Lawsuit Freezes 75 Morrissey Blvd. Property Title
Copper Mill alleges fraud by the owners of the Dorchester site, which will host 750 housing units in Phase 1 of a larger project.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Commercial
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Suffolk Superior Land Court granted Copper Mill a memorandum of lis pendens on the 75 Morrissey Blvd. property on October 27. The notice warns that pending litigation could affect the property's title.
Why it matters
A lis pendens places a public notice on the deed, signaling that ownership or sale of the Dorchester parcel could be affected by the fraud claims. The dispute could delay a Phase 1 project of 750 units that was approved in August 2025.
The 750-unit Phase 1 project and 23,900-square-foot community park remain subject to the outcome of the title dispute, which could affect construction timing. The $750,000 mitigation payment agreed between Copper Mill and the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association is tied to the same development.
The players
Copper Mill
Copper Mill is the developer that filed the fraud suit and secured the lis pendens on the Dorchester property.
POB Capital
POB Capital is a Chicago firm named in Copper Mill's lawsuit as one of the parties accused of fraud over the property.
Pactolus
Pactolus is a Virginia global private equity company named in Copper Mill's lawsuit alongside POB Capital.
Goodwin Proctor
Goodwin Proctor is a law firm whose attorney, Brian Cook, opposed the lis pendens on behalf of the property owners.
The details
Copper Mill secured the lis pendens by filing a motion in Suffolk Superior Land Court, and Judge Sarah Turano-Flores granted it within a day. The company also filed suit against POB Capital of Chicago and Pactolus, a Virginia global private equity company, seeking a return to the original purchase and sales agreement after the owners cancelled it in June.
Timeline
June: Owners cancelled the purchase and sales agreement.
August 2025: Phase 1 project was approved.
October 2026: Copper Mill filed suit against POB Capital and Pactolus.
October 27, 2026: Court allowed the lis pendens motion.
November 16, 2026: Hearing on the special motion to dismiss and removal of the lis pendens.
Market Landscape
A lis pendens is a standard Massachusetts tool that flags pending litigation over a parcel, and its use here shows how fraud claims can freeze a development site before any final judgment. The Dorchester dispute reflects the broader pressure on large housing projects in Boston when ownership arrangements are contested.
Buyers and investors considering the Dorchester site should check title status before committing, since the lis pendens could delay or block a sale until the litigation resolves. Neighbors should watch the November 16 hearing, because the outcome will determine whether the 750-unit project and its community park move forward on schedule.
The takeaway
A lis pendens can freeze a property's title long before the underlying fraud claims are decided. Anyone with a financial stake in the Dorchester project should track the November 16 hearing closely.
What happens next
A hearing on the special motion to dismiss and the removal of the lis pendens is scheduled for November 16.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Commercial real estate news in Boston.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dorchester Reporter.
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