Work begins on $500M project to improve busy I-91, I-691 and Route 15 interchange in Meriden

John Moritz

State transportation officials have quietly ramped up work on a nearly $500 million project overhauling one of central Connecticut’s most congested and headache-inducing highway corridors. 

On Thursday, the state Department of Transportation opened bidding for the second of three construction phases on the Meriden interchange formed by the merger of three highways — Interstates 91 and 691, as well as state Route 15 — that collectively carry around 260,000 vehicles every day. 

Where I-91 meets Route 15, the two highways form an X-shaped tangle of merging lanes, weaving traffic and exit ramps. As the two highways begin to split apart again to form the top of the “X,” they intersect with I-691, forming another web of entrances and exits.

The complexity of the interchange, as well the narrow design of several connecting ramps, snarls traffic and contributes to a higher number of reported crashes than on other similar highway connectors, according to a 2019 report by highway consultant Parsons Corp. One particularly notorious segment of the interchange, the southbound, one-lane off ramp connecting I-91 with Route 15, routinely causes traffic to back up by as much as a mile. 

“Anyone who has driven through the I-91/I-691/Route 15 interchange knows there are major backups and crashes, and that major improvements are needed,” Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement. “We’re moving forward with a multi-year program that will improve safety, reduce crashes, and ultimately reduce congestion.”

Work began earlier this year on the initial, $85 million phase of the project to repair bridges, add one lane of traffic to I-91 north and make related road improvements, according to DOT spokesman Josh Morgan. 

The final two — and largest — phases of the project, however, will begin early next year and work is scheduled to last until 2029. Both of those phases will focus on restructuring the northbound and southbound interchanges between I-91 and the other highways. In October, the State Bond Commission agreed to borrow $31.7 million toward the second, northbound phase of the project, which is also slated to receive $220 million in federal funding. 

The new interchanges between I-91 and Route 15 will each have two lanes of traffic in either direction to ease the flow of traffic, according to planning documents. Workers will widen three other existing exit ramps, while removing Exit 17 on I-91 northbound and reroute traffic onto the new two-lane off ramp at Exit 16, which will connect to both Route 15 and East Main Street. 

Construction of the existing interchange was completed in the 1960s, and proponents of the project argue that it has become outdated both in its design and its ability to handle a growing volume of traffic traveling through central Connecticut. 

“Depending on the time of day, it’s certainly one of the top three or four problem areas in the state of Connecticut,” said state Rep, Roland Lemar, D-New Haven, who serves as co-chair of the Transportation Committee. 

The area of the project will extend from where I-91 crosses the Wallingford-Meriden town line to the weigh station in Middletown, a distance of roughly 4.2 miles. Other sections of both Route 15 and I-691 will also undergo repairs. Morgan, the DOT spokesman, said the agency will aim to conduct much of the necessary roadwork at night, while spacing out lane and exit closures over the project’s six-year timeline in order to minimize the impact on drivers. 

Still, he cautioned, the project “certainly may create some additional traffic congestion over the next couple of years,” and urged patience among those traveling through the area. The alternative, he noted, would involve completely shutting down highways in order to speed up construction.

Earlier this year, the DOT began another project renumbering exits along I-691 to a mileage based system, conforming to federal standards. That project is expected to be completed in mid-2024.

Feds Give Okay to Tweed Expansion with ‘Finding of No Significant Impact’

Sophia Muce

The Federal Aviation Administration announced a “Finding of No Significant Impact” on Friday, meaning that the planned expansion of Tweed New Haven Airport can move forward without further environmental study.

For the last seven months, FAA has been reviewing an environmental assessment of the $165 million expansion, which includes an extension of the runway and the construction of a new terminal, parking garage and parking lot on the East Haven side of the airport. 

The expansion of the public airport will be funded by Avports – an airport management company which signed a 43-year lease with Tweed in 2022 and agreed to invest at least $100 million to improve the facility. 

