NEW LONDON AND PETITIONERS AFTER THE VERDICT
Following the supreme court ruling, New London, CT acquired the complete neighborhood surrounding Fort Trumbull, bulldozing the homes and paving the way for further economic development in the hopes of creating more businesses, more jobs, and of course higher taxes. What ensued was drastically different, however. Pfizer closed its facility in 2009, less than 10 years after it had constructed the facility for upwards of 2000 employees. Originally the intended beneficiary of the promised economic development surrounding their new facility, the company vacated the premises prior to their tax breaks ending (a deal with the City of New London not to exceed 10 years). The facility has since been sold to Electric Boat.
The land where Kelo’s home once stood became desolate and is inhabited by stray animals and weeds. Susette Kelo relocated to a nearby town in Connecticut. Her little pink house on the water was relocated within New London to Franklin Street with an accompanying headstone and plaque of remembrance of the Fort Trumbull neighborhood and the effects of eminent domain. (Above image taken in front of the relocated house on Franklin Street).
As of May 2022, the economic development plans conveyed to the supreme court by the City of New London in conjunction with the NLDC and Pfizer, "never materialized, after the city spent more than 80 million in tax payer money". (Institute for Justice, 2020) A new private developer has plans to construct apartments and a community center (which won’t pay any taxes). In the end homeowners, of which many had lived in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood for decades (The Dery's occupied New London in the 1890's and Wilhelmina Dery had been born in her home in 1918), were kicked out so more homes could be built. "As for the victims, the Government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result.'' (Congressional Response to Kelo Decision, Sep 2005). (The image below debicts the open lot destined for apartments)
See: A Trip to New London
