In July, 2025, Tito's Santana, formerly located at 145 Main Street, filed a lawsuit in Supreme Court of the State of New York against their landlord, Lindley Todd, LLC, alleging that the landlord was in Breach of Lease Agreement, engaged in Negligence and Unjust Enrichment, as reported by A Little Beacon Blog at the time. In January 2026, Judge Christi Acker dismissed the case based on a technicality, ruling that the Summons and Compliant were not served to a member of the LLC. The lawsuit was served to Sean Noble, a property manager for the company, but not a member of the LLC. Joseph Donovan and his wife are the principles of Lindley Todd, Joseph told ALBB last June.

The new building at 2 Cross Street is also owned by Joseph Donovan under Hudson Todd, LLC. The focus of Tito Santana’s lawsuit from 145 Main Street is with Joseph’s other firm,, Lindley Todd, LLC.

"The lawsuit was dismissed due to technicality, but not substance," Tito's owner Milan Nigam told ALBB on February 12, 2026. "We are in the process of refiling the case." The lawsuit demands a judgment of $400,000 plus statutory interests, costs, disbursements, expenses and attorney's fees.

Another one of Joseph’s entities is also developing the new building up the street at 2 Cross Street and Main Street, which will offer commercial and residential units, under Hudson Todd, LLC.

What Is Tito’s Alleging?

The lawsuit covers three Cause of Actions against Lindley Todd, LLC, according to the Summons and Complaint:

Breach of Lease Agreement:
Tito's is challenging Lindley Todd, LLC's invoking of a Fire/Damage Clause in the lease, naming the severe structural damage found in the basement during the City of Beacon’s inspection that resulted in Tito’s being ordered to cease operations until the severe structural damage in the basement due to wood-boring insects was repaired.

Upon receiving the Order to Remedy, Lindley Todd, LLC terminated the lease with Tito’s, giving them 10 days to vacate, citing a Fire Damage clause from their lease as grounds for termination. Joseph Donovan told ALBB: “A collection of events led to a detailed inspection of the store and cellar (by the [Dutchess County] Health Department, and [City of Beacon] Building Inspector, and ourselves) and the realization that extensive repairs were needed … the scope not feasible with continued occupancy of the retail/restaurant space.”

Loopnet listing of 146 Main Street of at least $4,000/month after terminating lease with Tito’s on a clause in their lease. tito’s alleges in their lawsuit this was an 80% increase.

Two weeks later, Lindley Todd, LLC listed the property for at least $4,000, which was 80% more than what Tito's was currently paying in rent, Tito’s alleges in the Summons and Compliant. Tito’s argues that this was a "wrongful termination of the lease" causing a "loss of inventory, relocation costs, and loss of goodwill."

Negligence:
Tito's alleges in the Summons and Compliant that pursuant to their lease agreement, Lindley Todd, LLC "…had a duty to maintain the property in good repair. The Landlord failed to do so resulting in floor joists decay, wood-boring insects and water damage."

According the documentation that ALBB has seen, Tito’s had emailed Lindley Todd, LLC notices about disrepair and basement flooding before the City of Beacon’s inspection that resulted in an Order to Remedy.

Unjust Enrichment:
Tito's alleges that Lindley Todd, LLC "charged and collected rent from [Tito's] knowing that the Leased Premises suffered from violations and serious structural defects. [Lindley Todd, LLC] collected additional rent pursuant to negotiated potential new Lease. [Tito's] demanded refund of the overcharged rent," but was never reimbursed.

After the lawsuit was first filed in July 2025, the Highlands Current reported that Lindley Todd, LLC asked the judge that the lawsuit be dismissed, stating in an article: "The company said that six of the seven violations cited by the city were due to [Milan] Nigam’s 'actions or inactions in violation of the lease.'” However, ALBB reported last July, five of those violations were fixed by Tito’s owner Milan, with the sixth on hold until the severe structural damage in the basement from wood-boring insects was repaired by the landlord, as per the City of Beacon’s Order to Remedy.

According to Lindley Todd’s property manager, Sean Noble, instead of the landlord repairing, the lease would be terminated. Sean’s email to Tito’s reads: “In this case, Joe has determined that the premises are not usable in their current condition and has chosen to exercise his option to terminate the lease rather than proceed with repairs. Attached to this email, you will find the official Notice of Termination. I know this is disappointing news, especially given your willingness to move forward with resolving the violations.”

