Danish wind vessel dwarfs smaller ships as it docks in New London

New London ― The 459-foot-long Wind Scylla wind turbine installation vessel dwarfed smaller sailing vessels as it made its way up the Thames River Tuesday.

A thick fog descended as Scylla headed toward State Pier, where it is expected to dock for two days to pick up crews and supplies associated with Ørsted and Eversource’s Revolution Wind offshore wind project.

Scylla is owned by Cadeler, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based company that has a fleet of offshore wind installation vessels and inked a long-term contract with Ørsted earlier this year for future projects.

Wind Scylla has a 1,500-foot crane and 344-foot legs that can install wind turbine components in water depths of more than 200 feet.

Wind Scylla will be used to install turbines at Revolution Wind, a 65-turbine offshore wind farm whose first foundation was installed in May. The 704-megawatt farm, producing enough energy to power 350,000 homes, is the country’s first multistate project and will supply power to Connecticut and Rhode Island.

State Pier in New London is currently the staging and assembly area for Revolution Wind farm, which would be the first wind farm to supply wind energy, 304 megawatts, to Connecticut.

Wind Scylla is capable of transporting between five and seven complete sets of turbines, depending on their size.

Because it is a foreign-flagged vessel, however, Connecticut Port Authority Interim Executive Director Ulysses Hammond said in an email last week that Scylla is not able to load any offshore wind components.

The federal Merchant Marine Act of 1920, widely known as the Jones Act, requires that any cargo shipped from a U.S. port sail on a U.S.-built vessel. Ørsted previously contracted with Dominion for use of its 472-foot Charybdis, the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel.

“This is a major event for State Pier and the state of Connecticut,” Hammond said in a statement. “Large vessels have been arriving since last year to deliver offshore wind components after State Pier’s transformation into a world-class marine terminal, but the arrival of a unique vessel like Wind Scylla is further evidence of the vital roles State Pier and Connecticut play in this new American industry.

Following the completion of Revolution Wind, State Pier will next host components for Sunrise Wind, an 84-turbine project.

East Norwalk Train Station to close for 3 weeks in August for platform replacement project

Katherine Lutge

NORWALK — In August, the East Norwalk Train Station will close for another three weeks while crews begin the process of replacing the northbound platform.

“The next phase of work at East Norwalk Station includes demo of the existing north platform, and construction of a temporary platform and access ramps to facilitate new station construction, which is coming in the future,” said Josh Morgan, spokesperson for Connecticut’s Department of Transportation.

The station is scheduled to close on Sunday, Aug 17, and reopen on Friday, Sept 6, Morgan said.

This will be the second three-week closure of the East Norwalk Train Station. In March, the station and part of East Avenue were closed while crews put in a new underdrain system under its northern parking lot and for Frontier to install new utility conduits under East Avenue.

“As with the previous closure, we are working with the Norwalk Transit District to provide shuttle services for commuters to the South Norwalk Station,” Morgan said. “That schedule is being finalized and will be published in advance of the closure.”

The replacement of the East Norwalk Train Station is a part of CDOT’s $1 billion Walk Bridge replacement project, which includes several improvements along the rail.

“The Train Station upgrades include extending platforms on both sides of the station to accommodate six train cars, new platform canopies, and improved parking and access — including a dedicated drop-off lane,” the Walk Bridge website states.

CDOT is starting with replacing the northbound side and will finish constructing the new platform in 2025. The process will be repeated to build the southbound side and will be complete by 2026.

Joseph Villanova

MANCHESTER — Officials have further paved the way for Manchester's new "21st century" library by approving demolition of the Webster Bank building at 1041 Main St., expected to begin later this year.

After voters approved $39 million in bonds for the project in November 2022, Manchester recently approved a set of agreements to acquire three parcels totaling roughly 1.6 acres, in exchange for $1.6 million to Webster Bank and the disposition of 3.12 acres at 601 Lydall St., to build a new main library branch in the downtown area to expand beyond the cramped Mary Cheney Library just up the hill.

