Business Partner Sues Armitage Walgreens Developer

The developer for a highly contested Armitage Avenue Walgreens can now tack a lawsuit to his list of troubles.

Suing Mark Hunt is his business partner, Fred Latsko, who claims he coerced the pharmacy away from a Clybourn Avenue plot the two own together.

The suit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Monday, according to a Crain's story. That's the same day a meeting was held to discuss the details of the store's design.

Latsko reportedly says Walgreens was prepared to sign a lease at Lincoln Park Plaza, 1941-53 N. Clybourn Ave. The 15,000-square-foot drugstore is actually being built at 834 W. Armitage Ave.

The space is the former home of the community's historic Greater Little Rock the Lord's Church, which has been leveled to make room for developers' plans.

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"In a complaint, (Latsko) alleges (Hunt) used information gained from Walgreen's talks for the Lincoln Park Plaza space to instead lure the drugstore a few blocks northeast to Armitage Avenue," Crains reports. (Latsko) seeks unspecified damages from (Hunt), as well as legal fees and other expenses, and seeks to have (Hunt) removed as co-manager of the venture that owns the Clybourn property …"

The story includes a comment from Jeff Richman, Hunt's attorney, who denies the allegations saying, "The truth will come out in court."

Residents criticized the design for the Armitage pharmacy at a Monday meeting, some suggesting it move to another location in the neighborhood.  

"Why this is so important to them to be right here and infiltrate the neighborhood and come right where were trying to have residences, children and day-to-day life?" said Kristi Nuelle, who lives nearby. "Meanwhile, there's an enormous lot on Halsted that sits empty."

Todd Frank, senior real estate manager at Walgreens, responded.

"At the time that this deal was struck for this location, there were no other alternatives," he said. "That is part of the vagaries of real estate is that things are not always available when you would like them to be. This location was available at the time when it was approved by Walgreens and then subsequently, the lease was signed, so there's a legal obligation on behalf of Walgreens at this point."

He also said the Armitage lot is on a busy pedestrian street with a, "decent sized market share surrounding it that we don't currently serve."

Looking for more background?

• Vacant Church Lot May be Future Home to 3-Story Walgreens
• Officials Expect Armitage Walgreens Plans in 'Very Near Future'
• Armitage Walgreens Renderings Released Before Monday Meeting (PHOTOS)

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