Two national development teams with pro athlete star power — one has Johnson in its executive lineup and the other has Staubach — have filed competing proposals to transform the former Pequonnock Apartments site into a mix of apartments, stores, hotel rooms, offices, restaurants and movie theaters.

Both groups submitted detailed plans to rebuild the vacant 11-acre property adjacent to the Harbor Yard complex in response to a request for development plans from the city.

Five teams had initially filed applications to be considered for the development project. Two of those five offered detailed proposals and are now in competition to gain the city's approval for the job.

The development teams and their projects are:

? A partnership between Mid-City Urban, Vornado Realty Trust and the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, which is fronted by former NBA star Magic Johnson. The three companies propose to build "Bridgeport Sound," a community of shops, apartments, hotel rooms and other features.

? A partnership between Archstone-Smith, the Richmond Group and the Staubach Co., a real estate firm owned Roger Staubach, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback. The team proposes to build "The District at Harbor Yard," a mix of apartments, stores, offices, hotel rooms and other features.

Both teams are developers of national stature with millions in resources and extensive track records. Each team has built thousands of apartments and millions of square feet of retail space, and each is connected to a national hotel chain.

Victoria Davis, president of Mid City Urban, said her team is excited about a Bridgeport venture.

"We have a great team of developers who all have a commitment to creating great urban spaces. We have done $1 billion in urban revitalization, and we are the smallest member of the team," Davis said.

In a letter to the city, Lee Bloch, vice president of Archstone-Smith, and Pamela Mikusova, vice president of the Richman Group, said their team would build the best project.

"We believe this project and the city provide outstanding opportunities for our team of experts. We believe the combined skills and reputation of our team makes us the ideal candidate," the development officials state.

Three other companies were also invited to submit proposals for the Pequonnock site, but they declined. Those companies are: TDC Development of Flushing, N.Y., the Opus Group of Stamford and Harbor Yard Partners headed by Eric Anderson, who already has several downtown development projects under way, among them the renovation of the former Citytrust tower into apartments.

A team of volunteers will review the two submissions and recommend one to the city by June 30. The process is being guided by the Bridgeport Economic Resource Center.

In response to a request under state Freedom of Information law, the city provided some information on the two projects under consideration. However, the city withheld most of the details, citing non-disclosure requests from the developers and stipulations within FOI law that restrict release of certain details while a selection process is underway.

Nancy Hadley, the city's economic development director, said the competing applications are impressive, but stressed city officials are prevented from releasing more details at this point. Once the selection process progresses, more information can be released, she said.

"We have given everything we are able to right now," she said.

The information the city provided reveals that the general outline of both proposals is largely similar, which means the final decision will likely boil down to which team is judged best able to complete the venture. Both teams propose a mix of rental and for-sale housing, and both plan to build a hotel tower on the site.

The Archstone-Smith/Richmond group proposes office space, housing, stores and hotel rooms. Included would be a cinema complex, dinner theater, jazz and comedy clubs and various types of restaurants. Stores could sell items ranging from home furnishings to books and fitness equipment. Starbucks and the New York Sports Club have expressed interest in the site, according to material released by the city.

The team also envisions a wind turbine on the site, and possibly additional turbines and solar cells, to help offset electric costs.

Mid City Urban and its partners propose a new hotel within a mixed-use community of shops and apartments. The development would include restaurants, art galleries, pubs and nightclubs, as well as a wireless computer network throughout downtown. Rooftops would be planted with vegetation to improve overhead views.

Both teams pledge to use environmental-friendly "green" technology, and link their project to downtown, Seaside Park and the surrounding neighborhood.

Bill Cummings, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6230.