Marks end of long dispute with Papitto
PORTSMOUTH — As part of a two-lawsuit settlement, Roger Williams University has bought the Baypoint Inn, a dormitory and conference center on Anthony Road, from former chairman of the university’s board of trustees Ralph R. Papitto, for $4.9 million.
Neither party would comment on the settlement or the details of the purchase. RWU, Kentron Associates, LP and Mr. Papitto, who is president and sole general partner of Kentron, Inc., released a joint statement on the resolution of the two lawsuits.
“Pursuant to the settlement, the University will purchase Baypoint from Kentron. The University intends to continue to operate the property as a residence hall and conference center. The pending lawsuits will be dismissed with prejudice. The parties will have no further comment on the specific terms of their settlement which are confidential.”
Baypoint Inn is a two-story building of about 79,000 square feet. It is located on 10 acres at 144 Anthony Road, near Boyd’s Lane. The dorms house 230 students; in the summer, those dorms are rented out as hotel rooms. The university also rents space for conferences and weddings at Baypoint Inn. This property also includes a narrow three-acre vacant piece of land on Anthony Road, across the street from Baypoint Inn.
Mr. Papitto bought this property, under Kentron Associates LP, in 2000, for $2.67 million. He leased the property to RWU, which paid an undisclosed amount of rent, property insurance, property taxes and maintenance of the property. Property taxes alone cost the university $62,675 last year. The 10-year lease expired this year.
Both Mr. Papitto and RWU filed lawsuits against each other in Superior Court in 2007. Mr. Papitto claimed that the university owed him $8.4 million for the purchase of the Baypoint Inn property. The university claimed that Mr. Papitto used his position as chairman of the board of trustees to force RWU into buying the property for much more than the $1.5 million he had allegedly promised that he would sell it for. The university also claimed that Mr. Papitto had breached a contract in which he had pledged to give the university $6 million, of which $3.2 million is still outstanding.
Before these suits were filed, Mr. Papitto found himself in the news spotlight for uttering a racial slur at a board of trustees meeting in 2007. He admitted to the indiscretion and resigned from the board.
Since then, the university has been cutting ties with Mr. Papitto. One of the first moves — a highly visible act — was the removal of Mr. Papitto’s name from its School of Law building, which had been dedicated as the Ralph R. Papitto School of Law. The Baypoint Inn lease may have been one of the last connections between Mr. Papitto and the university.
When RWU President Roy Nirschel was asked in 2007 about this business relationship, he said, “The relationship between Kentron and the university predates my arrival. It was approved by the then-board of trustees. At that point it is my understanding that the university had significant housing needs and was in a poor financial position to assume additional debt.”
Now that it owns the property, RWU says that it plans to continue to operate Baypoint Inn as a dormitory and conference center, as it has these past 10 years. Asked about the university’s long-term plans for the property, a spokesperson says that there are no plans to change the operation or to sell the property.
The university has a full liquor license from the town, used during conferences and events. “There is no bar or restaurant open to the public, and there is also no bar for the students,” according to the university.
RWU had filed for tax-exempt status for the property many years ago. But the tax assessor denied the request because the university collects revenue from the renting of dorms as hotel rooms and from non-university events held there.
RWU says it does not plan to file for tax exemption now that it owns the property.
In all, Mr. Papitto made more than a $2.2 million profit from the purchase and sale of the property, for which his company never had to pay property taxes, insurance, or upkeep, since it was the responsibility of the university under the lease agreement.
sound's like the University got a taste of it's own medicine....IE. the water tower sold to Bristol.
I'll pretty much guarantee that they close down the hotel portion in the future in order to weasel out of paying taxes to the town of Portsmouth
yep an exact opposite of the water tower us the taxpayers ansd ratepayers on the short end. Hope the town see this and says no way we decline the water tower since they have not been paid the dollar for according to authority chairman jannitto. There you go default on it by not payering the dollar and there you go the own it again. pretty simple dont you think,
Then of course bill them the full price for the piping into the water tower on bristol ferry road that unlike home owners they only paid 50% well home owners are required to pay 100% to hook up to a main and responsable for all cost from the main to the house.