Though the projected costs have since grown to $53.6 million, largely due to increased construction costs across the board, Manchester has received federal and state funding intended to make up the difference.

Town officials have said the planned library would tie in with efforts to revitalize Main Street, including planned redevelopment of the building across the street, though some residents have taken issue with proposed modifications to the streetscape.

At a meeting July 15, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the town's erosion and sedimentation control plan for both demolition of the building at 1041 Main St. and construction of the new library building and other associated site improvements.

The most recent site plan presented to the PZC details a three-story, 72,450-square-foot building along Main Street, with 46 parking spaces and a drive-thru service window in the back.

An update on the project published by the town July 11 details how the library could look on the inside, including "ample space" for both materials and programming across demographics. The design is subject to change, but current plans include a makerspace and audio-visual studio, private study and meeting rooms, a community meeting space, and a "dedicated interactive teen space."

Manchester officials said the new library's design aims to achieve sustainable, "net-zero" energy operations in the future, using geothermal heating and cooling systems like those implemented at the town's recently renovated elementary schools, though plans for implementation are still underway.

Webster Bank is in the process of moving to its new location at 1007 Main St., and the town expects to begin demolition of the 1041 Main St. building in the fourth quarter of 2024. Construction of the new library is expected to begin by early 2025, weather permitting, with completion expected 16 to 18 months after.

Michael Gagne

DANBURY — Several of the major routes in Danbury center will be better than new after a recent repaving spree.

Deer Hill Avenue is the latest roadway to receive a new asphalt facelift. 

Work on that project began on Thursday, July 18 and should last for two to three weeks, according to a city announcement. 

The city stated on its Instagram page that the construction “will not result in road closings, however, there is the possibility of travel restrictions during this work period.”

Meanwhile, a series of Department of Transportation-led repaving projects on local state roads are also ongoing. 

They include projects to repave Federal Road from the White Street intersection into Brookfield as well as Newtown Road’s span between White Street and Lyon Street, as well as a South Street paving project. Another project, the repaving of Main Street, was recently underway. However, a city engineer said repairs on that project will already be needed, due to broken water mains. 

That project, which is part of the DOT’s Maintenance Resurfacing Program, is scheduled for overnight road paving this Tuesday and Wednesday, according to agency spokesperson Samaia Hernandez. 

The repaving of Federal Road is also scheduled to be completed by early August. 

Antonio Iadorala, the city’s public works director and city engineer, said city leaders are trying to post notices related to the roadwork, most of which are not city projects, because they “getting inundated with questions of when the paving is going to get done, when it’s going to get started, when it’s going to get finished. 

“And we figured the best way to do it is to at least try to give some residents and anybody, the traveling public, at least a little bit of notice, so they know that these roads are going to be impacted by paving operations,” Iadarola said. 

The projects have not been without hiccups. For example, during the repaving of Main Street, DOT crews broke two water lines, Iadarola said. 

So city crews who were working on Deer Hill Avenue needed to be remobilized to Main Street to fix the lines, he said. 

“We ended up having to mill that area and [Monday night] they’re going to repave it,” Iadarola said on Monday. “And hopefully they don’t break them again.”

Iadarola said road construction is “all dependent on weather.” But he knows state crews were looking to wrap up on Main Street over the next two nights. “Then I think they’re looking at remobilizing over to Federal Road and starting on that, at some point, the later part of next week,” he said.  

According to Hernandez, the estimated cost of the Main Street repaving project is just under $1.146 million. Meanwhile the Federal Road project’s estimated cost is more than $1.85 million. The cost of repaving Newtown Road was estimated at $310,968. 

Work is scheduled to begin next month on a project to replace an existing flood prone culvert on South Street, near Town Hill Avenue, “with a new structurally sound and hydraulically adequate drainage structure,” according to a project description. That description states both city and DOT maintenance crews “have reported structural and hydraulic deficiencies with the culvert, including partial collapses which required emergency repairs.” 