The proposal and review process have faced significant criticism from East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora, neighbors, elected officials, environmental nonprofit Save the Sound and Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine.

In the decision, FAA concluded that the expansion would actually improve Tweed’s environmental impact by reducing the total number of flights, reducing noise for neighbors, lessening the airport’s effect on air quality and abutting wetlands.

In a Friday press release from the airport, Gov. Ned Lamont, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Tweed officials celebrated the “major milestone” in their efforts to expand flights out of New Haven and East Haven – two environmental justice communities.

“The release of this assessment today is a big step forward to ensuring that south-central Connecticut has the reliable transportation opportunities this region needs to grow economically,” said Lamont. “Additionally, it will ensure that there are commonsense noise and traffic mitigation measures in place that will retain the neighborhood’s quality of life. I am appreciative of Tweed’s partnership with the state and look forward to the airport’s many more years of success.”

Elicker, who has supported the expansion since it was announced in 2021, said the FAA decision serves as another step towards the “responsible and sustainable” development of the airport.

“I am grateful for the work of the Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority, the many technical professionals and our residents who participated in this process,” said Elicker. “This is a big step, but just one of many steps, as we support Avelo and build the new terminal all with the lens toward economic growth and the wellbeing of the surrounding community.

In a separate statement, Carfora said he is beyond disappointed in the federal decision.

Carfora, who originally supported the expansion, has since changed his position to oppose the project given what he says are an inequitable share of economic benefits and environmental impacts between East Haven and New Haven. He is also one of the many who has argued that an expansion would actually allow for an increase in flights – not a decrease – making the assessment “fundamentally flawed.”

“The Town of East Haven has committed a number of well-placed assets to

provide the FAA with detailed information about our concerns from traffic, public safety to the environment,” Carfora said. “The substantial impact that the proposed action will have on our community is monumental. Our experts, and my staff will fully evaluate the FAA’s findings before announcing our next steps.”

By issuing a finding of no significant impact, per the National Environmental Policy Act, the agency rejected two other possible courses of action – either rejecting the project outright, or requiring a more detailed environmental impact statement. 

In recent months, a number of East Haven and New Haven residents and officials have called on FAA and the airport authority to undertake a further environmental study regardless of the outcome of the federal ruling.

Opponents of the expansion are predicting that instead of no significant impact, the expansion will worsen already heightened rates of asthma in the surrounding area, route traffic to the airport through residential neighborhoods and increase existing flooding in the neighborhoods surrounding Tweed. More than 70 people signed up to speak at an April hearing and hundreds submitted comments on the study.

On a Friday phone call with CT Examiner, Roger Reynolds, senior legal counsel for Save the Sound, said the decision ignores the reality of the project, and fails to address the criticisms from opponents.

“There’s no acknowledgement of any of the extensive criticisms that were submitted by federal agencies, state agencies, the public, municipalities,” Reynolds said. “And instead, they basically accepted the remarkably flawed document in its entirety.”

Reynolds also questioned the timing of the decision’s publication, given its proximity to the holidays.

“It’s a grim and cynical Christmas gift, dropping December 22 – the business day before Christmas – to try to hide it,” he added.

But Tweed Executive Director Tom Rafter has long maintained that the airport would follow FAA guidance and push the project forward if given approval.

In the press release, Rafter affirmed his intention to continue the expansion under the new FAA approval.

“This determination by the FAA marks another major milestone in the work to enhance HVN and fully realize a more-than $100 million investment by Avports in Southern Connecticut, and this ruling from the FAA is another step toward the promise fulfilling a more sustainable future for HVN,” Rafter said.

Norwalk schools wrap up projects, prepare to break ground on two new buildings

Kalleen Rose Ozanic

NORWALK — Two large construction projects in the Norwalk Public Schools were ready for public use in 2023, and there are plans to begin wrk on two new projects in the New Year.

Cranbury Elementary School welcomed the inaugural classes at its new campus this past fall, with athletic facilities due to be completed this coming year. The new driveway and parking lot at Silvermine Dual Language Magnet School, a much smaller endeavor, were completed in August before the school year began. 

The groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Norwalk High School and South Norwalk School — that neighborhood's first elementary school in over 40 years — will be held in 2024.

NHS and P-TECH's new campus

The biggest construction project coming around the bend in the Norwalk Public Schools is the new Norwalk High School, which is slated for a February groundbreaking.

The new school building, which will house NHS as well as P-TECH on its campus, will accommodate over 2,000 students, according to the NPS construction website.

In the five-year project, a 332,628-square-foot school building will be built on the existing Testa Field to replace the current aging building, which students, faculty and staff say has deteriorating conditions.

The project requires a shift of the boundary line between the NHS campus and the neighboring Naramake Elementary School before the February groundbreaking, though, said Alan Lo, building facilities manager for the city.

The shift is a “technicality,” Lo said, to make sure the $239 million project can get the state-approved 80 percent reimbursement, which won’t happen if any of the high school’s construction takes place on Naramake property.

Students are slated to begin classes in the new building in fall of 2027, and the demolition of the old campus will commence shortly after that, Lo said. The new athletic facility and parking lot will then go where the current high school campus is now.

By the completion of the project, the school building and athletic field on the campus will have switched places, and Naramake Elementary School will get a new softball field.

The new parking lot should open in fall 2028, with the new field, followed by the tennis courts in spring 2029. Between fall 2027 and the fall 2028 demolition, students will not have access to Norwalk High School's athletic facilities; to minimize disruption to athletic programming, students will be bused to use facilities at Nathan Hale Middle School, West Rocks Middle School, Cranbury Elementary School, Brien McMahon High School and Oak Hills Park.

South Norwalk School groundbreaking 

The next project slated for groundbreaking is the South Norwalk School — a $76 million elementary school that will be the neighborhood’s first in 40 years.

The district's construction website said the groundbreaking is scheduled for spring, with students set to be welcomed at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year.

Last September, the city’s Common Council approved two separate capital appropriation requests for funding the South Norwalk School project, totaling $4.9 million.

Of that nearly $5 million, $2 million will go toward road and flood improvements surrounding the property, an 11.7-acre parcel that is the former home of Hatch and Bailey Co. that the city also purchased for the school project. 

These improvement funds were pulled equally from the free balances of Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School and Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy. For the acquisition of six properties surrounding the new school, the $2.9 million comes from the Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School improvement project capital budget. The purchases, though, will be administered by the city’s general obligation bonds.

The six properties that will expand the construction site are 28 Oxford St., 32 Oxford St., 36 Oxford St., 38 Oxford St., 16 Meadow St. Ext., and a 1.13-acre S. Main Rail Corridor, as identified in documents displayed in an August meeting of the city estimate and taxation board.

The $2.9 million will cover costs related to the acquisitions, including the purchases and the relocation costs for the residents or tenants.

When the school is completed, it will accommodate 682 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade. In its first year, the school will serve about 580 students, or 85 percent of the maximum capacity.

‘Beautiful’ new Cranbury School

The old Cranbury Elementary School building was demolished this summer and the new campus opened in August, welcoming students on the first day of classes in this academic year.

The new $45 million school building opened to community fanfare, Principal Jennifer Masone said in August.

“We said, ‘Park on the street, make an event, walk your child up,’” Masone said. “It was a really sweet moment. It was unlike anything I've ever experienced: the amount of joy and energy around.”

The new building boasts leading security features, modern construction, cedar decking, stone masonry and natural light pouring in from nearly floor-to-ceiling windows in airy common spaces — considerable upgrades compared to the outdated former school built in 1959.

“People just want to be in that space, the adults and the children,” Masone said in August. “It's so beautiful.”

The principal said new athletic facilities for the school will replace the demolished campus. The softball field, tennis and pickleball courts will be ready in “early spring,” said Lo, the city building and facilities manager.