Jack
Jack, have they even paid the 50%? One has to wonder because if so that would have to show up on the BCWA books. All we have right now is their 'saying' that was the deal.
I wonder if this takes the property off the Portsmouth tax list?
Yep have no clue all jannitto said was they havnt pais the dollar yet and have seen no deposits from RWU into BCWA accounts as of yet.
On this property they had applied for tax exempt status but can not do to them conducting a profit business on it and therefore by law cannot be exenmpt. The article also addresses this.
jack
Portsmouth dodges the bullet then.
The school is an academic joke. It should be closed for all the academic good it does.
Norman et al: It is amazing that the few ignorant people in Bristol who are able to type (but please - use spell check and learn what syntax means) choose to criticize the only academic institution in town. I woudl encourage you to actually learn about the impact universities - including Roger Williams - has on communities. Jobs (more I suspec then you have created) economic activity (which, if you have a marginal education know) which creates taxes, creativity, courses, support for police, fire and first responders (although perhaps you deep down inside hate America and are tea bagging in your spare time) scholarships for hundreds of local kids (unless education doesnt matter and Rush Limbaugh and David Barboza are enough for your learning?)
The beauty of the free press is that even people who are ignorant are able to access that freedom. The unfortunate aspect is the dumb ideas get permeated which does not improve civil discourse. Hopefully jack and jack junior and the illierati will actually back up some of their missives (while entertaining and juvenile) with actualy data. To date: zero.
Interesting that a post ridiculing people for not using spell check or proper syntax is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors itself.
Ignorance is especially funny when exhibited by 'wanna be' elitist snob.
Yea downtown I found that very funny also, Takes all kinds some people cant admit they are not perfect and only see everything they do as perfect, obviously that is what this person is doing. I am fortunate to not have to be that way as I am probably the worste grammer and speller on here. lol
This person must pull their hair out reading my post.lol On a nother note This person doesn't seem to get it either, the cost of the RWU is enormous to the taxpayers here just like every university is in what ever town. what they pay is very little compared to the services. As I said on another post a while back I will scream if someone starts mentioning the benevolent scholarships crap again (aHHHHHHHHHHH)
Hundreds of kids B.S. I still defey anyone to show me a list of the number of them and the actual monetary value.
The only one hating america is this guy who is obviously a some kind of nut. He wants facts and gives none to back up his statements, He calls people names and then figures he will get respect, he spouts the free speech right and insinuates we dont have the right, and lets not forget his teabag dig. Why is it if anyone disagree's with someone's liberial or different view of the RWU they have to belong to an organization, rush, what ever the hell barboza is in all this, I wouldn't let him sweep my driveway.
Only support they do for police and fire is provide trianing for picking up drunks and idiots who are future lawyers. Geeze read a police log or two guy. Hate America nice to say when you have no clue or guts to say who you are typical of an elitist statement that means nothing to no-one but your self, I suggest you look in the mirror for the hate you it.
You want it all at the expense of the working man and women politically correct just for you, Juvenile ha ha read your own post your whining like a baby because people disagree with your narrow minded thinking. Perhaps you should reconsider though I doubt you will, that maybe just maybe people are tired of your ilk who don't see past the RWU at the effect they really are having on this town.
You may have the right to disagree and you may have the right to hide behind asinine comments and condensending remarks but sure doen't make you the smartest bulb in the house.
(Disclaimer Not Teaparty member or any political organization or active member of anything other than alumnist of the I.A.F.F. )
Jack Baillargeron
Oh also it would take days and days to type the facts you so want people to put up. more than happy to explain it to you in person and debate the points pro and con on this issue with you, I love debate and unlike you who seem at this time to not beable to admit or concede anything, when I am mistaken or proven wrong I dont name call I dont get mad, I appoligize or concede the point graciously.
Feel free to correct spelling grammer and anthing else it will give you something constructive to do. LOL
Jack
