New London - Susette Kelo says Pfizer Inc. will be associated with the excesses of eminent domain long after vacating its former world research-and-development headquarters in the city."For a long time to come, everybody who hears the name Pfizer will think about eminent domain and property theft," said the lead plaintiff in the Kelo v. City of New London eminent-domain case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. "They're not going to be thinking about Viagra."

"For a long time to come, everybody who hears the name Pfizer will think about eminent domain and property theft," said the lead plaintiff in the Kelo v. City of New London eminent-domain case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. "They're not going to be thinking about Viagra."Pfizer consistently has denied any connection between corporate policy and eminent domain.

Pfizer consistently has denied any connection between corporate policy and eminent domain."Eminent domain played no part in the development by Pfizer of its facility in New London," the company said in a statement to The Day. "We continue to be dismayed to see false and misleading claims appear in the media that suggest Pfizer was involved in this matter."

"Eminent domain played no part in the development by Pfizer of its facility in New London," the company said in a statement to The Day. "We continue to be dismayed to see false and misleading claims appear in the media that suggest Pfizer was involved in this matter."In an Oct. 16, 2005, article, The Day reported that several former high-ranking state officials said the state's agreement to replace the existing neighborhood was a condition of Pfizer's move to New London. And a 1997 sketch, prepared by Pfizer's architecture firm, showed the company had plans for a "high-end residential district" in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood.

In an Oct. 16, 2005, article, The Day reported that several former high-ranking state officials said the state's agreement to replace the existing neighborhood was a condition of Pfizer's move to New London. And a 1997 sketch, prepared by Pfizer's architecture firm, showed the company had plans for a "high-end residential district" in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood.The New York-based Pfizer announced earlier this week that it would close the company's $300 million office complex in New London - a decision that the company tied into research-and-development restructuring related to its $67 billion acquisition of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer's 1,400 employees currently working in New London will be transferred to new or revamped facilities at the company's Groton campus within two years, officials said.

The New York-based Pfizer announced earlier this week that it would close the company's $300 million office complex in New London - a decision that the company tied into research-and-development restructuring related to its $67 billion acquisition of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer's 1,400 employees currently working in New London will be transferred to new or revamped facilities at the company's Groton campus within two years, officials said.Pfizer's announcement in the late 1990s that it intended to move into New London spurred the city to begin redevelopment plans in the adjoining Fort Trumbull neighborhood. The New London Development Corp., a quasi-public group that spearheaded the project, eventually decided to use eminent domain in Fort Trumbull when several homeowners there balked at moving.

Pfizer's announcement in the late 1990s that it intended to move into New London spurred the city to begin redevelopment plans in the adjoining Fort Trumbull neighborhood. The New London Development Corp., a quasi-public group that spearheaded the project, eventually decided to use eminent domain in Fort Trumbull when several homeowners there balked at moving.One of those homeowners was Susette Kelo.

One of those homeowners was Susette Kelo."They didn't expect what they got from us," Kelo says. "They've got nobody to blame but themselves."

"They didn't expect what they got from us," Kelo says. "They've got nobody to blame but themselves."What New London got was five years of legal headaches as seven homeowners blocked redevelopment plans. After Kelo lost in a 5-4 Supreme Court decision and the NLDC was able to take over the properties, a real estate downturn hit that has further stymied development plans.

What New London got was five years of legal headaches as seven homeowners blocked redevelopment plans. After Kelo lost in a 5-4 Supreme Court decision and the NLDC was able to take over the properties, a real estate downturn hit that has further stymied development plans.The public reaction to New London's taking of people's personal homes for private development has created an "aura of shame" surrounding the Fort Trumbull development, according to one project official who asked not to be identified.

The public reaction to New London's taking of people's personal homes for private development has created an "aura of shame" surrounding the Fort Trumbull development, according to one project official who asked not to be identified."The NLDC has a terrible reputation," said another official, Frank McLaughlin, who is the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut's downtown development investment coordinator. "They need to tell a more positive story."

"The NLDC has a terrible reputation," said another official, Frank McLaughlin, who is the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut's downtown development investment coordinator. "They need to tell a more positive story.""No developer wants to come within 100 miles of New London, Connecticut or Fort Trumbull," Kelo said. "I don't really like the word 'karma,' but what comes around goes around."

"No developer wants to come within 100 miles of New London, Connecticut or Fort Trumbull," Kelo said. "I don't really like the word 'karma,' but what comes around goes around."Clark Neily, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a libertarian group that argued the case on behalf of Kelo, said in a phone interview that Pfizer is a business and, when it could no longer make money, "they ran off."

Clark Neily, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a libertarian group that argued the case on behalf of Kelo, said in a phone interview that Pfizer is a business and, when it could no longer make money, "they ran off.""This is a fitting exclamation point for the whole tragedy," he added. "This case needs to stand as a reminder to people that you should be careful ... before you take someone's property."

