Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp. says it has submitted a payment bringing it up-to-date on its financial obligations to the city of Boston, a week after an official announced steps to replace it as operator of Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

A spokesman for Ashkenazy said the delayed payments in lieu of taxes were the result of discussions with the city about adjusting the due date as part of a broader approach to supporting retailers during the pandemic.

“We will continue working with merchants independently to identify the best solutions we can that rectify outstanding rents and adjust our agreements moving forward. Solutions we finalize with each merchant will be based on individual business needs and outlook, cognizant of our unchanged obligations to the City and the property,” Ashkenazy said in a statement.

BPDA Director Brian Golden notified the company this month it has defaulted on the lease for the city-owned property after failing to submit a pair of $1 million payments in lieu of taxes due in August and November, and the existence of an outstanding contractor’s lien.

The dispute dates back to June, after Faneuil Hall merchants complained about Ashkenazy’s inflexibility in deferring rent payments while the bulk of the stores were shuttered by COVID-19 restrictions.

A BPDA spokeswoman could not immediately confirm whether the payment had been received.

In a statement attributed to Golden, the BPDA said “we continue to be concerned about the small, locally-owned Faneuil Hall Marketplace tenants, and will to work with AAC to support them during this challenging time.”

Ashkenazy has operated the marketplace since 2011, when it acquired the lease from General Growth Properties.

Faneuil Hall Operator Says It’s Submitted Late Payments

by Steve Adams time to read: 1 min
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