CT Contruction Digest Monday April 13. 2020
New Haven’s Grand Avenue Bridge to close Monday for $22 million construction project
Ben Lambert
NEW HAVEN — The city announced that the Grand Avenue Bridge in Fair Haven will close for construction Monday, allowing for “significant structural improvements.”
The bridge is expected to remain closed for approximately 610 days, Mayor Justin Elicker and other officials said in a release.
“Thank you so much to all our New Haven residents for your cooperation with this long-awaited infrastructure project, and also your cooperation in this unprecedented pandemic,” Elicker stated in a release. “I want to reiterate that the City has made it very clear that the contractor must follow our guidance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They have agreed that they will cooperate with these health and safety guidelines throughout the construction process.”The $22 million project is expected to completely replace the mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the approach spans, blast paint the center span, rehab the control house, install two new foundations on the land side, replace the bridge deck and repair the masonry substructure.
City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said the “improvement will rehabilitate many original components from 1898 and prepares the bridge for future conditions through a more resilient design.”
It will be painted green before being re-opened after city residents voted on a new color for the bridge, he said “Even though traffic is down due to the impact of the coronavirus, we ask for everyone’s patience as the detour traffic pattern establishes itself. Thank you to everyone who participated in our ranked-choice voting selection process for the new color,” said Zinn, noting his excitement at the project moving forward. “We are excited to reopen the bridge in 610 days—in early 2022—with its new green look!”
Residents are asked to take the Ferry Street as a detour, according to past reporting. The traffic detour goes down Quinnipiac Avenue to the traffic circle at Ferry Street where drivers can then proceed to Chapel Street to downtown or to the intersection with Grand Avenue.
“The city will continue to provide updates on the status of this project, as it poses a major impact on those that rely on this bridge for daily travel, and the businesses that are impacted by it as well,” said Elicker. “I, too, am excited about the new color, but more pleased to see New Haven taking charge by using ranked-choice voting in a meaningful way to engage residents. I hope all our residents are staying home and staying safe.”
Spring paving programs to begin in May for many roadways in Bristol
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL – The Public Works Department has released its schedule for this year’s spring paving program, which will be completed in two phases.
Ben Lambert
NEW HAVEN — The city announced that the Grand Avenue Bridge in Fair Haven will close for construction Monday, allowing for “significant structural improvements.”
The bridge is expected to remain closed for approximately 610 days, Mayor Justin Elicker and other officials said in a release.
“Thank you so much to all our New Haven residents for your cooperation with this long-awaited infrastructure project, and also your cooperation in this unprecedented pandemic,” Elicker stated in a release. “I want to reiterate that the City has made it very clear that the contractor must follow our guidance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They have agreed that they will cooperate with these health and safety guidelines throughout the construction process.”The $22 million project is expected to completely replace the mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the approach spans, blast paint the center span, rehab the control house, install two new foundations on the land side, replace the bridge deck and repair the masonry substructure.
City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said the “improvement will rehabilitate many original components from 1898 and prepares the bridge for future conditions through a more resilient design.”
It will be painted green before being re-opened after city residents voted on a new color for the bridge, he said “Even though traffic is down due to the impact of the coronavirus, we ask for everyone’s patience as the detour traffic pattern establishes itself. Thank you to everyone who participated in our ranked-choice voting selection process for the new color,” said Zinn, noting his excitement at the project moving forward. “We are excited to reopen the bridge in 610 days—in early 2022—with its new green look!”
Residents are asked to take the Ferry Street as a detour, according to past reporting. The traffic detour goes down Quinnipiac Avenue to the traffic circle at Ferry Street where drivers can then proceed to Chapel Street to downtown or to the intersection with Grand Avenue.
“The city will continue to provide updates on the status of this project, as it poses a major impact on those that rely on this bridge for daily travel, and the businesses that are impacted by it as well,” said Elicker. “I, too, am excited about the new color, but more pleased to see New Haven taking charge by using ranked-choice voting in a meaningful way to engage residents. I hope all our residents are staying home and staying safe.”