"This is a fitting exclamation point for the whole tragedy," he added. "This case needs to stand as a reminder to people that you should be careful ... before you take someone's property."But Claire Gaudiani, the former Connecticut College president who headed the NLDC during the eminent-domain fight, took a different lesson out of Pfizer's move.

But Claire Gaudiani, the former Connecticut College president who headed the NLDC during the eminent-domain fight, took a different lesson out of Pfizer's move."Great companies and their leaders have the vision and the courage to strive," she said in an e-mail reaction to Pfizer's decision. "Pfizer showed that vision and courage to us in New London.

"Great companies and their leaders have the vision and the courage to strive," she said in an e-mail reaction to Pfizer's decision. "Pfizer showed that vision and courage to us in New London. "No one anticipated the economic crisis we all face now. It has made many major adjustments in dreams that were eagerly nurtured a decade ago. New good things will be developing. Vision and courage are still in style."

"No one anticipated the economic crisis we all face now. It has made many major adjustments in dreams that were eagerly nurtured a decade ago. New good things will be developing. Vision and courage are still in style."Attorney Thomas Londregan, who argued the eminent domain case on behalf of the city, said "what jumped off the page to me" in one of a series of decisions in the Kelo case that went in favor of the city was a judge's opinion that New London officials would have been remiss if they hadn't taken advantage of Pfizer's decision to move to New London. They would have been equally remiss to bypass former Gov. John Rowland's initiative to remediate environmental problems at Fort Trumbull, he said.

Attorney Thomas Londregan, who argued the eminent domain case on behalf of the city, said "what jumped off the page to me" in one of a series of decisions in the Kelo case that went in favor of the city was a judge's opinion that New London officials would have been remiss if they hadn't taken advantage of Pfizer's decision to move to New London. They would have been equally remiss to bypass former Gov. John Rowland's initiative to remediate environmental problems at Fort Trumbull, he said."There have been millions of dollars in improvements to the infrastructure and land within the borders of the city," Londregan said, including cleanups of the former New London Mills site, a junkyard, an oil-tank field and a railroad yard as well as improved roads, sewers and water lines.

"There have been millions of dollars in improvements to the infrastructure and land within the borders of the city," Londregan said, including cleanups of the former New London Mills site, a junkyard, an oil-tank field and a railroad yard as well as improved roads, sewers and water lines."People think we took homes and nothing happened," Londregan said. "Well, a lot has happened."

"People think we took homes and nothing happened," Londregan said. "Well, a lot has happened."But a lot more needs to be done, acknowledge NLDC officials, who, though surprised by Pfizer's move out of the city, nonetheless did not see it as a major problem.

But a lot more needs to be done, acknowledge NLDC officials, who, though surprised by Pfizer's move out of the city, nonetheless did not see it as a major problem."I'm not sure it changes anything for us," said John Brooks, an NLDC spokesman. "But a lot depends on what entity moves into Pfizer."

"I'm not sure it changes anything for us," said John Brooks, an NLDC spokesman. "But a lot depends on what entity moves into Pfizer."Kelo, who lost her little pink house to what she sees as the nightmare of eminent domain, still blames Pfizer for pushing her and neighbors out of their homes.

Kelo, who lost her little pink house to what she sees as the nightmare of eminent domain, still blames Pfizer for pushing her and neighbors out of their homes. "They were involved from the beginning," she said.

"They were involved from the beginning," she said.Kelo's house has since been moved to Franklin Street, serving as the residence for Avner Gregory - and as something of a shrine for those who oppose the taking of homes for private gain, even if it is seen to be in the public interest.

Kelo's house has since been moved to Franklin Street, serving as the residence for Avner Gregory - and as something of a shrine for those who oppose the taking of homes for private gain, even if it is seen to be in the public interest.Kelo, who received $442,000 for vacating her small lot in a settlement that gave the Fort Trumbull holdouts more than $4 million, says she has returned to her rebuilt house only once since the move, for the taping of a "20/20" episode on ABC. Kelo, now living in Groton, is still bitter about the years-long battle to save her home.

Kelo, who received $442,000 for vacating her small lot in a settlement that gave the Fort Trumbull holdouts more than $4 million, says she has returned to her rebuilt house only once since the move, for the taping of a "20/20" episode on ABC. Kelo, now living in Groton, is still bitter about the years-long battle to save her home. "What they did to us was wrong, and it's still wrong today," she says. "Good people lost everything that they worked for all their lives. I hope everyone is happy now."

"What they did to us was wrong, and it's still wrong today," she says. "Good people lost everything that they worked for all their lives. I hope everyone is happy now."l.howard@theday.com

l.howard@theday.com