Tito’s lease was terminated on May 21, 2025 with a demand that Tito's move out 10 days later by May 31, 2025, or face "judicial action or proceeding," according to the lease termination notice that ALBB has seen.

What Were The Violations?

All violations have been listed by ALBB in the previous article. The main violation from the City of Beacon which was used to terminate the lease early was severe structural damage to the floor joist in the basement, showing "evidence of severe deterioration due to wood-boring insects," according to the Order to Remedy - Cease Operations filed by the City of Beacon's Deputy Building Inspector Cory Wirthmann.

Six other violations were listed in that order, five of which Tito's had fixed when their lease was terminated, ALBB reported previously. The sixth violation that Tito’s agreed to repair was dependent upon Lindley Todd, LLC fixing the basement that was the seventh violation.

Did the City of Beacon Demand Tito’s Lease Be Terminated?

No. After the inspection, the City of Beacon said that due to the "Unsafe Conditions," Tito's could not operate until the floor joists were repaired. Regarding whose responsibility it was to repair the floor joists, Tito’s owner Milan told ALBB: "Structural repair is the landlord's responsibility in 99% of the commercial leases, and so it was in our lease.”

Weeks after Lindley Todd, LLC stated they would rather “terminate the lease rather than proceed with repairs,” for Tito’s, Lindley Todd, LLC raised the rent and entertained different prospects for the space.

Tlahco Taqueria announced in September 2025 that they were filling the space. Renovations continue, with Tlahco Taqueria’s last update on construction for the retail space above the basement on January 8, 2026.

Way back in warmer times in Beacon (June 2021), we sat down with Kamel Jamal to talk about Palestine on ALBB’s sister podcast station, “Wait, What Is That?”

Even though I have known about Kamel for 10 years, I had not made moments to speak with him. Really speak with him. I knew his politics. I knew he fought back in social media. I knew he answered back to outlandish reviews. I knew he didn’t like the empanada guy at the Beacon Farmers Market. I knew he was a Palestinian refugee. I knew his wife Lena was lovely and quietly fierce, and that his sister Kate (who now goes by her Palestinian name, Khitam) was raw fierce and lovely.

And that’s it.

However. When 2020 happened, I started to come out of my shell. On all of my platforms. In different ways (different platforms have different audiences in different moods). I started reporting on Black Lives Matter protests in Beacon. I started researching questionable employment and disciplinary actions by the City of Beacon that might not be able to prove discrimination on paper, but continuously result in decisions that don’t add up. And who knew that writing about COVID safety and vaccination recommendations during a world-wide pandemic would be so gutsy.

Kamel and I started circling each other. Then residents in a neighborhood in Palestine called Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem protested the scheduled take-over or demolishing of their homes by Israeli forces in May 2021, resulting in a lop-sided exchange of bombs that resulted in dozens of Palestinians being killed (including children), as well as some Israeli citizens. Anyone dead is too many. Especially when defending their home. This, after decades of recently lived histories of horrific murders and attacks on both sides of the Israeli checkpoints, resulting in friends and family members lost from the entire region.

Brandon Lillard and I reached out to Kamel to see if he would be willing to speak to us on our podcast, where we could ask him all of our big and small questions. Kamel said yes. We also reached out to Rabbi Brent of the Beacon Hebrew Alliance to see if we could talk to him as well. He considered it, knowing it is delicate territory, and in the meantime, wrote this blog post. Soon after, Next Step Hudson Valley organized a Free Palestine march in Newburgh, which ALBB covered and wrote about here with videos.

Right around that time, Kamel reached out to me, as he wanted to be a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog for 3 of his restaurants: Beacon Bread Company, Ziatun, and Tito Santana’s (WTF is the alter-ego of Beacon Bread, and serves as the cool friend next door who you sometimes see when they’re in the mood). This part was a coincidence, but did create the first time for Kamel and I to really talk over coffee. We were very honest with each other, which was as refreshing as the mint he uses in his watermelon salad.

Take a listen of this podcast episode. There was a moment where he was overcome with emotion, but you’ll probably not be able to find it. Both Brandon and I were very grateful to be sitting with Kamel, with him so accepting of our questions, as he earned to speak about his Palestine.

Go To The Podcast