Malkin expects to start construction of a new $3.5 million home for the American Cancer Society in Norwalk. The company also has several interior renovation projects ready to start in 2010, including a $2 million renovation for Ernst and Young in Stamford. Malkin provides renovation feasibility budgets for brokers and architects, which has led to some additional work for the contractor. Durels reports prices are down 20% from their peak.

“Now is a very good time to lock into contracts,” Durels says. “As activity picks up, those prices will start to rise again.”

Connecticut Studios, a partnership between Pacifica Ventures of Santa Monica, Calif., and Halden Acquisition Group of Providence, R.I., plans to build a $65 million, eight-building film studio in South Windsor. The state is offering a 20% tax credit on infrastructure costs exceeding $1 million and $5 million for equipment, construction and other project-related activities.

“That is one of the few private projects moving forward,” AGC’s Farnham says.

Public-supported projects dominate “What does come out tends to be public sector or have some kind of public investment to it,” adds Wayne Cobleigh, manager of project development at GZA.

Cobleigh also indicates his firm has received work opportunities related to non-profit community health centers funded by the American Recovery andReinvestment Act. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports $10 million in Recovery Act funding will be allocated for capital projects at Connecticut community health centers.

GZA also is working on a geothermal feasibility study for a middle school in the Town of Fairfield. Cobleigh reports the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund will use monies received as part of the stimulus bill to allocate $4.5 million in grants, between December 2009 and April 2012, for geothermal heat pump installations.

“It should help create a new industry in Connecticut for thermal technology,” Cobleigh says.

Gilbane is building a $55 million police, fire and public safety building in Hartford.

For the Connecticut Army National Guard, Skanska planned to start construction in March 2010 on a $26 million, 80,000-sq-ft Regional Training Institute at Camp Rell in Niantic.

Fusco is constructing a $68 million bus maintenance facility in the Town of Hamden for the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the $38 million Metropolitan Business Academy for New Haven Public Schools.

School- and education-related projects are still moving for some other firms, as well.

“On the upside, public school construction has continued and has been a very strong market,” says Gilbane

The company has multiple school projects in New Haven as a result of a 14-year, 46-school construction and renovation program. Gilbane also is working on a $26 million, 33,700-sq-ft addition and 52,000-sq-ft renovation at Bolton High School in Bolton and building the $58 million Forestville K-8 school in West Bristol.

Gilbane reports some university projects are keeping the company busy in 2010, as well. His firm is providing construction administration on the $150 million, 360,000-sq-ft, two-building Gateway Community College consolidation project in New Haven, scheduled for completion in 2012 and expected to achieve LEED-Gold certification. In addition, Gilbane is working on three dormitory projects at Fairfield University: a new $11 million, 136-bed, 34,000-sq-ft Quad Dorm; a new $20 million, 175-bed, 68,000 housing facility; and a $3 million renovation of an existing wood-frame structure into a 140-bed residence hall.

A change in the air“The good news is I think it is starting to break up,” says Hirst, who adds he is hoping for more opportunities by the end of 2010. “We’re starting to see designers with more work in their shops.”

Diane Harp Jones, CEO and executive vice president of AIA Connecticut, also expressed some hopefulness, reporting that owners are contacting her members with institutional and some commercial projects.

“Competition is stiffer, because people need the work,” Jones says. “But the phone is ringing.”

Skanska’s Sparn also seemed upbeat

“We’re working with a number of private clients that we are hopeful will be projects that we can take to contract in 2010, and we’re seeing a good flow of projects in the bid process,” he says.

Durels at Malin already has seen things pick up, starting at the end of 2009. He does not anticipate a return to the unsustainable levels of activity in 2008.

“We’re expecting our revenues to be nearly double 2009, based on booked business, actual commitments from clients to move forward with projects,” Durels says. “2010 is shaping up to be a very solid year.”