Bart Didden

The Village’s chosen developer approached property owner Bart Didden and his business partner with an offer they couldn’t refuse.  Because Didden planned to build a CVS on his property—land the developer coveted for a Walgreens—the developer demanded that Didden either pay him $800,000 to make him “go away” or give him an unearned 50 percent stake in the CVS development.  If Didden refused, the developer would have the Village of Port Chester condemn the land for his private use.  Didden rejected the bold-faced extortion.  The very next day, the Village of Port Chester condemned Didden’s property through eminent domain so it could hand it over to the developer who made the threat.