New London site chosen for Coast Guard museum

[damus]

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-museu...story?track=rss

Nearly two years ago, president George Bush signed the bill clearing the way for the construction of the museum in New London. The authorization allows the federal government to operate and maintain the museum and its artifacts.

The proposed museum's location became a focus of some controversy when Coast Guard Admiral Thomas Collins suggested New York City might make a better site.

Instead, Connecticut's delegation introduced legislation requiring it to be built in the city which is home of the Coast Guard Academy.

This site, while in the Fort Trumbull neigborhood, includes no land taken by eminent domain.

[HartfordTycoon]

I think we really do need a SE CT sub forum. You guys have all of the other exciting stuff happening outside of Greater Hartford. I think we should get a SE CT Forum and a New Haven County-Fairfield County Forum.

[damus]

I think we really do need a SE CT sub forum. You guys have all of the other exciting stuff happening outside of Greater Hartford. I think we should get a SE CT Forum and a New Haven County-Fairfield County Forum.

We have a lot going on, but I'm the only regular poster from SE CT so unfortunately it may be pointless

[damus]

I've never seen things looking better for New London. Remember that project proposed years ago for the land Pfizer's on? I think it was called OceanQuest. Hopefully something like that can go in the Fort Trumbull area, the Coast Guard Museum and any other family-friendly attraction would feed off each other like the Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium do. I heard a rumor that the Garde Arts Center is considering getting rid of their balcony seats. Hopefully this will help create the critical mass to make New London more viable and able to compete with the casinos for shows.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=0e52f754-...8f-69640d0f8905

The museum itself will cost $50 million. Work on a pier for the mooring of the U.S. Coast Guard barque Eagle and related dredging, provided for in the agreement, will cost $8 million, Joplin said.

The memorandum of agreement mandates that the required environmental evaluation of Parcel 1A begin no later than July 30. It also requires a timely development agreement between the NLDC and the National Coast Guard Museum Association and a separate cooperation agreement between Corcoran Jennison and the museum association to coordinate the hotel and museum projects, which may be located just 200 feet apart.

The agreement also states that the Coast Guard may investigate

[HartfordTycoon]

New London definately has a bright future. I think a lot of what happened is a mixed blessing. Now they will have national name recognition and national attractions, thanks in part to the controversy over eminent domain. With the expoosive growth of tourism in that region there will be alot of money to be made.

[damus]

New London definately has a bright future. I think a lot of what happened is a mixed blessing. Now they will have national name recognition and national attractions, thanks in part to the controversy over eminent domain. With the expoosive growth of tourism in that region there will be alot of money to be made.

It also doesn't hurt that New London has some beautiful neighborhoods, and the college campuses (esp. Conn College) are beautiful. Aesthically, New London (along with parts of Norwich, especially Norwichtown) is among the most underappreciated cities in New England. Now there will be a reason for people to go there (besides the overpriced Ocean Beach park).

[PCGrad02]

My wife and I spent Saturday morning and part of the afternoon in New London. She had her haircut @ Options, while I had coffee and something to eat at the new Deli on Bank St. We made a quick trip to Lowe's in Waterford and then returned to the Bank St Roadhouse for drinks and some lunch on the deck overlooking the train station/ferry terminal. Fantastic place to sit on a nice afternoon, views of the Thames/EB/Pfizer. New London has a lot going for it right now, Norwich needs to capitalize on it's prime waterfront location the same way. If only we didn't have parking garages blocking every decent view of the Marina.

[JimSawhill]

My wife and I spent Saturday morning and part of the afternoon in New London. She had her haircut @ Options, while I had coffee and something to eat at the new Deli on Bank St. We made a quick trip to Lowe's in Waterford and then returned to the Bank St Roadhouse for drinks and some lunch on the deck overlooking the train station/ferry terminal. Fantastic place to sit on a nice afternoon, views of the Thames/EB/Pfizer. New London has a lot going for it right now, Norwich needs to capitalize on it's prime waterfront location the same way. If only we didn't have parking garages blocking every decent view of the Marina.

Now if they could renovate the state pier...maybe move frieght cars from New London to Greenport as the NEC thought about -- and for the state to use the port to export and import merchandise...

JimS

[damus]

Day - Panel To Coordinate Coast Guard Museum

A steering committee will coordinate the planning required for the National Coast Guard Museum and adjacent hotel at Fort Trumbull.

Representatives of the City of New London, state Department of Economic and Community Development, National Coast Guard Museum Association, New London Development Corp. and Corcoran Jennison met Thursday at the state Capitol to set up the Fort Trumbull Hotel/Museum Steering Committee.

The National Coast Guard Museum Association in April committed to locating the future museum, estimated to open in 2010, on the waterfront at Fort Trumbull.

Because the museum could stand as near as 200 feet to a hotel to be designed and built by Corcoran Jennison, coordination of the two projects is a key task for the steering committee.

...

The National Coast Guard Museum will be the subject of meetings in Washington, D.C., next week, including a meeting between the National Coast Guard Museum Association, which is charged with fund raising, planning and building the museum, and the U.S. Coast Guard, to whom the museum association will give the museum when it is completed.