Hartford, Connecticut:
HARTFORD - A $13 million renovation project at the American School for the Deaf was put on hold Monday as a result of a federal investigation into alleged corruption in the Rowland administration.
James T. Fleming, commissioner of the state Department of Public Works, pulled the plug on a contract that had been awarded to, but not finalized with, Kaestle Boos Associates Inc., an architectural firm that's a major subcontractor for the politically connected Tomasso Group of New Britain.
Fleming said Monday that he will re-bid the massive renovations to Gallaudet Hall, the heart of the nation's oldest school for the deaf in West Hartford.
Technically, Kaestle Boos had not signed a contract and would be eligible for re-bidding. The firm's attorney, James W. Bergenn, said Monday night that he wasn't sure whether the firm would again seek the design job, which has been dormant for a year or more.
"It hadn't been put to contract, so the new commissioner and management want to be assured they're going through processes of their own doing," Bergenn said. "They doing everything the right way."
He said the contract had been sitting and essentially was inactive for about a year.
"We are going to re-advertise and what we'll end up doing is use the new selection process," Fleming said.
Last week, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal ordered contractors to submit testimony on whether they've given gifts to state officials over the last 10 years, if they wish to be eligible for state work valued at $100,000 or more.
Fleming said that he made the decision to withdraw and re-bid the project late last month. Kaestle Boos officials then asked for a meeting with Fleming's office in an attempt to retain the design work on the interior renovations for the 110,000-square-foot building.
The American School for the Deaf opened in 1817 and became the first recipient of state aid to education in America when the Connecticut General Assembly awarded its first annual grant to the school in 1819.
Fleming said he wasn't sure how much further the project will be delayed through the re-bidding. Advertisements will be run in state newspapers this week seeking bidders, he said.
Fleming said he doesn't believe there are any other pending contracts for which he could effectively order re-bidding.
Last month, he terminated the Tomasso Group's contract to design and build a new $40 million to $50 million juvenile court and detention center in Bridgeport. The architectural subcontractor for that project also was Kaestle Boos.
Last summer, Gov. John G. Rowland fired Fleming's predecessor, Theodore Anson, after reports surfaced that a Kaestle Boos architect provided free plans for the expansion of Anson's Bridgewater home.
The Tomasso Group won three contracts valued at well over $100 million. Former Rowland aide Lawrence Alibozek pleaded guilty last year to bid rigging in connection with the Tomasso Group.
http://www.connpost.com/Stories/0,1413,96~3750~1887856,00.html
HARTFORD - A $13 million renovation project at the American School for the Deaf was put on hold Monday as a result of a federal investigation into alleged corruption in the Rowland administration.
James T. Fleming, commissioner of the state Department of Public Works, pulled the plug on a contract that had been awarded to, but not finalized with, Kaestle Boos Associates Inc., an architectural firm that's a major subcontractor for the politically connected Tomasso Group of New Britain.
Fleming said Monday that he will re-bid the massive renovations to Gallaudet Hall, the heart of the nation's oldest school for the deaf in West Hartford.
Technically, Kaestle Boos had not signed a contract and would be eligible for re-bidding. The firm's attorney, James W. Bergenn, said Monday night that he wasn't sure whether the firm would again seek the design job, which has been dormant for a year or more.
"It hadn't been put to contract, so the new commissioner and management want to be assured they're going through processes of their own doing," Bergenn said. "They doing everything the right way."
He said the contract had been sitting and essentially was inactive for about a year.
"We are going to re-advertise and what we'll end up doing is use the new selection process," Fleming said.
Last week, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal ordered contractors to submit testimony on whether they've given gifts to state officials over the last 10 years, if they wish to be eligible for state work valued at $100,000 or more.
Fleming said that he made the decision to withdraw and re-bid the project late last month. Kaestle Boos officials then asked for a meeting with Fleming's office in an attempt to retain the design work on the interior renovations for the 110,000-square-foot building.
The American School for the Deaf opened in 1817 and became the first recipient of state aid to education in America when the Connecticut General Assembly awarded its first annual grant to the school in 1819.
Fleming said he wasn't sure how much further the project will be delayed through the re-bidding. Advertisements will be run in state newspapers this week seeking bidders, he said.
Fleming said he doesn't believe there are any other pending contracts for which he could effectively order re-bidding.
Last month, he terminated the Tomasso Group's contract to design and build a new $40 million to $50 million juvenile court and detention center in Bridgeport. The architectural subcontractor for that project also was Kaestle Boos.
Last summer, Gov. John G. Rowland fired Fleming's predecessor, Theodore Anson, after reports surfaced that a Kaestle Boos architect provided free plans for the expansion of Anson's Bridgewater home.
The Tomasso Group won three contracts valued at well over $100 million. Former Rowland aide Lawrence Alibozek pleaded guilty last year to bid rigging in connection with the Tomasso Group.
http://www.connpost.com/Stories/0,1413,96~3750~1887856,00.html
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