You make the call.
Are the completion dates for the Yard Goats and Dunkin Donuts Park realistic? This is a quick raw video I shot Sunday afternoon. No one was working and the place was wide open and unsecure, I don't think HPD covers the project until after 7 PM .
And this video is just one small are on the southeast corner, ther is much wok to be done, and I hasven't seen the 24/7 work we hear Centerplan talking about.
I also have to say this project is an OSHA nightmare. I know Centerplan is going through on the job training for this project, but have they ever heard of a safety manager? The hazards on this unsecured project abound. If some inquisituive youth got in here, a tragedy could definitely occur.
I have never seen a project like this where the laddrrs and equipment are not secured after hours. In fact an extension ladder was propped up to the back of the Dunkin Donuts sign most of the weekend, a 50 or 60 foot fall from that ladder would probably be fatal to an unsuspecting kid who got in there.
Even the lifts left parked on the sidewalks are a hazard. Sidewalks by the way that are still open to the public, no construction fencing, not even caution tape. Sheet metal stacked where anyone walking by or riding a bike could experience severe lacerations on the unmarked hazards.
This entire property is a huge liability waiting to happen
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Not to mention the larceny opportunities with all the unsecured equipment left around. Maybe Centerplan's employees should consider ways to secure the property rather than getting in to have batting practice
Hopefully Centerplan has remembered to pay their liability insurance
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17 comments:
Which city department is responsible? Building inspector?
That's exactly what I thought when I decided to take a stroll through the inside perimeter of the grounds. I knew I was trespassing but what the frick. I did it. This whole thing is a joke. The people involved are a joke. Bringing this team to Hartford is a joke. The whole fu____g thing is an expensive joke. And the principles got their wish. Fleese the city for every God damn penny.
Building and the Fire Marshall's Office all have authority over unsafe work conditions, as well as OSHA and I would imagine the State of Connecticut Consumer protection and occupational licensing might want to take a walk through. If Centerplan is this lax on safety, do you think they worry about occupational licenses?
How about the quality of the construction materials and the actual workmanship? We all know that this stadium , once it is finished will be rife with faulty facilities and systems. Just wait until things start cracking, separating, leaking, and shorting out. Who is going to be responsible then?
The city and stadium authority own this site, so they will be on the hook with Centerplan for people hurt while it is under construction. Nobody is doing any real inspections from L&I and HFD because both the Segarra, and now the Bronin administrations want this done at any ASAP. Under the lease going forward, the city has to pay to repair all structural and system issues with the facility. No one from government overseeing this project has any experience with large construction projects and it shows.
There is an aspect to this project that hasn't gotten enough coverage: the Hartford Yard Goats ticket numbers.
In 2013 before the announced move the New Britain Rock Cats averaged 4,653 per game.
In 2014 and 2015 after announcing the move they average 4,454 and 4,051 per game, respectively.
This team has been awfully quiet on what their season ticket numbers are. If they were higher than what they had in New Britain there would have certainly announced that fact and hailed it as justification for their move.
I think their season ticket numbers are below what they are in New Britain, and this team is going to pass out tickets like hot cakes to give the appearance their numbers are better. Prepare for some embarrassing photos to come out of this park once they start playing ball.
Oh yeah, their last two "home" games in Norwich drew just over 500 fans each. There is a lot less demand for this product than originally hoped.
Kevin, could you please send this video to the clueless idiot I. Charles Mathews cause he definitely doesn't know what he's talking about.
8:04AM : As expected, the City of Hartford will be responsible for EVERYTHING. Whenever they fail to do something, the moment they don't correct something, that will be a good reason for billionaire Josh Solomon and his family to stop paying rent and move elsewhere whenever they wish, whenever they find new suckers.
That's what's going to happen. The Solomon will be out of Hartford in a few years. The residents of Hartford will continue paying for this white elephant for another 25 years.
Thank you 'Done Deal' Pedro Segarra.
9:55am
I am pretty confident that he ha been made aware of this posting. The blog is followed very closely by City Hall, I can only hope that the OSHA office right up the street on High Street will take the time to visit the site before someone dies. Hartford L&I and the FMO can drop in there anytime they want and see the same things I saw and take action.
How about presenting this video to Jeff Jacobs of the Courant as well? He can join Mathews and the other stadium authority members in the department of clueless
The thank you must go to Pedro Segarra, Thomas Deller and Shawn Wooden, the three musketeers.
I'm still in the same position that I. Charles (is the initial "I" in his name for an Idiot?) and the entire "Authority" must resign.
Jeff Jacobs works for Josh Solomon
Holy cow!! I only found your blog last night and I'm seeing this video for the first time this morning. I know it's from earlier this week, but jeez, what is going on up there? Nothing is secured. The site is mess. It looked like there was an unpoured concrete slab. There open fittings from the fire sprinkler system. Steel deck forms sitting all over the place. Ladders just sitting upright. The bonding company is going to freak when they see this thing. Again, WHERE THE HELL IS THE STADIUM AUTHORITY??? Does anyone on that Authority know anything about construction? They wanted the authority so they could save money on a construction manager. Sheesh, a CM would have been all over this. Instead, the Authority members get to put yet another thing on their resumes and say how they pushed for more WBE/MBE participation. That's the problem. As a union project, the labor costs will easily be 30% higher than non-union, sometimes even higher. Just dumb. What a waste.
9:32am
You are very observant. Can you say "project Safety Manager" It must have been one of the cost saving measures to keep the taxpayers cost down by not filling that position. I have very rarely seen a less secured and more dangerous job site
And welcome as a new reader, Hopefully you found the blog from the credit on NBC Connecticut's
Troubleshooter story last night, unlike the Courant,who made it appear they found the BOE spending story on their own
I found it when I was reading the comments in the Courant article about the BOE, another travesty in Hartford. I was born and raised in Hartford and lived there all of my life until a few years ago when a job took me out of state. I'm now in Florida and I have to say, it's way better here. I keep up on the politics of Hartford and the state because it was my home, but damn it's depressing to watch. This project in particular couldn't be completed in the manner contracted from day one. I am certain. I have quite a bit of experience in both construction and the law, and this is a disaster. I'm particularly incensed by the Stadium Authority. That thing should be dissolved and replaced with a CM. If they are tasked with overseeing the greater development planned around this park, then the City is doomed. Especially after seeing that video above, I don't see how DoNo can do the rest of this project, let alone finish the stadium.
Unfortunately, the only reason the Stadium Authority was created was because Segarra found a legal loophole to be able to sell the bonds through the Authority, rather than the City and thereby doing so eliminated the possibility of a referendum vote to potentially kill the project before it even started
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