Spring paving programs to begin in May for many roadways in Bristol
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL – The Public Works Department has released its schedule for this year’s spring paving program, which will be completed in two phases.
The initial phase consists of milling off the existing bituminous pavement of the road. The second phase consists of installing a new bituminous roadway surface and will commence shortly after the first phase. Once construction is complete, the city will repair any affected driveway aprons.
The program begins May 18. The following streets will be milled and then resurfaced: Salvatore Avenue, Leslie Court, Cherry Street, Jefferson Avenue, Chapel Street, Emmett St. (Pine to Surrey), Sheffield Lane, Knollwood Drive, Tulip Street (Park to Divinity), Magnolia Avenue, Sherwood Road, Carmelo Road, Round Hill Road, Rogers Road, Hart Street (Peacedale to Burlington Town Line), Josephine Terrace, Long Lane, New Street, Brewster Road (Queen to Rotary), Birchwood Drive, Redstone Hill Road (Middle to Emmett), Blue Meadow Drive, Main Street (South Street to Memorial Boulevard), Geary Avenue, Ferraro Drive, Vanderbilt Road, Hull Street (South to East Road), Ridgewood Street.
“There may be minor traffic delays during construction, however, roads will remain open for mail delivery, emergency vehicles, and local traffic at all times,” Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said. “Temporary ‘no parking’ signs will be posted as needed during construction.”
“In addition to the spring paving program, the Sharon Street, Dover Street and Warren Street neighborhood will undergo reconstruction of the roadway surfaces,” City Council member Greg Hahn said. “This process is much more involved and residents in the affected areas will receive a separate notice outlining the extensive work this road reconstruction entails. This project is anticipated to begin May 4.”
Also, the State of Connecticut will be paving a portion of Route 72 from Main Street to the Route 72/Route 69 for proposed reconstruction project on School Street.
Eversource will also be paving Birch Street and Ronzo Road from the curb to the centerline to repair their trench work from last summer.
Memorial Boulevard School project will now cost $63 million, with 60% paid by state
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL – The building committee for the Memorial Boulevard Intradistrict Arts Magnet School had planned to hold another public forum in April, but that has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The program begins May 18. The following streets will be milled and then resurfaced: Salvatore Avenue, Leslie Court, Cherry Street, Jefferson Avenue, Chapel Street, Emmett St. (Pine to Surrey), Sheffield Lane, Knollwood Drive, Tulip Street (Park to Divinity), Magnolia Avenue, Sherwood Road, Carmelo Road, Round Hill Road, Rogers Road, Hart Street (Peacedale to Burlington Town Line), Josephine Terrace, Long Lane, New Street, Brewster Road (Queen to Rotary), Birchwood Drive, Redstone Hill Road (Middle to Emmett), Blue Meadow Drive, Main Street (South Street to Memorial Boulevard), Geary Avenue, Ferraro Drive, Vanderbilt Road, Hull Street (South to East Road), Ridgewood Street.
“There may be minor traffic delays during construction, however, roads will remain open for mail delivery, emergency vehicles, and local traffic at all times,” Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said. “Temporary ‘no parking’ signs will be posted as needed during construction.”
“In addition to the spring paving program, the Sharon Street, Dover Street and Warren Street neighborhood will undergo reconstruction of the roadway surfaces,” City Council member Greg Hahn said. “This process is much more involved and residents in the affected areas will receive a separate notice outlining the extensive work this road reconstruction entails. This project is anticipated to begin May 4.”
Also, the State of Connecticut will be paving a portion of Route 72 from Main Street to the Route 72/Route 69 for proposed reconstruction project on School Street.
Eversource will also be paving Birch Street and Ronzo Road from the curb to the centerline to repair their trench work from last summer.
