrastructure and construction news outlet Roads and Bridges, the Infrastructure Technology Podcast is a collaboration with Mass Transit magazine about the ways that technology shapes infrastructure. Since launching in earlier this year, topics include the supply chain and transit infrastructure. Listen to the Infrastructure Technology Podcast here.

Labor Lounge Podcast

Co-hosted by labor leaders Anthony Abrantes and Cyndie Williams, the podcast explores the world of construction labor and interviews the people on the ground to learn about unions and life on the jobsite. The podcast is for anyone who wants to learn more about the construction industry, and those in the labor force. Listen to the Labor Lounge Podcast here.

Mass Construction Show

Hosted by Joe Kelly, an independent consultant at Mass Construction Consultants, the Mass Construction show covers real estate, code, risk management, technology and more, but with a bit of self-proclaimed “Massachusetts bias.” Kelly talks to a range of construction professionals on topics including how building materials affect the environment and health to the ways modular construction is changing the industry. Listen to Mass Construction Show here.

Talking Infrastructure

Talking Infrastructure discusses the industry’s most important engineering and infrastructure topics, key projects and the groundbreaking innovations that are helping to solve some of the world’s most complex built-world challenges. Listen to the Talking Infrastructure Podcast here.

The Weekly Take

Every week, this podcast from real estate giant CBRE offers insight into a wide-ranging array of topics in the commercial real estate industry, including building. The podcast brings on guests who are experts in timber construction, the future of suburban and city planning and many other trends. Listen to The Weekly Take Podcast here.

Women Talk Construction

The Women Talk Construction podcast, hosted by construction veterans Angela Gardner and Christi Powell, aims to share stories and experiences that they hope will encourage diversity in the construction industry. Their episodes feature interviews with women across the industry and in different roles, to spotlight different relevant topics each session. Listen to the Women Talk Construction Podcast here.