Silvermine Magnet’s driveway

The former parking lot and driveway at Silvermine Dual Language Magnet School was always congested when parents dropped off students each morning, officials said in January.

In a January meeting of the Board of Estimate and Taxation, Mayor Harry Rilling said the space was a hazard.

“It’s a dangerous situation,” Rilling said on Jan. 9, 2023. “The configuration … needs to be completely redesigned so that people can come into the parking lot, drop their children off in a safe fashion.”

The $1.75 million “redesign of all driveways for protected traffic flow and parking lot enhancements,” as described on the NPS construction website, was completed in August, according to a letter from Principal Yesenia Paredes.

“Our school has received a beautiful facelift that fits our community's needs,” Paredes said in the letter before the school year started. “We can’t wait for the weeks ahead as we welcome our families and see how the improvements in our driveway positively impact pickup and drop-off.”

What's Norwalk's roadmap for 2024? Mayor Rilling focuses on sustainability, school construction

Katherine Lutge

NORWALK —  As the city enters a new year, newly reelected Mayor Harry Rilling lays out his vision for Norwalk’s future in 2024, emphasizing key priorities that span education, environmental sustainability, and enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.

“Children are the future and our most precious resource, and I believe that a community that invests in education invests in the future,” Rilling said.

Looking back at recent accomplishments, he highlighted the renovations of Ponus Ridge School in 2020 and Jefferson Elementary School in 2022. The year 2023 marked the opening of Cranbury Elementary School, the city’s first new school in over 50 years.

Education will continue to be a central focus for the city as more major projects are in the pipeline.

“In 2024, we are moving forward with the next steps for the new Norwalk High School and a new neighborhood school in South Norwalk,” Rilling said.

Moments after winning his sixth term as mayor of Norwalk, Rilling declared he wanted to make Norwalk the greenest city in Connecticut.

“I am committed to making Norwalk the greenest city in CT,” he said.

Through the recently relaunched Mayor’s Dashboard, Rilling is tracking the city’s sustainability efforts and progress.

“You can see how, year after year, Norwalk has been increasing the number of newly planted trees, as well as newly installed sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike racks to enhance walkability and connectivity and protect our environment by reducing our carbon footprint,” Rilling said.

Further sustainable goals include switching to electric.

“In 2024, we plan to expand our sustainable transportation options by also growing our electric and hybrid fleet of city-owned vehicles and investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels,” Rilling reported. “We will continue to invest in sustainable infrastructure that proactively addresses the threats of climate change, while looking for new ways to advance the efficiency of our citywide waste management and conservation services for residents.”

Norwalk has made headlines across the nation as a premier place to live. Recognized in 2023 by Fortune Magazine, Livability.com, and CT Insider as a top city to live in, Mayor Rilling expressed his commitment to enhancing the quality of life for Norwalk residents in 2024.

“We are committed to continuing to beautify our neighborhoods by addressing more blighted properties and zoning compliance inquiries,” he said.

Rilling said he plans to improve the quality of life by continuing to invest in parks and open space. This year, Norwalk released a 10-Year Recreation and Parks Master Plan, which includes creating the city’s first indoor recreation center, adding more pickleball courts, and improving playgrounds across the city.

“We will continue to offer our summer camps, kayak rack rental opportunities, field use permits, event permits for parks and more, encouraging community involvement at parks and green spaces to help build community and increase residents' overall quality of life,” Rilling said.

Shelton development projects to watch in 2024

Brian Gioiele

SHELTON — Developments are continuing to rise throughout the city, and several will be getting underway or being completed over the next year. 

Here are some of them to keep an eye on.

Clock Tower Apartments 

Construction of Clock Tower at Petremont — a 100-unit development on Petremont Lane off River Road — has been underway and the opening is planned by the end of 2024. 

Attorney Stephen Bellis, representing Good Guys Development, said the developers have already seen strong interest from potential renters. 

"We had 100 hits in 10 minutes (on the Clock Tower Apartments website),” said Bellis. 