Memorial Boulevard School project will now cost $63 million, with 60% paid by state
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL – The building committee for the Memorial Boulevard Intradistrict Arts Magnet School had planned to hold another public forum in April, but that has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I want to stress that anyone from the public who is interested could reach out,” said Deputy Superintendent Michael Dietter, committee chair, in giving a report to the Board of Education at its April meeting.
There is lots of information about the project available to the public online, “and we’re open and available to answer any questions you may have,” he said.
The city and the Board of Education are collaborating on the project to transform the closed Memorial Boulevard School into an arts magnet school for grades six through 12. The opening date is projected to be August of 2022.
Among the latest details of the project Dietter reported are the bid process has commenced for construction work on the building.
“Given the current COVID-19 pandemic we’ve had to adjust the way we’re doing business so the pre-bid meeting schedule will allow five people at a time to meet and walk through the building to get a deeper sense of what’s going on,” he said.
The architect Quisenberry Arcari and Malik LLC has also presented boards showing various finishes proposed for different locations through the building, Dietter said.
“We were able to observe the color combinations for ceiling tiles, walls, etc., for classrooms, common areas, offices, as well as the theater,” he said. “Some really amazing restoration-type work is going to be happening in that theater space, very much keeping in mind the art deco theme of the time in which it was constructed.”
Dietter said the finish boards can be viewed at the Board of Education offices at 129 Church St. and the committee has not voted their preferences yet.
“We have pictures of them but we’ll allow and certainly encourage the public to come down and view them,” he said. “The pictures don’t do them justice but the actual boards are something that people might be interested in looking at, and we can arrange appointments by communicating with me directly.”
He said the committee has also been discussing any additional lighting that will be needed in various places in the building “for those of our students and staff that may have visual impairments.”
Tim Callahan, the district’s project manager for the school, reported to the committee that so far $1,576,857 has been spent for the project, of which the state has reimbursed $424,423, Dietter said.
In December, the City Council and Board of Finance approved an $8.1 million hike in the price of converting the old school to an arts magnet school, due to increases in construction costs for removing hazardous materials from the building and a state level policy change.
The total cost of the project is now $63 million, of which 60% will be paid by the state. The city’s share is now $25.3 million.
Memorial Boulevard was the city’s high school when it opened in 1922. In 1967, it became a junior high school and then a middle school, until it closed at the end of the 2011-12 school year, as part of a major redistricting in which five aged schools were closed and two large new ones opened.
For more information on the project, on the school district website, www.bristolk12.ct.us , click on the green Board of Education tab, scroll down and choose School Building Committees, which will open to links for several active committees, including one for the Memorial Boulevard Interdistrict Arts Magnet School Building Committee.
On the City Hall website, www.bristolct.gov , the link is located by clicking “I Want to…” on the blue navigation bar, and then moving down to Find Info On… Boards, Committees & Task Forces section.
New London explores $5 million addition to middle school project
Greg Smith
New London — The city is exploring the idea of constructing a $5 million school administrative office building as part of the $49 million middle school construction project.
But questions raised by the City Council about the proposal last week could delay the proposal.
Demolition of the Central Office building at 134 Williams St. and construction of a new one has been talked about through the years but was never formally added to the design of the new magnet school that will replace Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. As a result of recent discussions, the project manager now is pushing for swift action to approve funding to merge the two projects in anticipation of a reimbursement review by the state this summer.
The request for approval of the project was met with some hesitancy by the City Council, which debated what voters actually approved at a 2014 referendum when they agreed to spend $110 million for one magnet school and $55 million on another. It led to numerous questions and some concern about the cost of the project. The original costs for the two schools were estimated to be $98 million and $49 million, with funds left over to cope with any cost overruns or changes.
The cost of the new administrative building can be absorbed into the $55 million approved by voters in 2014 for what is now a middle school project but will leave little left over for any unforeseen expenses. Just how much would be left hinges in part on how much the state decides to reimburse the city.
