Former Conn College president Claire Gaudiani dies

Oct. 17—Claire Gaudiani, the former Connecticut College president who led a controversial effort to revitalize New London, died Wednesday in New York City.

Her family announced her death on Facebook, and the college confirmed it.

Gaudiani, the former head of the New London Development Corp., is known for coining the expression "hip little city" to describe her vision of what New London could become.

Reid MacCluggage, publisher of The Day from 1984 to 2001, on Thursday described Gaudiani as larger than life.

"Smart. Vibrant. Exciting," he said. "An electric personality."

Gaudiani, who headed NLDC beginning in 1997, was known for her role in convincing Pfizer Inc. to build its $300 million global research center on Pequot Avenue and for reviving the long-dormant redevelopment agency after the state pledged about $90 million in redevelopment money for nearby Fort Trumbull.

The City Council at the time passed its responsibilities for the development to the NLDC and granted the nonprofit agency the powers of eminent domain.

What the redevelopment corporation did with that power resulted in fractious controversy.

"She lent her name and the support of the college to a deeply unpopular eminent domain case," MacCluggage said. "And I think that was her undoing."

The NLDC purchased nearly all the privately owned land on the peninsula and took some by eminent domain. Several property owners fought the move, alleging the city had no right to take private property and turn it over to a private developer. But in 2005, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the takings, saying the city was within its rights to seize the properties for future economic development.

A large swath of the Fort Trumbull area was left undeveloped for more than two decades. Only last month did the City Council approve nearly $6.5 million in tax breaks over 20 years for a developer planning to construct 500 new apartments there.

In the fall of 2000, Gaudiani announced her impending resignation from Connecticut College at the end of the school year. The decision closed a 13-year tenure filled with successes for the college and, more immediately, internal conflict over her leadership style and handling of campus finances. She had faced a faculty vote of no confidence and then student protests, though she said she was not leaving because of protests.

She was lauded at the time by Board of Trustees Chairman Duncan Dayton for her vision and energy. He credited her with raising the institution's stature, bringing in a record number of applicants, establishing 26 endowed professorships and making Connecticut College a model for campus-community partnerships.

On Thursday night, the college released a statement saying it "mourns the passing of our former president Claire Gaudiani, whose vision, passion, generosity and creativity strengthened Conn and inspired countless students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members whose lives she touched."

"President Gaudiani, who was Conn's first alumna president, was a highly regarded teacher and scholar throughout her life, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Much was accomplished at Conn during her leadership, including the adoption of many of the College's signature programs that continue to thrive today. Also, during her tenure, the College quintupled its endowment, strengthened its national reputation and its applications for admission rose significantly. During this difficult time, we wish to express the College's deepest condolences to President Gaudiani's family. She will always be a Camel."

Greg Stone, former deputy editor of The Day's editorial page and the author of a book about the newspaper and its relationship with the city, described Gaudiani as a remarkable woman.

He pointed to the construction of the Pfizer research center as a sign of Gaudiani's success. The building was purchased by Electric Boat in 2010, when the submarine builder paid $55 million for the complex that the pharmaceutical giant had built for almost $300 million just nine years before.

"She's a very strong woman and a very powerful woman in the city," he said. "And she made a big difference."