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Partners in O Street development at odds

09/01/2015 5:11 PM by

In what has the makings of the next Church Hill shit-show, paperwork was filed on Monday, August 31, on behalf of local developer Deanna Lewis against her financial partners John Whitworth and Benedict Whitworth (PDF).

The trio have been partners since January 2014 on the renovation of a entire block of long-vacant houses on the 2500 block of O Street and the commercial building at 821 North 25th Street. Each have offered to buy the other out of the arrangement, alleging impropriety by the other. The lawsuit by Lewis lays out a list of complaints, including that the Whitworth’s have attempted to “tortiously steal” the business.

Perhaps the most scandalous allegation is that Mr.Whitworth hid his financial interest in the project during last year’s “Captain Buzzy’s vs Neighbors” lawsuit, when his ownership of a building intended to be developed as a restaurant could have been seen as tainting his motives in opposing the ABC licence for the Broad Street coffee shop. That lawsuit was dismissed in December 2014.

There’s more on RVA News and Richmond Magazine or just roll back through the posts tagged “Captain Buzzy’s”.

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A heads up: I’m going to be judicious about comments on this one. Please stay civilized.


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