That figure could range anywhere from 40% to 80%, costing the city between $1 million and $3 million. Most of the $165 million project is reimbursed at 80% though administrative offices are often reimbursed at 40%.
The council last week decided to postpone a vote on the plan until its next meeting on May 4. The council additionally tabled a vote on an additional $573,654 payment to middle school project architect Perkins Eastman for design of the new office building on an accelerated schedule.
Preliminary plans call for demolition of the 28,000-square-foot Central Office building and construction of a much smaller 8,300-square foot complex to replace it.
The middle school project is part of a $165 million school construction project that includes a $110 million construction and renovation of New London High School — originally a $98 million construction project — that has faced delays and risen in cost since it was first approved by voters at referendum in 2014.
Mayor Michael Passero said he never imagined the school district would move ahead with the middle school project without changes to Central Office, considering the two are so intricately linked. The Central Office is connected to the middle school and serves as the school’s information technology hub. It also houses the pump for the fire suppression system for the entire complex.
Passero said he recently succeeded in convincing the state to include the projects together but did not secure a commitment on a reimbursement rate.
While frustrated with the progress of the construction projects and the fact that the Central Office was not part of the initial plan, Passero said the new plan was the “best compromise that a lot of us could think of to get us out of this mess.”
“I never would have conceived we would spend $50 million and renovate only part of the (middle school) complex and leave it connected to an old building that we have no money, no plan, no resources to do anything with,” Passero said. “We’re going to be in the same situation we were in with the Martin Center.”
Councilor Curtis Goodwin also questioned why the new building wasn’t included in the original scope of the project and whether residents knew this was what they were approving when they went to the polls in 2014. He said opinions are likely to vary. Councilor John Satti, who also serves as chairman of the building committee overseeing the construction projects, argued it was not what voters approved.
“In a 2014 vote, the residents of this great community voted to spend $55 million to reconstruct the Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. They did not vote to spend any monies to rebuild the Board of Education building. I believe this would be counter to what our citizenry voted on,” Satti said.
Charles Warrington, a representative from middle school project manager Colliers, warned that in addition to a delay in construction, the lack of council approval could lead to escalation of final costs. The so-called south campus project was expected to go to the state in August for approval to go to bid. A month's delay in approval could shift that timeline to October or November.
Warrington said an answer on the reimbursement rate is not likely to be known until the city approves paying for designs of the building and allows the state to review them. The design will determine the final cost.
The council voted 5-2 to table the approval of the changes, with councilors James Burke and Alma Nartatez both calling for approval to move the project forward. Burke acknowledged a “messy history” and numerous changes to the scope of the construction projects but said replacement of the aging Central Office building makes sense and would save money in the long run.
Passero agreed the construction projects, initially pitched as two schools housing the sixth through 12th grades, have drastically changed throughout the years of planning.
“But we still are building world-class facilities for our school district,” Passero said.
The council expects the proposal to go back to the School Building and Maintenance Committee for further review before taking the matter up again at a May 4 meeting.
Mitchell begins work on new outdoor athletic complex
Gavin Keefe
Construction is underway on a new Mitchell College outdoor athletic complex, weeks earlier than expected due to the cancellation of the spring sports season and students leaving campus.
It's a welcomed piece of good news for the college.
"It's a glimmer of hope in a dark time," baseball coach Travis Beausoleil said.
There's been a buzz throughout the Mitchell community for months about the complex.
The state-of-the-art complex will replace the existing grass fields with artificial turf multi-sport, baseball and softball fields, each complete with a scoreboard, bleachers and elevated press box as well as dugouts for the latter two. The project cost is approximately $3.5 million.
About 37 percent of the student body participates in the school's 12 NCAA Division III programs. The complex also will be utilized by intramural, club and recreational programs.
"We're very, very excited about this 'Game Changer,' as we've identified it," assistant athletic director Todd Peretz said. "It's an exciting time. Something we've talked about for a long time and to get on par with some of the other institutions that we compete against. First and foremost, it will give our student-athletes the best experience."
The plan to renovate the athletic fields has been years in the makings.
Beausoleil remembers discussions about it when he was hired as baseball coach roughly 10 years ago.
"At first, it wasn't supposed to be turf," Beausoleil said. "We were going to redo the field, move the softball field. Over 10 years here, we've had a ton of different plans. It was really (athletic director) Dana (Fulmer Garfield) when she was here pushing the envelope and Janet Steinmayer, the president, she was really gung-ho about it.
"It's exciting that Janet was able to get it through. Mary-Jane (McLaughlin) and Catherine (Wright), the interim presidents, stayed on course with it. And it's happening."
The impact of the new athletic complex will be far-reaching.
It will aid in everything from recruiting to helping better weather the typical unpredictable New England spring season. It will also erase some competitive disadvantages that come with practicing on a grass field and then playing road games against opponents with turf.
Baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's soccer are the sports that will benefit the most.
"We could be in a very select company with teams that have a full turf baseball, full turf softball at the NCAA DIvision III level here in New England," Peretz said. "It also will be a huge boost for soccer and lacrosse. They've played on grass fields here for a number of years. Now just about everybody else has turf, so sometimes they're at somewhat of a disadvantage when they go on the road. It's going to put them on par with everyone else.
"And from a recruiting standpoint, kids can make a really, really good educated decision, choose Mitchell College because it's the right fit for them academically and athletically and socially, and not have to say that they don't want to go to this school because they don't have this facility. We're on par with everyone else and now we'll just let our individualized approach and our coaches be the ones that shine through and attract potential student athletes."The complex will especially benefit spring coaches because the turf fields will eliminate days practice needs to be moved indoors or to a parking lot because of unplayable conditions.
It also will mean having fewer games postponed. Mitchell baseball and softball teams usually have to scramble to complete all the games before the regular season ends.
"Spring time is always very, very difficult," Peretz said. "It's demanding on the coaches and student-athletes. It's a big demand on the campus in general because our student-athletes comprise a large number percentage of our student population, So it impacts us across the board. Students would miss classes and stuff like that.
"We want to hold true to our Division III philosophy of the student-athlete. If we can alleviate crazy schedules which allows us to keep students in classes and engage in the college community a little bit more, then we're definitely going to take advantage of that."
Erin Miller, a first-year softball coach, grew up playing on grass fields in Waterford and at Eastern Connecticut State University. She's looking forward to all the benefits of a turf field.
"We're going to have a lot of people that are going to want to play us," Miller said. "A lot of people have dirt and I've always played on dirt. Just coaching in New England and knowing how many games we lose because the field is under water or rain or whatever it is, and knowing that we'll be able to have a field where we can still go out and practice is going to be so great.
"We'll definitely be able to get outside more. Even if it is a little cold, we at least know our field won't be frozen. We'll be able to take ground balls and fly balls or just throw. It's going to be really nice."
The project is expected to be completed by the end of September, in time for at least some of the fall season.
"It's going to be a game changer for us," Beausoleil said. "I really think it's going to be huge for us."
Nonnewaug High School renovation still on track for summer completion in Woodbury
STEVE BIGHAM
WOODBURY – The Nonnewaug High School renovation project is nearing its end after nearly three years, but while the work continues, the steady flow has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
The $63 million overhaul of Nonnewaug High at 5 Minortown Road began in the fall of 2017 and is expected to be completed this summer. The school has been closed since March 10 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Project manager Nelson Reis of O&G Construction said crews are practicing social distancing while they work, schedules have been altered and shifts staggered during this time.
Reis admits the job has become more difficult and timelines are still being assessed. Nevertheless, he believes the project remains on course for completion of the final phase by June.
“You work through those things,” Reis said. “In the end, the region is getting a new, modern school it can be proud of.”
