Thursday, February 24, 2005

Judge Dismisses Westfarms Suit

Mall has No Standing to Challenge Blue Back Sqare Referendum

Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't laughed out of court.

Judge Kevin E. Booth, of Superior Court in Hartford, granted the town's motion to dismiss a lawsuit that Westfarms filed last year alleging that West Hartford exceeded its authority in approving the retail, residential and entertainment center.

My question? If the town and the voters don't have the authority to approve a plan to develop a parcel of land in West Hartford... who does? Westfarms Mall (which isn't even entirely in West Hartford--the J.C. Penney's is in Farmington)?

The mall had claimed that its taxes would rise (?) and that its economic value would decrease. Thankfully:

...Booth ruled that competition is not a basis for winning standing to press the lawsuit.

It's pathetic, really. I remember driving around before the referendum and hearing ads against the Blue Back project on WTIC-AM. Invariably, those ads were funded by Westfarms.

This was a stupid move on the part of the mall. I can't imagine that their investors have much confidence in them anymore.

Source: Puleo, Tom and Daniella Altimari. "Westfarms Suit Dismissed". Hartford Courant 24 February 2005.

No comments: