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Photo courtesy of Copper Mill Morrissey LLC
A dispute between the owners and developers of the high-density 35-75 Morrissey Blvd. redevelopment project has led to a lawsuit in which one of the parties is alleging “fraudulent and deceptive” behavior by the other.
The Reporter originally reported on this story last year, when the developers first filed detailed plans for two apartment towers at the old WLVI site on Morrissey Boulevard.
Copper Mill Development, a Boston-based company, filed suit last Friday in Boston Land Court and Suffolk Superior Court against POB Capital of Chicago and Pactolus global private equity company of Virginia alleging five counts of fraud and deceptive business practices in the development of the property that formerly housed the Channel 56 headquarters building.
The current state of 75 Morrissey Blvd. Seth Daniel photo
“Copper Mill hoped this step would not be necessary, but looks forward to recovering its rights to the property at 75 Morrissey Boulevard and the damages caused by its former business partners’ conduct,” said attorney Aaron Rosenberg for Copper Mill.
Principals from POB Capital and Pactolus – who are named in the suit – had not responded before The Reporter’s deadline to an email requesting comment.
That first phase of the larger redevelopment project includes 750 units of housing in two high-rise buildings and a 23,900-square-foot community park and extensive roadway improvements, allof which were approved by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) board in August 2025.
Copper Mill CEO Andrew Flynn said the project has been in limbo since late June, when POB Capital and Pactolus canceled their 2024 purchase and sales agreement (P&S) after what he said was a deceptive business arrangement meant to take the permitted land back.
He said that Copper Mill is committed to the project and “breathed life into a site that was largely dormant for seven years” before getting involved.
“We have worked closely with the City of Boston and neighborhood stakeholders to earn their support and approval for the development of 750 housing units – housing that is needed now, without further delay,” Flynn said in a statement to The Reporter on Monday. “We continue to believe strongly in the vision for this site and its importance to Boston residents.
“Although we wish this step was not necessary, we look forward to proving our claims in court and proceeding with construction of this desperately needed housing in alignment with all local stakeholders.”
The heart of the lawsuits filed in both courts alleges that POB Capital and Pactolus agreed to a purchase and sales agreement with Copper Mill in 2024 for $67.5 million after a previous developer, Centre Court Partners, didn’t make progress in advancing the development. The deal was to close on June 30 of this year, provided that Copper Mill met its permitting and other obligations.
Copper Mill alleges in court filings that after securing approvals from neighborhood civic leaders and City of Boston planners in 2025, the defendants approached them with a proposed addendum to the P&S that would create a joint venture, wherebythe defendants would raise the money for construction, and Copper Mill would develop, permit, and build the development.
That’s where things went awry, according to Copper Mill. They contend the new arrangement was a “ruse” meant to claw back the permitted land when the sellers realized that the sales price was too low.
“Copper Mill was well-positioned to build a two-building mixed-use development at the property with over 750 residential units less than a year after signing the P&S,” read the complaint. “But when defendants discovered the progress Copper Mill had made and the potential value of the property when developed as Copper Mill planned, they apparently regretted the $67.5 million purchase price to which they had agreed. To get out of what they then saw as a bad bargain, defendants formulated a scheme to recover the property and prevent Copper Mill from taking title.”
According to the filing, the defendants did not raise the money to build the project by June 30, and then cancelled the agreement with Copper Mill, which now believes the defendants are trying to market the project to other developers.
The Land Court filing seeks to prevent that from happening , Copper Mill representatives said, by putting a Memorandum of Lis Pendens on the property – a legal tool used as a public notice recorded at the Registry of Deeds to show that a lawsuit is pending on a piece of real estate.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tues., Oct. 27, in Land Court.
Copper Mill seeks to force the defendants to revert to the original purchase and sales agreement without the joint venture and give them one year to gain funding and complete the transaction.
In an unrelated matter, Copper Mill and Flynn were in the news last month when construction work on a high-rise apartment building in Somerville’s Davis Square, which would have temporarily relocated the famed Burren Pub, was cancelled abruptly due to local and city opposition, and, according to city officials speaking with WBUR, other funding problems.
The Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association (CSHCA) has been heavily involved with the 35-75 Morrissey Blvd. project for many years, supporting the endeavor and negotiating a promised $750,000 contribution. All of that seems to be in flux now and is “a matter of concern” for the group, said President Bill Walczak.
“A conversation with Andrew Flynn [on Monday] indicated that they fully plan to develop their parcel after they get a new development partner and expect to have a groundbreaking in 2027,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with them to ensure that the development along Morrissey Boulevard works well for the greater community.”
The CSHCA finally came to an agreement last month with the city about the distribution vehicle for the $750,000 contribution, which has been in limbo for three years. The contribution will funnel $400,000 to the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club (BGCD) and $350,000 to the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
“These donations include a partnership with Dorchester Bay EDC regarding community wide planning, and a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club to support community activities and our commercial areas, especially Dorchester Avenue,” said Walczak.
Don Walsh, chair of CSHCA Community Benefits Committee, said the legal dispute is another setback, but doesn’t impact their agreement.
“We’re not giving up,” Walsh said. “Right now, the people we had an agreement with aren’t causing the problem the way I understand it. It’s the facts of life of the economy and business having the money to do the work. It’s not as if someone is pulling away from us; it’s just that the situation doesn’t warrant it right now.”
The cases, while filed in two different courts, will likely be combined eventually into one case that would be heard in Suffolk Superior Court.
Copyright © 2026 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. This content may not be re-published or re-used without written permission.
