After Eminent Domain Decision, Disputed Project Goes Nowhere

Five months after the United States Supreme Court ruling that the City of New London could seize property through eminent domain to make way for new private development, the political outcry from the Kelo v. New London ruling has paralyzed the project.

1 minute read

November 21, 2005, 10:00 AM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Even though the holdouts lost their case, and the development that would displace them finally seems free to go forward, construction has not begun, and some elements of the project have been effectively paralyzed since the court ruling prompted a political outcry...

Instead, wary of public disapproval and challenges from groups like the Institute for Justice, the law firm that represented the holdouts in court, the state and the city have halted plans to evict the remaining residents. Investors are concerned about building on land that some people consider a symbol of property rights. At the same time, contract disputes and financial uncertainty have delayed construction even in areas that have been cleared.

With so many complications, some people are unsure whether the city's initial vision for the property - a mix of housing, hotel and office space intended to transform part of its riverfront and bolster a declining tax base - is even realistic anymore."

Thanks to Jason Newman

Monday, November 21, 2005 in The New York Times

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