NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two years ago Temescal Wellness cut the ribbon on a $21 million cannabis cultivation facility on Curran Highway with much fanfare. 

 

Now the property owners are trying to evict the business for nonpayment of rent. 

 

The Berkshire Eagle on Thursday reported the lawsuit filed in Berkshire Superior Court last month by IIP-MA 7 LLC,  limited liability company based in California. The company bought the former Crane Stationery plant for $3.1 million in May 2021 and entered into a 20-year leasing agreement with Temescal a month later. 

 

In court filings on July 3, IIP-MA 7 LLC claims Temescal failed to make payments in excess of $389,000 and began eviction proceedings on the cannabis company in May. 

 

"To date, Defendant Temescal has neither cured the default, nor quite the Premises," the complaint states. "As of June 30, 2024, Defendant Temescal owes Plaintiff $541,905.59 ... Defendant Temescal also owes Plaintiff for the full restoration of the security deposit under the Lease, which totals $580,000."

 

IIP-MA 7 LLC is asking for damages in the amount of $1,121,905.59 and "such other relief as the Court deems necessary and proper."

 

Temescal's attorney has responded denying some claims but admitting the company remains on the property

 

Two years after Crane closed, the more than 40-year-old plant was completely rebuilt on the inside and the CEO, Alex Hardy, touted it would re-establish the company as a leader in the cannabis industry in the state. (According to The Eagle, Hardy left Temescal last year.)

 

Temescal estimated it would create about 80 jobs at the start but it's not clear that employment ever reached that number. Some hirees never started and others were laid off months later as a temporary measure because of "ongoing delays in the start of operations" according to a tweet by the company.

 

Grant Smith Ellis, who reports on the cannabis industry, wrote about the company's closing early this week. 

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Thursday said she had heard about the company's problems from an employee but no one from Temescal's management had contacted her. 

 

A financing statement filed by Lindenmuth Loan LLC with the Registry of Deeds claims all contents in the building as collateral. 

 

Temescal still has retail outlets in Pittsfield, Framingham and Hudson, and medical dispensaries in Dover, Keene and Lebanon, N.H.