Avon approves NY developer Vessel's four-story affordable housing community

Natasha Sokoloff

AVON — The Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a four-story affordable housing development, citing both the constraints of state statute 8-30g and the vital need for affordable housing stock.

The July 16 vote marks a win for New York City-based developer Vessel Technologies, who now has the green light for constructing a 64-unit apartment at 25 Avonwood Road.

Vessel has been at the center of controversy in other Connecticut towns, such as Simsbury and Glastonbury, where its project proposals had been shot down by town commissions, but are now moving forward after the developer won battles in court.

The Avon development was also proposed in accordance with state statute 8-30g, which essentially ensures that municipalities cannot deny an affordable housing proposal unless there is a specific significant health or safety concern, placing the burden on the town to defend its decision in court, according to project documents.

"I don't like being handcuffed by applications like 8-30g," said Planning and Zoning Commission member Joseph Gentile at the meeting. 

The statute stipulates that developers may challenge communities with less than 10 percent of affordable housing stock that reject proposals for affordable housing. That means Avon, which has stock well under that requirement at 3.9 percent, is subject to the law.

"I mean, affordable housing is needed, no question about it, but I just don't like the fact that we would lose in a court of law," said commission member Jamie DiPace.

However, Gentile said he didn't see any reason to deny the application either, which was a sentiment shared among many members at the meeting.

"I'm going to ignore the fact that 8-30g even exists," said alternate commission member Christine Graesser. "This is, I think, is a very good application."

The multifamily development consists of 64 rental apartments in a 11,572 square foot building, including 61 one-bedrooms and three two-bedrooms.  And the 2.67 acre parcel is located on Avonwood Road, near the intersection of Waterville Road. The site is surrounded by existing multifamily developments, Avon Woods Apartments and Avon Place.

So, in spite of some complaints regarding 8-30g, the commission's approval was unanimous.

"I don't have any issues with it," said commission member Robin Baran. "I think it's a suitable location."

And despite outrage regarding Vessel proposals at meetings in nearby Simsbury and Granby, commission members said at the meeting that residents had seemed to be generally supportive.

"Suitable location, it addresses a vital need for affordable housing in Avon, its environmentally friendly, I believe it protects the public health and safety, and the applicant has taken reasonable measures to address the concerns of the commission," said commission Chair Lisa Levin. 

Both Avon’s Affordable Housing Plan and Plan of Conservation and Development discuss the need of affordable housing, which can be addressed by adding more deed-restricted units, as the Vessel development would help accomplish.

Under Vessel's project, 30 percent of the units, or 20 units, will be set aside as affordable and restricted for 40 years. Those 20 affordable units will will be formally rent-restricted for individuals and households earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income, which is between approximately $53,000 and $71,000, according to application documents.

"It fulfills the need that we're striving for in an appropriate place where this type of housing already exists," Baran said at the meeting. "And yes, it's a different kind of structure than is present in town, being four-story and modern looking, but it's not in the historic district of Main Street being proposed. It's being proposed in an area that already has sort of linear apartment style buildings."

Vessel uses a unique model for its projects, in which the the building itself is comprised primarily of materials fabricated off-site, which are then delivered to the site in as little as ten truckloads, and subsequently erected in as few as 10 days, according to application materials. The company says its mission is providing working-class residents with housing focused on efficiency and sustainability in the building and design process.

The site is also across from Reggio Magnet School of the Art, and some Avon residents had expressed during the June public hearing that the nearby traffic light was a "disaster." However, project planners noted that traffic on Avonwood Road associated with the school is an existing condition, and that the development's peak traffic hours do not coincide with the school’s peak hours. And according to the traffic report, the proposed development will not have a significant impact to traffic.

Commission members said at the meeting last week that they appreciated the developer's willingness to work with the commission and address the concerns brought up, such as adding more parking spaces.

With a typical Vessel development construction time of six to nine months, the town could potentially see this development ready next summer.