Legal Battle Over Apex Site In Pawtucket Heats Up

PAWTUCKET, RI — A tug-of-war over 12 acres of prime downtown property continued this week with a new legal complaint filed in U.S. District Court by longtime owners of the old Apex Department Store, with its distinctive pyramid-shaped roof.

The plaintiffs charge that the City of Pawtucket has used improper means to try to gain control of their five parcels at a fraction of true market value. The Apex companies say they would like to develop "Riverfront Commons" at the highly visible site, but allege city officials have stymied them at every turn. They say the city is illegally trying to gain ownership of the property through a fast-track eminent domain process.

News of the lawsuit was first reported by Eli Sherman, the WPRI investigative reporter. Litigation over the matter was first launched in 2019. The latest 69-page lawsuit can be viewed here.

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It's the same site that the former Pawtucket Red Sox were eyeing for a baseball stadium before they decided to pull up roots and build a new stadium in Worcester. And it's the same site the city previously wanted to include in the ongoing Tidewater Landing development, which promises a new professional soccer stadium, but those negotiations fell apart.

The city has yet to file a response to the new federal complaint. However, Pawtucket Commerce Director Jeanne Boyle, who is named as a defendant in the case, told WPRI that the move represents “an unfortunate continuation of the property owners’ years-long effort to misinform our community through baseless accusations, stall tactics and obstructionism.”

Apex spokesperson Bill Fischer had words of his own.“It is very unfortunate for the taxpayers of Pawtucket that it has come to this, but Apex Development was forced to file this suit after years of cooperating with the city and attempting to engage in reasonable negotiations – an effort that has only been met with harsh and unsubstantiated rhetoric from the city’s advisors,” he said.

The plaintiffs charge an "unconstitutional abuse of power" and are demanding a jury trial.