The development will include a fitness center, a lounge with pool table and golf simulator, a conference room, a dog park and wash station, rooftop lounges overlooking the Housatonic River and electric vehicle charging stations. 

Canal Street developments 

Work on Riverview Park Royal and Chromium Commons, which sit across from each other on Canal Street, is expected to begin in earnest this coming year, according to developer John Guedes. 

Site work already started at Riverview Park Royal, which will be a five-story structure at property listed as 113-123 Canal St. 

The building will have 13,000 square feet of retail or commercial space and 92 apartments, with nine units set aside as affordable under state statute 8-30g, one of the state’s affordable housing laws. 

Overall, there would be 28 studio apartments, along with 16 one-bedrooms, 44 two-bedrooms and four three-bedroom apartments. 

Structured parking will be provided on a deck at street level, at the rear of the commercial space and under the apartments, with a lower level of parking at the basement level. There will be 205 on-site parking spaces, with one designated for each apartment. 

Chromium Commons will sit in what has become a popular parking lot downtown on the former Chromium Process site. 

Guedes said the parking lot will remain available to the general public until more intensive site work begins next year. 

Guedes said Chromium Commons is a “smaller building,” and should be fully completed within 16 months once it begins.  

The plans call for construction of a four-story building, with first floor retail and 30 apartments — at least three of which will be affordable units — on the top three floors. 

“I anticipate both developments will be ready by the beginning of 2025,” Guedes said. 

Cedar Village at the Locks 

Shelton developer Don Stanziale, known for building Cedar Village at Carrolls and Riverwalk Place, both along Howe Avenue, said he expects one of his projects, located in Derby, to be done by end of 2024 while a second at the end of Shelton’s Canal Street will begin this coming year. 

Stanziele, owner of Midland Development and Contracting, said work on Cedar Village at the Locks at 287 Canal St. will begin in 2024 with the expected completion date in 2025. 

The four-story structure on property known as the Ascom Hasler site will have 129 apartments and 1,745 square feet of retail space.   

Stanziale said his plans for the end of Canal Street also call for him to complete the Riverwalk and create a seating area so people can look over the Shelton canal locks and the Housatonic River. The new building would have views of the river. 

In Derby, Stanziale has partnered with fellow Shelton-based John Brennan Construction to turn what has been a long-vacant eyesore on Minerva Street into the Cedar Village at Minerva Square. 

The project, on land listed as 67-71 Minerva St., calls for construction of a four-story complex with under-deck parking and 90 market-rate units. The apartments will be broken down into 39 studios and 51 one-bedroom apartments. 

Wilton's biggest issues to watch in 2024 — from 500 proposed apartments to $100M in school repairs

Karen Tensa

WILTON — The year 2023 brought a new first selectwoman and new police chief to town, not to mention the approval of Wilton's first hotel and controversy over a proposed turf field. 

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Many of this past year's biggest stories — from the news that the schools need over $100 million in repairs and the discussions around hundreds of proposed apartments — will have ramifications for the New Year. It's a sign the year 2024 could bring more change to Wilton. 

These are some of the major local issues that will affect residents in the New Year. 

New first selectwoman is in charge 

Toni Boucher returned to elected office in late November after she ran unopposed to replace Lynne Vanderslice as first selectwoman. 

Boucher, a longtime Republican state representative and senator, has said she wants to make "town government accessible and productive" for residents and employees. Among the challenges she has cited for the town in the coming year are the upcoming property revaluations and the school district's capital needs.

School repairs needed, report says

A consultant's report released in 2023 found that Cider Mill, Middlebrook and Wilton High need more than $100 million in infrastructure improvements. Now, the town must figure out how to prioritize and pay for these school projects. 

Before leaving office, Vanderslice said the town could bond the projects for up to 20 years, with expected Grand List growth helping to offset the costs.

The growth in the town’s Grand List from multifamily projects and the ASML expansion would likely bring in over $1 million per year in new property taxes, less than the cost of projected new students, Vanderslice said.  