The final phase of the project involves relocating the school’s main office and administrative areas closer to the main entrance. That move opens up space to build a wing dedicated to the Region 14 Central Office, which will move from its current location in a portable building adjacent to Woodbury Middle School.
There is lots of information about the project available to the public online, “and we’re open and available to answer any questions you may have,” he said.
The city and the Board of Education are collaborating on the project to transform the closed Memorial Boulevard School into an arts magnet school for grades six through 12. The opening date is projected to be August of 2022.
Among the latest details of the project Dietter reported are the bid process has commenced for construction work on the building.
“Given the current COVID-19 pandemic we’ve had to adjust the way we’re doing business so the pre-bid meeting schedule will allow five people at a time to meet and walk through the building to get a deeper sense of what’s going on,” he said.
The architect Quisenberry Arcari and Malik LLC has also presented boards showing various finishes proposed for different locations through the building, Dietter said.
“We were able to observe the color combinations for ceiling tiles, walls, etc., for classrooms, common areas, offices, as well as the theater,” he said. “Some really amazing restoration-type work is going to be happening in that theater space, very much keeping in mind the art deco theme of the time in which it was constructed.”
Dietter said the finish boards can be viewed at the Board of Education offices at 129 Church St. and the committee has not voted their preferences yet.
“We have pictures of them but we’ll allow and certainly encourage the public to come down and view them,” he said. “The pictures don’t do them justice but the actual boards are something that people might be interested in looking at, and we can arrange appointments by communicating with me directly.”
He said the committee has also been discussing any additional lighting that will be needed in various places in the building “for those of our students and staff that may have visual impairments.”
Tim Callahan, the district’s project manager for the school, reported to the committee that so far $1,576,857 has been spent for the project, of which the state has reimbursed $424,423, Dietter said.
In December, the City Council and Board of Finance approved an $8.1 million hike in the price of converting the old school to an arts magnet school, due to increases in construction costs for removing hazardous materials from the building and a state level policy change.
The total cost of the project is now $63 million, of which 60% will be paid by the state. The city’s share is now $25.3 million.
Memorial Boulevard was the city’s high school when it opened in 1922. In 1967, it became a junior high school and then a middle school, until it closed at the end of the 2011-12 school year, as part of a major redistricting in which five aged schools were closed and two large new ones opened.
For more information on the project, on the school district website, www.bristolk12.ct.us , click on the green Board of Education tab, scroll down and choose School Building Committees, which will open to links for several active committees, including one for the Memorial Boulevard Interdistrict Arts Magnet School Building Committee.
On the City Hall website, www.bristolct.gov , the link is located by clicking “I Want to…” on the blue navigation bar, and then moving down to Find Info On… Boards, Committees & Task Forces section.
New London explores $5 million addition to middle school project
Greg Smith
New London — The city is exploring the idea of constructing a $5 million school administrative office building as part of the $49 million middle school construction project.
But questions raised by the City Council about the proposal last week could delay the proposal.
Demolition of the Central Office building at 134 Williams St. and construction of a new one has been talked about through the years but was never formally added to the design of the new magnet school that will replace Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. As a result of recent discussions, the project manager now is pushing for swift action to approve funding to merge the two projects in anticipation of a reimbursement review by the state this summer.
The request for approval of the project was met with some hesitancy by the City Council, which debated what voters actually approved at a 2014 referendum when they agreed to spend $110 million for one magnet school and $55 million on another. It led to numerous questions and some concern about the cost of the project. The original costs for the two schools were estimated to be $98 million and $49 million, with funds left over to cope with any cost overruns or changes.
The cost of the new administrative building can be absorbed into the $55 million approved by voters in 2014 for what is now a middle school project but will leave little left over for any unforeseen expenses. Just how much would be left hinges in part on how much the state decides to reimburse the city.
That figure could range anywhere from 40% to 80%, costing the city between $1 million and $3 million. Most of the $165 million project is reimbursed at 80% though administrative offices are often reimbursed at 40%.
