Two Landlord Plaintiffs Withdraw from State Center Lawsuit
Posted December 14, 2011
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The property owners and businesses that comprise the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed to stop the State Center project in Downtown Baltimore have lost two landlords, baltimoresun.com reports.
Court documents revealed Wednesday that the landlords for St. Paul Plaza Office Tower and 301 Charles Street have withdrawn from the lawsuit filed against the state. The web site reports that the entities affiliated with these properties withdrew in exchange for being removed from the $100 million counterclaim the State has filed against the plaintiffs in the case.
Wednesday's hearing on the counterclaim, which included two hours of arguments from attorneys on both sides, ended with no decision by Judge Althea Handy.
Assistant Attorney General Campbell Killefer said the counterclaim was filed in response to the "sham" litigation and "disinformation" from the property owners, the web site reports. The $100 million sought by the state apparently amounts to what is equal to the increased costs for financing, construction and building maintenance for the State Center site due to the delay caused by the property owners' suit.
Alan M. Rifkin, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, is seeking to dismiss the counterclaim based on First Amendment rights, according to baltimoresun.com. Rifkin also told the site that the counterclaim is an intimidation tactic, and that at least one of the plaintiffs was backing out because of it.
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State Center foes argue state lawsuit violates their rights
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