But Pulver's spokesman said the developer's fight in bankruptcy court was far from over.
Pulver filed for bankruptcy, hoping to maintain his developer's role and the architectural drawings, after his plan to develop the Family Court facility with lawyer Jeffrey B. Rotwitt was terminated by Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille, who had been personally overseeing the project.
Before becoming Pulver's codeveloper, Rotwitt had worked for Castille to find possible sites for the courthouse and help oversee the project.
Castille said he had nixed the Pulver-Rotwitt deal after he learned of Rotwitt's role as codeveloper in The Inquirer - a role, Castille said, that put Rotwitt on both sides of the deal.
Rotwitt has denied any conflict, saying he became Pulver's codeveloper only after his work for the courts was over. He has also said everyone involved with the project, including Castille, knew of his role as codeveloper.
Pulver filed for bankruptcy in hopes the maneuver would prevent the Philadelphia Parking Authority, which owns the site at 15th and Arch, from revoking his development rights.
Pulver's lawyers argued in bankruptcy court that the architectural drawings belong to Northwest 15th Street Associates, his tiny Conshohocken development firm, not the state, because the firm had procured them with money paid by the courts. Had the drawings remained an asset in the bankruptcy, the procurement of new drawings could have caused delays and cost overruns.
Advocates of the new facility feared the project would have died if the architectural plans had not been released.
"This is the most critical step in all the legal proceedings," said lawyer Carol Tracy, director of the Women's Law Project and a longtime advocate for the new court.