Proposed apartments under review

Plans for more than 500 new apartments along a 2.5-mile stretch of Route 7 will be considered in the New Year. Three separate proposals for housing projects on Danbury Road and Old Danbury Road are in the early stages of the approval process in Wilton. 

The largest of the projects, which comes from AMS Acquisitions, calls for 208 apartments at 131 Danbury Road. The development would be 4 1/2 stories and constructed north of Ring's End and south of a 173-unit multifamily project under construction at 141 Danbury Road, according to the application. 

Wilton’s Architectural Review Board and Village District Design Advisory Committee blessed the project in November. Meanwhile, the Planning and Zoning Commission is expected in 2024 to review the developer's application for a zone change, site plan and special permit. 

Also under consideration is Toll Brothers' plan to replace the vacant Commonfund office building with 207 apartments. The 4.2-acre property is nestled between Route 7 to the east, Merwin Meadows Park to the west and the train station to the south. Toll Brothers Inc. acquired part of the 15 Old Danbury Road site from CD Station LLC in mid-September, according to the application documents.  

Toll Brothers went before the Planning and Zoning Commission for a preapplication review in late October and can be expected to return the commission sometime in the new year. 

At 64 Danbury Road, the  Architectural Review Board on Jan. 4 is expected to again review Fuller Development's latest plans for eight buildings with 93 apartments. In late 2023, the developers revised their design and scaled down the number of apartments from 100, based on the board's feedback. 

Man charged with murdering neighbor to appear in court

One of the most tragic stories in Wilton in 2023 was the murder of Arinzechukwu Red Ukachukwu, a husband and father of a young son who police say was stabbed to death in his driveway on Partrick Lane on March 21. 

Sebastian Andrews, Ukachukwu's neighbor, was charged with murder after Andrews' father told police he saw his son stabbing the victim, according to an arrest warrant. Andrews has been held on $2 million bond, and his attorney has said that Andrews is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. 

Andrews is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Jan. 23, according to court records. 

Dana Dam project enters final phase 

The Dana Dam on the Norwalk River was removed in 2023, a move experts say has numerous environmental benefits. But the final phase of the project will continue into 2024. 

Save the Sound, a New Haven-based nonprofit, received a $250,000 grant to support post-removal management at the site, continued community engagement and reconnaissance of the next upstream barriers in the Norwalk River watershed. The organization has said it also plans to target fish species using "newly restored upstream habitats" and ensure native vegetation has been established. 

Turf and athletic fields

One of the biggest controversies in town in 2023 was the $1.9 million proposal to build a turf field at Allens Meadow. In part due to environmental concerns, voters narrowly rejected the project in May. 

But residents should anticipate that, if not artificial turf, the state of Wilton's athletic facilities will become an issue again in 2024. For example, former First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice has noted that many fields lack proper lighting for night games and practices.

The town plans to install lights at Guy Whitten Field and wants to refurbish that field in conjunction with the approved drainage project for the Wilton High School Sports Complex. 

New police station begins construction 

Construction on the town's new police station began in the fall and will continue into 2024. The new building is going up near the existing headquarters and will be double the old structure's size. 

In her holiday newsletter, First Selectwoman Toni Boucher said the building will be constructed in two phases. The first phase "entails making enough progress on the new building so that our police can take up occupancy around April 2025," she said.

In the second phase, the existing station will be demolished and replaced by a "much-needed" car park by September 2025, Boucher said. 

The work on the police station comes after the town hired a new police chief in February. Thomas Conlan became chief after 23 years with the Wilton Police Department. 

Town to get its first hotel 

Residents should watch for progress on Wilton's first hotel. In June, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the four-story iPark Hotel to be constructed on Route 7 on the Norwalk border. 

Although much of the 29-acre iPark campus is in Norwalk, more than 10 acres of it lie in Wilton. The hotel will be built in the northeast section, just off Kent Road.

