Eversource Shares Revised Rendering & Cable Routes to Proposed Substation

On Friday Eversource shared a revised substation design and a map of new, alternative cable routes connecting Cos Cob station to 290 Railroad Ave, both of which were included in an application submitted earlier in the day to the Connecticut Siting Council.

According to Eversource, the revised substation layout and design better are intended to integrate the new facility into the surrounding neighborhood, with a lower building height and deeper set back from the street to allow for some landscaping, and the addition of  brick veneer siding.

Earlier this month, Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot said the utility had made key changes to the look of the sub station and the route of the lines specifically avoiding Kinsman Lane near Bruce Park.

“We all heard loud and clear that the look of the sub-station as proposed didn’t work and raised concerns,” said Poirot. “We went to an architect. They came up with a design that adds a new brick facade, windows, a door, a varied roof line with trim and an architectural feature that I’d describe as a turret to break up the surfaces. In addition to that, we moved the sub station back from the sidewalk far enough to allow for landscaping.

Mr. Poirot said one of the first pieces of advice Eversource received was from the Architectural Review Commission (ARC). The recommendation was to hire an architect. “We did,”Poirot said.

Initial rendering of the proposed new substation at 290 Railroad Ave.

“We also heard from the community that they liked the look of our former work center, so we asked the architect to bring some of the elements of that to the one we’re building at 290 Railroad Ave,” he said, adding that they won’t look like identical twins, but, he said, “The viewscape will be vastly better than the one we first proposed.”

Eversource preferrred route map with variations

Preferred Route Map with Variations. Image courtesy Eversource

The alternate route for new transmission lines runs parallel to the right-of-way for Metro North and the I-95.

“We heard loud and clear from the neighbors of Kinsman Lane that they had concerns about construction impacts,” Poirot said.

Mr. Poirot said he felt Eversource had addressed the key concerns from the Greenwich community. He said that although there is not the luxury of time, given the 2017 in-service date, there are concerns about the reliability of Eversource’s  service.

Eversource’s deadline with the Siting Council, the ultimate decision-making body for the project, was Friday, June 26. From there, the Greenwich Community can still submit feedback, but it should be directed to the Siting Council.

All the revisions to the substation proposal will be explained at a public open house scheduled for July 15, 2015, at Greenwich Town Hall.


See also:

Tesei on Proposed Eversource Substation: Heinous Looking

Eversource: Pet Pantry Was Notified of Our Railroad Ave Plans in 2013

Eversource Takes a Licking: Greenwich Residents, P&Z and Pet Pantry Owners Unite Against Electric Utility

Pet Pantry Enlists Customers to Fight Eversource’s Proposed Greenwich Sub Station

ARC on Eversource Sub Station Rendering: “An Assault on the Intersection”

Show and Tell: Eversource Reveals Plans for Pet Pantry Property


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