Nov. 3—NEW LONDON — A New Haven development firm on Wednesday formally purchased the last parcels of city-owned land on the Fort Trumbull peninsula with plans to start constructing the first of two housing complexes on the property next year.
The Renaissance City Development Association (RCDA) the city's development arm, brokered an agreement in 2023 that included selling 6.28 acres split among three parcels to RJ Development + Advisors, LLC for $500,000.
RJ Development, which built The Beam, a 203-unit apartment complex on Howard Street, pitched building two 250-unit apartment complexes on Nameaug and Walbach streets, and constructing a 1,200-space parking garage at 26 East St.
Both apartment projects call for a mix of market-rate studio and one- and two-bedroom units with on-site property parking. The proposed six-story East Street garage is expected to be heavily used by employees at the nearby Electric Boat engineering offices.
Wednesday's deal was finalized less than two months after the City Council on Sept. 16 approved nearly $6.5 million in tax breaks over 20 years to RJ Development, which would cover about half the $13 million in estimated pre-construction costs. In exchange, the city will receive approximately $18 million in tax revenue over the life of the agreement.
"There is no inventory left on Fort Trumbull," Mayor Michael Passero said.
Progress after a controversial land taking
The Fort Trumbull area in the late 1990s was cleared of homes and businesses as part of a plan developed by the city and the New London Development Corp., the predecessor of the RCDA, to help jump start economic development in association with the construction of Pfizer's research headquarters.
A bitter fight ensued in which a handful of property owners refusing to sell their land led to the landmark 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case Kelo v. New London. The court ruled in favor of New London and its use of eminent domain to seize the properties for private development.
Except for construction of the Pfizer facility, now occupied by Electric Boat, and Fort Trumbull State Park, the rest of the peninsula remained undeveloped for decades, with the area becoming overgrown and devoid of activity.
Talks with developers interested in Fort Trumbull land moved sporadically in the years after the ruling but only gained real momentum in 2022 with the purchase of 4 acres by the Optimus Construction Management company for $750,000.
The Massachusetts company, which specializes in building and running senior living facilities, planned to build 104 apartments and a hotel with extended-stay suites on the site.