In 1967, the city of New Rochelle purchased Davids Island, initially using it for the site of a summer camp for New Rochelle youth. During the summers of 1967 and 1968, David's Island was the site for two conferences sponsored by Up With People. In 1968, Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) purchased the island for three million dollars, with a view to building a nuclear power plant there. Con Ed dropped these plans in 1973 and resold the island to New Rochelle in 1976, for $1. In 1977, following ten years of neglect, New Rochelle designated the island, with its remnants of Fort Slocum, as an urban renewal area.