The council last week decided to postpone a vote on the plan until its next meeting on May 4. The council additionally tabled a vote on an additional $573,654 payment to middle school project architect Perkins Eastman for design of the new office building on an accelerated schedule.
Preliminary plans call for demolition of the 28,000-square-foot Central Office building and construction of a much smaller 8,300-square foot complex to replace it.
The middle school project is part of a $165 million school construction project that includes a $110 million construction and renovation of New London High School — originally a $98 million construction project — that has faced delays and risen in cost since it was first approved by voters at referendum in 2014.
Mayor Michael Passero said he never imagined the school district would move ahead with the middle school project without changes to Central Office, considering the two are so intricately linked. The Central Office is connected to the middle school and serves as the school’s information technology hub. It also houses the pump for the fire suppression system for the entire complex.
Passero said he recently succeeded in convincing the state to include the projects together but did not secure a commitment on a reimbursement rate.
While frustrated with the progress of the construction projects and the fact that the Central Office was not part of the initial plan, Passero said the new plan was the “best compromise that a lot of us could think of to get us out of this mess.”
“I never would have conceived we would spend $50 million and renovate only part of the (middle school) complex and leave it connected to an old building that we have no money, no plan, no resources to do anything with,” Passero said. “We’re going to be in the same situation we were in with the Martin Center.”
Councilor Curtis Goodwin also questioned why the new building wasn’t included in the original scope of the project and whether residents knew this was what they were approving when they went to the polls in 2014. He said opinions are likely to vary. Councilor John Satti, who also serves as chairman of the building committee overseeing the construction projects, argued it was not what voters approved.
“In a 2014 vote, the residents of this great community voted to spend $55 million to reconstruct the Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. They did not vote to spend any monies to rebuild the Board of Education building. I believe this would be counter to what our citizenry voted on,” Satti said.
Charles Warrington, a representative from middle school project manager Colliers, warned that in addition to a delay in construction, the lack of council approval could lead to escalation of final costs. The so-called south campus project was expected to go to the state in August for approval to go to bid. A month's delay in approval could shift that timeline to October or November.
Warrington said an answer on the reimbursement rate is not likely to be known until the city approves paying for designs of the building and allows the state to review them. The design will determine the final cost.
The council voted 5-2 to table the approval of the changes, with councilors James Burke and Alma Nartatez both calling for approval to move the project forward. Burke acknowledged a “messy history” and numerous changes to the scope of the construction projects but said replacement of the aging Central Office building makes sense and would save money in the long run.
Passero agreed the construction projects, initially pitched as two schools housing the sixth through 12th grades, have drastically changed throughout the years of planning.
“But we still are building world-class facilities for our school district,” Passero said.
The council expects the proposal to go back to the School Building and Maintenance Committee for further review before taking the matter up again at a May 4 meeting.
Mitchell begins work on new outdoor athletic complex
Gavin Keefe
Construction is underway on a new Mitchell College outdoor athletic complex, weeks earlier than expected due to the cancellation of the spring sports season and students leaving campus.
It's a welcomed piece of good news for the college.
"It's a glimmer of hope in a dark time," baseball coach Travis Beausoleil said.
There's been a buzz throughout the Mitchell community for months about the complex.
The state-of-the-art complex will replace the existing grass fields with artificial turf multi-sport, baseball and softball fields, each complete with a scoreboard, bleachers and elevated press box as well as dugouts for the latter two. The project cost is approximately $3.5 million.
About 37 percent of the student body participates in the school's 12 NCAA Division III programs. The complex also will be utilized by intramural, club and recreational programs.
"We're very, very excited about this 'Game Changer,' as we've identified it," assistant athletic director Todd Peretz said. "It's an exciting time. Something we've talked about for a long time and to get on par with some of the other institutions that we compete against. First and foremost, it will give our student-athletes the best experience."
The plan to renovate the athletic fields has been years in the makings.
