City files motion to be reimbursed for demolition of H.D. Lee building

In its breach of contract lawsuit against Allen Lofts, LP, Allen GP, LLC and Capstone Development Group, LLC, the City of Lebanon filed an amended petition on Dec. 26 to seek repayment for the taxpayer-funded demolition and debris removal of the historic Allen Building following an October fire. The suggested repayment is $244,000 in addition with an 8% interest rate from the date of the tax bill, a repayment of attorney fees, and a declaration and enforcement of the lien against the property. A lien is a legal claim in a property acquired by a creditor, according to the Legal Information Institute. The first amended petition, signed by City Administrator Mike Schumacher and notarized by former City Clerk Laina Starnes on Dec. 23, is the latest legal action in an ongoing breach of contract lawsuit between the city and the defendants over the building since 2023. For more on this story, see Saturday's LCR.