Connecticut Mall Settles Suit Over Construction for $34 Milliion

West Hartford’s downtown shopping center will receive $34 million to settle a lawsuit over legal challenges by a competitor that delayed construction by a year.

Blue Back Square is being compensated for lost revenue, higher financing costs and other losses in the settlement with Taubman Centers Inc., the corporate parent of Westfarms mall in Farmington and the mall’s majority owner.

Taubman Centers, which agreed to an out-of-court settlement last week, does not admit liability or fault. Nor do its four Westfarms partners.

The settlement will be split by Blue Back developers Raymond Road Associates, BBS Development LLC and Blue Back Square LLC.

The lawsuits postponed Blue Back construction into 2007 as the U.S. economy began a steep downturn