Judge sides with developers behind Brighton Whole Foods

BRIGHTON, N.Y. – A state Supreme Court judge handed down a decision Wednesday siding with the Daniele family, the people behind the Whole Foods development.

The legal fight has been going on for years.

The Whole Foods Plaza, which is being built on Monroe Avenue, faced a lawsuit from Brighton Grassroots and two other groups challenging the size of the shopping plaza.

They argued it would encroach on the Auburn Trail, which runs behind the plaza. In his ruling, the Judge Scott Odorisi denied all claims concerning the trail.

Howie Jacobson of Brighton Grassroots released the following statement Wednesday:

“This verdict was always headed to an appeals court, regardless of who won. That’s where cases like this are decided once and for all. We appreciate the Court’s time and effort in moving our case forward. And we now look forward to quickly moving to the next phase of this litigation, where we believe we have very strong arguments. Stay tuned!”

Anthony Daniele, president of Daniele Family Companies, released the following statement Wednesday:

“We are elated with the judge’s decision to deny the last outstanding claim by the Wegmans backed organization who have fought to stop much desired competition from entering the Rochester market. We thank the community, town of Brighton and our friends and family who have stuck with us through 7 plus years of litigation. As always, the Daniele does whatever it takes to make it happen.”