Work is Well Under Way to Upgrade Existing New Haven Building

FARMINGTON, CT—February 5, 2004—A new dining room and expansive, new covered drop-off and main entrance area are among the highlights of major renovations Konover Construction is making to the 20-story Tower One residential complex in downtown New Haven. In addition to work on the ground floor, the $6 million construction project involves the renovation of one floor of resident services and administrative offices and the conversion of six floors, 60 apartments, of this 365 unit seniors complex into assisted living residences. This project, sponsored by the New Haven Jewish Community Housing Corporation, is the largest renovation grant for the conversion of HUD housing units to accommodate assisted living in the United States. Work on this 34-year-old building is expected to be complete by June 2004.

All six floors being renovated will receive code updates, as well as upgrades to HVAC, mechanical and electrical systems. The apartments will be updated and reconfigured to include handicapped-accessible kitchens, bathrooms, doorways, and hallways. They will have completely new flooring, walls, paint, and fixtures. Each new residential floor will have a common lounge area equipped with clothes washers and dryers, and a common kitchen.

The 6,000-square-foot dining room will be located between the Tower One building and an adjoining Tower East building. Residents of both towers will have access to this new area. An impressive canopied portico will be built as the new main entrance to the building, which will now be on Tower Lane. The entrance will include handicapped parking spaces, sidewalk areas that are wheelchair friendly, benches, lighting, ornamental fencing, and landscaping. The exterior of the entrance will be a combination of brick split-faced block, cement block and stucco.

“These renovations will breathe new life into this well known and much-used residential building,” explains Michael Kolakowski, president and CEO of Konover Construction. “The changes we are making, especially to the main entrance and dining areas, fully meet the use and access needs of the elderly residents. It’s a great project for Konover Construction, and for the elderly of the New Haven area.”

Regionally located in Farmington, Connecticut, and Columbia, Maryland, Konover Construction Corporation is a $270 million, full-service, single-source commercial construction company that has served the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern U.S. for nearly 45 years. The company provides construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to corporate, institutional, educational, retail, and other public and private sector clients. Engineering News-Record magazine ranks Konover Construction 172nd among the nation's top 400 construction companies.