The Fort Trumbull Municipal Development Plan (MDP), one of the largest redevelopment projects in the history of the City of New London, encompasses approximately 35 acres of development project sites that range from one to seven acres in size, within a total project area of more than 80 acres. The MDP area is approximately one mile from New London’s Historic Downtown Waterfront District.
---Click here to view a map of the Fort Trumbull Municipal Development Plan- --
The catalysts for the Fort Trumbull Project were two:
- 1996 U.S. Navy’s closure announcement for the 32-acre Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Fort Trumbull
- 1997 Announcement by Pfizer Inc. that they would be developing their Global Research and Development Headquarters on an abandoned 24-acre mill site adjacent to and immediately south of the Fort Trumbull area
The Municipal Development Plan Project Goals are to:
- Create a world class development, setting the standard in New London
- Create jobs, tax revenue and spin-off economic activity for the City
- Maximize public access to the water, and
- Develop a project which will help build momentum for the revitalization of downtown New London.
The MDP calls for acquisition of property, demolition of buildings, environmental remediation, and installation of new streets and infrastructure in the MDP area. The MDP area includes Fort Trumbull State Park, a 16-acre site which was developed concurrently by the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. The MDP area also included the regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (which has been upgraded), and U.S. Coast Guard Station New London, which continues to operate a regional search and rescue station from that facility.
In addition to the new streets and infrastructure mentioned above, the Plan calls for construction of a public access Riverwalk along shoreline, construction of new roundabout intersections for Howard Street and Pequot Avenue, and construction of a storm water pump station to address Howard/Walbach flooding. As of 2008, all of these improvements have been completed with the exception of three remaining blocks of street improvements. This remaining project is known as the Fort Trumbull Phase III Phase III Infrastructure Project.
Sources of MDP property: NUWC (16 acre), Amtrak Maintenance of Way Yard (6.5-acres), Castle/Lehigh Oil terminal (3.4 acres), residential/mixed uses along Howard Street and in Fort area
Public Investment in the Fort Trumbull area exceeds $73 million. Approximately one third of this money has been spent on acquisition of property, approximately one third on environmental remediation (including asbestos abatement and demolition), and one third on infrastructure and planning. Approximately $15 million in construction contracts have been awarded for infrastructure work completed to date.
MDP Private Development:
In addition to the public investment in environmental work and new streets and infrastructure (which has already been completed and deeded to the City), the MDP provided for a zone change for the Fort area, and proposes the following development (all subject to appropriate Planning & Zoning and other required permits):
Hotel – Up to 250 rooms/suites (could be in multiple buildings; time share suites would count as part of this 250 room total. Recommended location Parcel 1
Residential – Up to 80 units on Parcel 2 (could be either rental or owner occupied)
Office / R&D use – up to 300,000 sq. ft. in the Fort area (Parcels 3A, 3B, 3C); 150,000 new sq. ft. on Howard Street (Parcel 5A, 5B, 5C)
Note: 1 Chelsea Street (88,000 sq.ft.) has been developed by Corcoran Jennison, and is now home to the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Laboratory and the International Ice Patrol. Additional leasing opportunities (to 20,000 sq.ft.) are available. Agent is Cushman and Wakefield / U.S. Properties.
Note: 294 Howard Street (50,000 sq.ft.) has been upgraded by developer Amber Properties, and is leased to Pfizer Inc.
National United States Coast Guard Museum – in the Fort area on Parcel 1A
Note: The National Coast Guard Museum Association is developing the National United States Coast Guard Museum. The Master Plan calls for a $60 million project, with a museum complex that will encompass approximately 60,000 sq.ft.
Mixed use (non residential) development – Parcel 4A
Riverwalk – public access along the shoreline (Parcels 8A, 8B and 8C have been deeded to the City, and the Riverwalk improvements accepted by the City.
Parking required for all new development, including provisions for shared parking to accommodate major events at Coast Guard Museum, State Park, etc.
Each of these proposed projects is capacity or “intensity” limited, as the result of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE).
FORT TRUMBULL MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TIMELINE
Designation of Redevelopment Area
- May 1998 City Council Resolution; did not include Calamari Junkyards or New London Mills site (which combined, became the Pfizer Global Development Facility).
Initiation of Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE)
- June 1998 start; based on Environmental Assessment (EA) that indicated scope of project could “potentially have a significant impact on the environment.”
- Evaluated six alternatives (including “no action”); looked at impacts to land use, socioeconomics, housing, aesthetics, public utilities, energy use, cultural resources, traffic, water resources, flood hazards, air quality, noise, solid waste and hazardous materials impacts
- Public process, hearings and comments
- Resulted in Selection of and Rationale for the Preferred Alternative
- Approved by State of Connecticut (OPM) in April 1999
Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
- Released in draft form for public and agency comment in September 1999.
- Approved by New London Development Corporation, New London Redevelopment Authority, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments Regional Planning Commission, City of New London Planning & Zoning Commission, New London City Council and State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development by February 2000
Reference copies of the MDP are available at the New London Public Library, or can be reviewed at NLDC offices upon request.