Work on retail component of Cheshire's Stone Bridge Crossing slated to begin this spring

Luther Turmelle

The transformation of a long vacant 107 acre parcel in the north end of Cheshire into a mixed use complex is expected to gain momentum in 2024.

The Stone Bridge Crossing mixed-use complex off Interstate 691 at the highway's Route 10 interchange includes a 300-unit apartment complex as well as a retail component.  The project's main retail component includes about 20 stores spread across 136,000 square feet, as well as between four and six restaurants, depending on the space needs of individual eateries, said Dan Zelson, a founding principal of Fairfield County-based Charter Realty and Development, which is marketing the the retail portion to potential tenants.

The mixed use development will also include an extended stay hotel and a convenience store, according to the web site created by Charter Realty for Stone Bridge Crossing. The retail component will be anchored by a 40,000-square-foot supermarket, a pet retailer and a store that sells bedding, apparel and home goods, according to plans for the complex and testimony given at public hearings held during the lengthy approval process for the site.

Zelson said the company isn't identifying any of the tenants of the retail portion of the development at this point.

"Hopefully, we'll have some good news to announce early next year," he said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media.

Site clearing work is currently underway on the retail component. Zelson said construction of the retail component is expected to start in the spring with completion of that portion of the development to occur within 12 to 18 months.

Construction has already started on Stone Bridge Crossing's apartment complex. Fairfield-based Eastpointe LLC is building a 10-building apartment complex that will be know as Riverpointe.

A neighboring development of town and carriage homes is further along in terms of construction and has a separate entrance off of Dickerman Road, near the Cheshire-Southington border. The townhouse and carriage house complex, known as The Reserve at Stone Bridge Crossing, is being built by Southbury-based EG Home.

Robin Lawson, vice president of sales and marketing for EG Home, said the town and carriage home development is a separate entity from the components of the Stone Bridge Crossing development, even thought the two projects will be connected by a footbridge and homeowners will benefit from the close proximity of the nearby retail.

"We've been very well received by the community," Lawson said. The development is being built in three phases, with four townhouses per building or two carriage homes per building. 

Prices for a townhouse start at $429,000, while the carriage homes are priced starting at $579,900. Lawson said EG Home has sold 12 of the 16 townhouses that are available and 21 of the carriage homes that are part of Phase One portion of the development.

"We are now selling homes in Phase Two," she said.

From former factories to vacant lots: Five Hartford developments to watch in 2024

Emily DiSalvo

HARTFORD — One of the city's most prominent developers said in the final days of Mayor Luke Bronin's administration that he has "never been more bullish" on development in Hartford.

Randy Salvatore, CEO of Stamford-based RMS Companies, completed the first phase of the North Crossing development near Dunkin' Park, The Pennant Apartments, and has since turned his focus to the former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus and "Parcel B" across from the park.

These three developments are not meant to be a self-sufficient community. Rather, Salvatore said he hopes it will begin to drive economic activity elsewhere in the city.

"We want them to cross over to be able to shop at Pratt Street to go to a restaurant over on that side, and vice versa," Salvatore said at a press conference Dec. 22. "And that really gets rid of the barrier. It's not to duplicate. It's to be complimentary and to knit this whole thing together."

Development on these two North Crossing projects is set to kick off in 2024, but Salvatore isn't the only developer eyeing the city heading into the new year. There are projects, big and small, entering design and construction phases across the city in the year ahead as Hartford's new mayor Arunan Arulampalam takes over on Jan. 1.

Michael Seidenfeld, COO at Shelbourne, which is responsible for some development on Pratt Street and the Fuller Brush Factory, said the company is "optimistic" about Hartford's future. 

"Shelbourne is encouraged by Mayor-elect Arunan Arulampalam's pro-growth and forward-thinking approach to business in general and development in particular," Seidenfeld said in an email to CT Insider.

Here are five capital city developments to watch in 2024:

1 Developer: Randy Salvatore, RMS Companies

Current status: On Dec. 21, Bronin signed the agreement that will allow the development of the parcel of land located across Main Street from Dunkin' Park to redeveloped into apartments, a parking garage, and some mixed-use retail.

