Image courtesy of The Architectural Team
A lawsuit that challenged the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal’s approval of a 134-room hotel and prompted claims of interference by a rival developer has been dismissed.
A North End resident sued developer Cross Street Ventures seeking to overturn the ZBA’s approval of the $80 million Cross Street Hotel project at the former J. Pace grocery store property.
Abutter Mary Beth Sweeney objected to the board’s approval of height variances and a rooftop bar and restaurant.
In her lawsuit, Sweeney claimed she was harassed by the development team and directors at the Back Bay preschool where she works received anonymous emails portraying her as the “befuddled front for a coalition of lawyers, secret real estate trusts, unions and more seeking to stop a proposed boutique hotel project.”
The hotel project, led by 6M Development and William Caulder, was approved by Boston officials in 2022.
In the lawsuit, the developer’s legal team responded that the owner of an abutting property at 42 Cross St. orchestrated Sweeney’s lawsuit in an attempt to delay the project and gain ownership. Sweeney testified she received nearly $200,000 toward her legal fees at Mintz Levin from a variety of sources, including a crowdfunding campaign and a community activist.
Sweeney agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice and waive her rights of appeal, according to a filing submitted Friday in Suffolk Superior Court.
A message was left with 6M Development’s Caulder seeking comment.