Beausoleil remembers discussions about it when he was hired as baseball coach roughly 10 years ago.
"At first, it wasn't supposed to be turf," Beausoleil said. "We were going to redo the field, move the softball field. Over 10 years here, we've had a ton of different plans. It was really (athletic director) Dana (Fulmer Garfield) when she was here pushing the envelope and Janet Steinmayer, the president, she was really gung-ho about it.
"It's exciting that Janet was able to get it through. Mary-Jane (McLaughlin) and Catherine (Wright), the interim presidents, stayed on course with it. And it's happening."
The impact of the new athletic complex will be far-reaching.
It will aid in everything from recruiting to helping better weather the typical unpredictable New England spring season. It will also erase some competitive disadvantages that come with practicing on a grass field and then playing road games against opponents with turf.
Baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's soccer are the sports that will benefit the most.
"We could be in a very select company with teams that have a full turf baseball, full turf softball at the NCAA DIvision III level here in New England," Peretz said. "It also will be a huge boost for soccer and lacrosse. They've played on grass fields here for a number of years. Now just about everybody else has turf, so sometimes they're at somewhat of a disadvantage when they go on the road. It's going to put them on par with everyone else.
"And from a recruiting standpoint, kids can make a really, really good educated decision, choose Mitchell College because it's the right fit for them academically and athletically and socially, and not have to say that they don't want to go to this school because they don't have this facility. We're on par with everyone else and now we'll just let our individualized approach and our coaches be the ones that shine through and attract potential student athletes."The complex will especially benefit spring coaches because the turf fields will eliminate days practice needs to be moved indoors or to a parking lot because of unplayable conditions.
It also will mean having fewer games postponed. Mitchell baseball and softball teams usually have to scramble to complete all the games before the regular season ends.
"Spring time is always very, very difficult," Peretz said. "It's demanding on the coaches and student-athletes. It's a big demand on the campus in general because our student-athletes comprise a large number percentage of our student population, So it impacts us across the board. Students would miss classes and stuff like that.
"We want to hold true to our Division III philosophy of the student-athlete. If we can alleviate crazy schedules which allows us to keep students in classes and engage in the college community a little bit more, then we're definitely going to take advantage of that."
Erin Miller, a first-year softball coach, grew up playing on grass fields in Waterford and at Eastern Connecticut State University. She's looking forward to all the benefits of a turf field.
"We're going to have a lot of people that are going to want to play us," Miller said. "A lot of people have dirt and I've always played on dirt. Just coaching in New England and knowing how many games we lose because the field is under water or rain or whatever it is, and knowing that we'll be able to have a field where we can still go out and practice is going to be so great.
"We'll definitely be able to get outside more. Even if it is a little cold, we at least know our field won't be frozen. We'll be able to take ground balls and fly balls or just throw. It's going to be really nice."
The project is expected to be completed by the end of September, in time for at least some of the fall season.
"It's going to be a game changer for us," Beausoleil said. "I really think it's going to be huge for us."
Nonnewaug High School renovation still on track for summer completion in Woodbury
STEVE BIGHAM
WOODBURY – The Nonnewaug High School renovation project is nearing its end after nearly three years, but while the work continues, the steady flow has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
The $63 million overhaul of Nonnewaug High at 5 Minortown Road began in the fall of 2017 and is expected to be completed this summer. The school has been closed since March 10 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Project manager Nelson Reis of O&G Construction said crews are practicing social distancing while they work, schedules have been altered and shifts staggered during this time.
Reis admits the job has become more difficult and timelines are still being assessed. Nevertheless, he believes the project remains on course for completion of the final phase by June.
“You work through those things,” Reis said. “In the end, the region is getting a new, modern school it can be proud of.”
The final phase of the project involves relocating the school’s main office and administrative areas closer to the main entrance. That move opens up space to build a wing dedicated to the Region 14 Central Office, which will move from its current location in a portable building adjacent to Woodbury Middle School.