The lot is currently uneven and paved with lots of loose gravel. While there are no construction vehicles on site, the prefabricated parking garage is already in the process of being created. 

What to expect in 2024: Without giving a specific date, Salvatore said construction on the property will begin "this winter" pending permits and is expected to be ready for some residents in about 20 months. The project will be constructed in phases, the first part including 237 apartments and the 500-space parking garage. 

2. Former RPI campus to become housing, parking

Developer: Randy Salvatore, RMS Companies

Current status: In late November, Salvatore closed the deal to buy the 13-acre vacant campus that also includes a parking garage. While apartments are one of the ideas he's proposed for the land, it's certainly not the only one. 

Earlier this year, prior to the settlement of the lawsuit between the city and the former developer of the park, development of Parcel B had been stalled so Salvatore planned over 200 apartments for the RPI location. But after the lawsuit settled, he said he's considered other projects including a grocery store.

What to expect in 2024: Salvatore said he intends to start demolishing the 1970s-era buildings on the lot within 30 days, leaving the 450-spot parking garage, which would be part of any future development at the site. He also plans to continue his hunt for a grocery store.

"Ultimately — I'll say when not if — when we're successful to get a grocery here, then that becomes the uniter, as well as the ballpark, that people come from the north down to this south, and people come from the south up to the north, to shop," Salvatore said.

Salvatore and Bronin, along with a slew of activists, have been on the hunt for a grocery store for the area for years. 

3. First major development in the North End in decades, Fuller Brush

Developer: Shelbourne

Current status: The former Fuller Brush Factory on North Main Street has been abandoned for years. In between its time as a brush factory and its current state, it was a building where families would go to collect welfare. Now, the site will be redeveloped into 160 one- and two-bedroom units. The project has been called "Bristle and Main," an homage to the brush factory of the past.

"Our entire company has made Hartford its home," Seidenfeld said at the groundbreaking in December. "And it's home because we believe in the people of Hartford. We believe in the people in North End."

Shelbourne secured the funding for the project from the Capital Region Development Authority late this year. 

What to expect in 2024: The company expects to break ground on the first phase of construction in January, which will include 155 apartments in the portion of the factory facing Main Street. This phase will last 18 months. 

4. Bushnell South project to include residential units, retail

Developer: The Michaels Organization

Current status: The sea of surface lots south of Bushnell Park is the target of a sweeping plan for residential and office space. In June, Bronin said the project may require tax breaks to be built. Officials say the development would bring over 1,800 residents to the area, with more than $400 million in development construction value and over 63,000 square feet of retail space.

What to expect in 2024: The project does not have a distinct timeline because details of the financing for the project are still being ironed out. 

5. Mixed-use developments moving ahead in Barbour, Albany corridors

In addition to the major projects taking place across the city, some that will create entirely new neighborhoods like North Crossing and Bushnell South, there are plans smaller, mixed-use development popping up across the city. These developments are usually three or four stories tall with retail on the first floor and residential units above. 

A proposal for the corner of Barbour Street and Westland Street in Hartford would bring about 60 apartments and first-floor retail. The development is the result of a partnership between Citadel of Love and Mutual Housing of Greater Hartford. The project is likely to go before planning and zoning for permit approval in 2024.

The city is also working on plans to redevelop a lot on the corner of Albany Avenue and Woodland Street. The includes a 31,700-square-foot, multistory building that would provide more than 16,000 square feet of space to house most of the city's health department offices, a Liberty Bank with a drive-thru and ATM, space for more commercial operations, and a restaurant with rooftop dining. 

Spurring and encouraging development of all sizes has been a top priority of outgoing Bronin, who remained hopeful for the city in his final week.

"I think we've planted a lot of seeds that I hope and believe are going to grow and blossom in the months and years ahead," Bronin said Friday.

Darien biggest 2024 plans include opening Great Island, flooding repairs and funding school projects