New London — The City Council on Monday, in a surprise turnaround, narrowly approved the purchase of a possible future site for a community center.

The council voted 4-3 to purchase the former Edgerton School property following impassioned pleas from people on both sides of the issue, many arguing the city's children and students needed a pool.

The vote authorizes Mayor Michael Passero to sign off on an agreement with developer Peter Levine that calls for a $350,000 purchase price for the 3.3-acre site at 120 Cedar Grove Ave., adjacent to city-owned Veterans Field.

Levine has agreed to pay the city more than $70,000 in back taxes and fees along with $40,000 toward a redevelopment loan. The property is in bank foreclosure.

That agreement is due to expire March 16 if a closing does not take place. 

Passero had pushed for the purchase and said he intended to negotiate with the YMCA or another entity to build and maintain the facility, which would offer a much-needed public pool for the city.

Councilors Martha Marx, Don Venditto, John Satti and Michael Tranchida voted in favor.

Satti said residents have supported the idea of a community center for decades but opportunities, many brought forward through work of the New London Community Center Planning Collaborative, had not come to fruition.

“It’s time to put the new back in New London,” Satti said. “It’s time to support our mayor. It’s time to support our children.”

Both Satti and Venditto said that if the project fails because of a lack of financial support, the city would likely be able to sell it to a developer — perhaps at a profit.

Council President Erica Richardson and councilors Anthony Nolan and Efrain Dominguez voted against the proposed purchase. All stated they were not against the idea of a community center but took issue with either the associated costs or timing of the purchase.

Richardson said the city already had enough on its plate with three new schools, plans to build a new high school and unfinished developments across the city.

“I think it’s a great idea but just the wrong time,” Richardson said.

Nolan said that along with unknown cleanup costs, he could not get over the fact that the city was purchasing the site for the same price it sold it for in 2010, but with less land. Since the purchase, Levine has sold off a small portion of the property and packaged it with an adjoining plot on Colman Street.

“I think we can find a place other than that to do a community center,” Nolan said.

g.smith@theday.com