New London - If it's going to take an outsider to help heal the rifts over the Fort Trumbull eminent domain battle, a professor from Yale may be the person to do it.Alan Plattus, founder of the Yale Urban Design Workshop, told city officials Thursday that the potential for the 90-acre Fort Trumbull site is great, but all factions have to be involved in creating something together.

Alan Plattus, founder of the Yale Urban Design Workshop, told city officials Thursday that the potential for the 90-acre Fort Trumbull site is great, but all factions have to be involved in creating something together."I'm very, very impressed and intrigued,'' Plattus said following a 90-minute roundtable discussion about the future of Fort Trumbull that included a diverse cross-section of the community. The discussion was held at The Day.

"I'm very, very impressed and intrigued,'' Plattus said following a 90-minute roundtable discussion about the future of Fort Trumbull that included a diverse cross-section of the community. The discussion was held at The Day.Plattus said he could see the Fort Trumbull peninsula as a village, like Stonington or Mystic, that would attract businesses and middle-income residents.

Plattus said he could see the Fort Trumbull peninsula as a village, like Stonington or Mystic, that would attract businesses and middle-income residents. Plattus was invited by The Day to discuss the possibility of the city working with his 18-year-old nonprofit program, which is affiliated with the Yale School of Architecture. The program brings together major stakeholders and community members to discuss development strategies that coincide with a municipality's vision of itself.

Plattus was invited by The Day to discuss the possibility of the city working with his 18-year-old nonprofit program, which is affiliated with the Yale School of Architecture. The program brings together major stakeholders and community members to discuss development strategies that coincide with a municipality's vision of itself.The program costs between $20,000 and $50,000, though grants to offset the cost are available.

The program costs between $20,000 and $50,000, though grants to offset the cost are available.The Day also invited Deputy Mayor Adam Sprecace; John Brooks of the New London Development Corp., which owns the property; Sandra Chalk of New London Landmarks; Kathleen Mitchell, an outspoken voice for residents who lost their properties to eminent domain; and several other interested parties.

The Day also invited Deputy Mayor Adam Sprecace; John Brooks of the New London Development Corp., which owns the property; Sandra Chalk of New London Landmarks; Kathleen Mitchell, an outspoken voice for residents who lost their properties to eminent domain; and several other interested parties."I'm most interested in moving all parties forward,'' said Sprecace, who learned about the program in an op-ed piece written for The Day by resident Tom Clark.

"I'm most interested in moving all parties forward,'' said Sprecace, who learned about the program in an op-ed piece written for The Day by resident Tom Clark.Nearly 10 years ago, the Pfizer project on Pequot Avenue was seen as a turning point for the city and sparked a redevelopment plan for the nearby Fort Trumbull neighborhood. But a protracted legal battle over eminent domain divided the city and a downturn in the economy has left the land mostly vacant.

Nearly 10 years ago, the Pfizer project on Pequot Avenue was seen as a turning point for the city and sparked a redevelopment plan for the nearby Fort Trumbull neighborhood. But a protracted legal battle over eminent domain divided the city and a downturn in the economy has left the land mostly vacant. Last fall, when Pfizer announced it would be moving its global research and development headquarters from New London to Groton, the news seemed to reopen old wounds.

Last fall, when Pfizer announced it would be moving its global research and development headquarters from New London to Groton, the news seemed to reopen old wounds."I've been looking for ways to try and get all of New London together,'' Sprecace said. "We're going to fix this issue. New London gets a black eye every time Fort Trumbull is mentioned. ... No more finger-pointing. We have to work together."

"I've been looking for ways to try and get all of New London together,'' Sprecace said. "We're going to fix this issue. New London gets a black eye every time Fort Trumbull is mentioned. ... No more finger-pointing. We have to work together."Sprecace agreed to meet again with Plattus for further discussion on a collaboration strategy.

Sprecace agreed to meet again with Plattus for further discussion on a collaboration strategy.Among those who spoke Thursday was Mitchell, who for years has criticized the way the NLDC has operated. Saying that "the NLDC has done us a favor when you think about it," she offered congratulations to the NLDC for restoring Fort Trumbull State Park, creating a river walk at Fort Trumbull and along the side of Pfizer Inc. on Pequot Avenue, and for the environmental cleanup of Bentley Creek. But she said no one wants office space and parking lots on the waterfront property.

Among those who spoke Thursday was Mitchell, who for years has criticized the way the NLDC has operated. Saying that "the NLDC has done us a favor when you think about it," she offered congratulations to the NLDC for restoring Fort Trumbull State Park, creating a river walk at Fort Trumbull and along the side of Pfizer Inc. on Pequot Avenue, and for the environmental cleanup of Bentley Creek. But she said no one wants office space and parking lots on the waterfront property."We've had a failure to invite local people into what would eventually happen in New London,'' she said. "We have so much here.''

"We've had a failure to invite local people into what would eventually happen in New London,'' she said. "We have so much here.''Brooks said the Municipal Development Plan, which was approved in 2000, is valid for another 20 years and remains flexible. The hotel, residential units and office space are only guidelines; there are no requirements that say a hotel has to be built there or housing units have to be townhouses, he said.

Brooks said the Municipal Development Plan, which was approved in 2000, is valid for another 20 years and remains flexible. The hotel, residential units and office space are only guidelines; there are no requirements that say a hotel has to be built there or housing units have to be townhouses, he said.Chalk, from New London Landmarks, added that it appears no one has a clear picture of what should happen at Fort Trumbull.

Chalk, from New London Landmarks, added that it appears no one has a clear picture of what should happen at Fort Trumbull."As a community, we need Yale Urban Design to give us new concepts, to look at the whole piece, to see how reflective of New London it will be in the next 10 to 15 years," she said.

"As a community, we need Yale Urban Design to give us new concepts, to look at the whole piece, to see how reflective of New London it will be in the next 10 to 15 years," she said.Plattus said all sides need to express their ideas clearly for the program to work. "You don't want a winner and a loser,'' he said. "You want something everyone will be proud of."

Plattus said all sides need to express their ideas clearly for the program to work. "You don't want a winner and a loser,'' he said. "You want something everyone will be proud of."The only way the exercise will work is if everyone has the energy and commitment to talk to each other in a meaningful way, Plattus said. "I'm not interested in doing plans and pretty pictures that sit on somebody's shelf,'' he added. "You'd have to talk to each other and talk about how you feel and find a way to make a project come about.''

The only way the exercise will work is if everyone has the energy and commitment to talk to each other in a meaningful way, Plattus said. "I'm not interested in doing plans and pretty pictures that sit on somebody's shelf,'' he added. "You'd have to talk to each other and talk about how you feel and find a way to make a project come about.''The Day is planning to run a series of stories on the topic in an upcoming Sunday Perspective section. It also intends to hold a public forum in the near future.

The Day is planning to run a series of stories on the topic in an upcoming Sunday Perspective section. It also intends to hold a public forum in the near future.k.edgecomb@theday.com

k.edgecomb@theday.com