Updated Fort Trumbull Plan Calls For More Green Space

An effort to create a more defined neighborhood with individualized residences and more green space was the key element of an updated redevelopment plan for Fort Trumbull presented Thursday evening at the .

Robert Stillman, a principal with Riverbank Construction LLC of Westport, said the main updates to the original plan would replaced parking lots with landscaped space and create a more segmented line of residences. Initially, the company proposed connected rows of townhouses about 100 feet long with parking in a central courtyard. Riverbank is now calling for the townhouses to be separated by a garage space, which along with parking spaces on Smith Street will free up room for the courtyards.

Stillman said that by breaking up the townhouses, there can be more variety in the appearance of the structures on the peninsula. The townhouses would have Greek Revival and Italianate architecture modeled after historic structures in New London such as Whale Oil Row on Huntington Street and the houses on Starr Street.

“There’s quite a variety that’s developed by changing the trim and the color,” said Stillman.

Another addition, which arose from work done with the , determined that the intersection between Smith Street and Walbach Street would be important for retail space. The new plan has about 2,000 square feet of commercial space there along with second-floor space devoted to administration.

The construction company is working with the New London Development Corporation to establish the residences on four lots, totaling approximately six-and-a-half acres. The current plan is for 80 townhouses, but Riverbank is looking to increase that number to 104. About 70 percent of the townhouses would be two bedroom, two bathroom units; the remainder would be one-bedroom and three-bedroom units. Stillman said the intent is for the rental units to eventually become owner-occupied. He estimated that the tax revenue would be about $360,000 per year for 80 units and about $500,000 for 104 units.

Michael Joplin, president of the board of directors for the New London Development Corporation, said he felt the company had demonstrated it had the city’s best interests in mind. He said it was in direct contrast to a prior developer who showed “disregard for the fabric of a city” and thought only of “the rate of return.” The peninsula is largely vacant due to a 2005 eminent domain decision that razed much of the property there to make way for development that never materialized.

“This is the real McCoy,” said Joplin. “This project is every bit as good as the slides that have been produced, and I think the future bodes very well if we can get this in the ground in the next year or two.”

Deborah Donovan, a resident who attended the presentation, agreed.

“I think this is much better than what you had before,” she said.

Resident Larry Hample said he liked the aesthetics of the proposal, but felt it looked like a gated community and worried at the impression it would create.

“To me, the way it’s spread out, I think it’s taking up too much of the valuable space down there,” he said.

Stillman said the company is in the process of getting finances for the project as well as approvals from the New London Development Corporation and the Planning and Zoning Commission. He said Riverbank hopes to break ground on the development within a year.