Liddle Tots back in business, waits for next court hearing

By John Howell
Posted 9/20/18

By JOHN HOWELL Liddle Tots II Teen at Pond Plaza, the proposed site of a controversial three-story self-storage unit, is open again after a Superior Court Justice found that the landlord had improperly evicted the business serving 130 children. According

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Liddle Tots back in business, waits for next court hearing

Posted

Liddle Tots II Teen at Pond Plaza, the proposed site of a controversial three-story self-storage unit, is open again after a Superior Court Justice found that the landlord had improperly evicted the business serving 130 children.

According to Robert Flaherty, attorney for owner Bill Liddle and Liddle Tots, the eviction notice served on Friday, Sept. 7 at 4:30 had not been properly executed. Liddle said the notice was drafted on July 2 and he was told to be binding that it had to be served within 20 days, after which point it becomes invalid.

But that wasn’t known on Sept. 7. With parents expecting the facility to be open Monday, Liddle scrambled to avoid a shutdown. He tried to reach Flaherty, who was out of town and, even if he had been here, the courts were closed. Acting quickly, Liddle, his staff and family reached out to keep parents informed and then started moving essentials out of the facility. The following morning a moving truck showed up to take furniture, computers, records…everything. Locks were changed and it looked like Liddle Tots, which is celebrating its 26th year in business, would be forced to close.

Liddle understands why the landlord, Anthony DiFante and Cenicor, would want him out should the plaza be sold to Charles Anderson and PRW Holding Inc. PRW proposes to erect a three-story 630-unit self-storage facility on the Liddle Tots end of the plaza. But what doesn’t make sense is why Cenicor wouldn’t want to keep Liddle Tots as a paying tenant for as long as they could. The company is paying more than $100,000 in rent annually.

Liddle was in court Monday, Sept. 10, but it wasn’t until Wednesday when he got a ruling. The furniture and items removed from Liddle Tots were returned and the day care reopened last Thursday. But the threat of eviction lingers. Flaherty said Liddle would be back in court Monday at 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, plans for the self-storage unit remain up in the air.

Neighbors of Sand Pond, which is located behind the plaza, rallied to oppose the development when it came before the Planning Board for preliminary plan approval last September. The board found the proposal inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, although the zoning allows for a self-storage unit. PRW appealed to the Zoning Board of Review that ruled in favor of the developer.

That didn’t put an end to the battle. Those opposed have retained a legal firm with a background in environmental and zoning cases to fight the next step in the approval process, special use permits from the Zoning Board. That petition was to have been heard on Sept. 11, but never made it to the docket.

At the time K. Joseph Shekarchi, attorney for PRW, said he didn’t think it would come before the board in October and possibly not in November. No zoning board meetings are listed on the city’s online calendar.

In August, those opposed to the storage unit staged a Pond Pallooza as a means of pulling the community together while enjoying paddle boarding, kayaking and swimming. Among elected officials who turned out was Mayor Joseph Solomon, who called the pond a “hidden treasure” and backed City Planner and his Chief of Staff William DePasquale, who finds the proposed development inconsistent with the neighborhood.

Liddle Tots did not play a role in the pond rally, although some families that use the business did.

Liddle makes no correlation between the eviction and the demonstration. His focus is on those families that depend on him, and he’s hopeful that can continue to happen at Pond Plaza for as long as possible. He said he is exploring options. Liddle said he was on a month-to-month lease as of June 2017 when, evidently, DiFante was in discussion to sell the plaza.

DiFante’s attorney, Steve Izzi, could not be reached for comment.

What happens in court Monday could decide whether Liddle Tots moves sooner or later.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    someone is always standing in the way of progress

    Thursday, September 20, 2018 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    Yes, old friend, and it's usually a politician. We both know that, at least, it can't be blamed on me. We both know that, one or two anonymous cowards probably will anyway.

    Happy September Justanidiot.

    Happy September everyone.

    Thursday, September 20, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    keep yer little snots at home. master mayer tinks dat having a place to store all your crap dat is sitting round your house is a better used of space than a central place to help rear yer youngins. dat iz da kind of tinking that will brings tons o famblys moving to warwicks and bringing in tons and tons of tax dollars.

    Thursday, September 20, 2018 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    When I first learned about this storage unit construction, I met with the developers after the City Council presentation, asked due-diligence questions, and walked away convinced that it was a safe and environmentally clean project. Since then however, I have learned that even with the highest standards of cleanliness the owners would not be able to stop those who rent the storage units from pouring oil and other toxins into the ground which would eventually seep into Sand Pond. From then on, I have opposed the new construction. As far as "having a place to store all your crap", maybe a yard sale is a better idea.

    Happy September Justanidiot.

    Happy September everyone.

    Friday, September 21, 2018 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    "[I]t can't be blamed on me," writes the two-time loser who is solely to blame for his humiliating 65-to-18 percent loss in the Sept. 12 primary.

    He also falsely claims doing "due diligence" when, in fact, he only spoke to the business interests looking to build a potentially environmentally damaging storage complex next to Sand Pond -- and as he admits, he supported their plan based on only those conversations.

    That is not "due diligence."

    He also previously admitted that he only changed his mind after talking to surrounding neighbors -- meaning he would have been correct to speak to them in the first place, instead of having to flip-flop because of his own lack of research.

    http://warwickonline.com/stories/neighbors-state-resolve-despite-solomons-declaration-to-save-pond,136340?#comments

    The two-time loser also clearly did not consider that a much-needed child care center had been evicted, which may have been illegal, in light of a potential sale -- and now he is trying to present himself as somehow having a reasonable and informed opinion on the issue.

    Honest, taxpaying voters are glad that their rejection of his candidacy on Sept. 12 ensured that issues like this will be resolved by actual elected officials and business people, not the flip-flopping, ill-informed two-time election loser.

    Friday, September 21, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    da mayer has done diligence

    Friday, September 21, 2018 Report this