The development firm behind the delayed Couture apartment high rise along the lakefront on Friday paid the back taxes it owed on the project site.

Barrett / Lo Visionary Development LLC made the payment. Richard Barrett, founder of the firm, said in a statement that a check for $401,559.11 was delivered to City Hall, “bringing our property tax payments for The Couture up-to-date.”

The city treasurer’s office confirmed it had received the check.

The payment follows news reports earlier this week that a Barrett / Lo affiliate hadn't yet paid its $353,796.57 property tax bill. The first payment on the bill had been due last Jan. 31.

Interest on the unpaid bill brought the total owed to $401,559.11, according to the treasurer's office.

Radio talk show host Mark Belling, of WISN-AM, first reported that the tax bill hadn’t yet been paid.

Barrett / Lo wants to build the 44-story, 322-unit Couture on a vacant lot at 909 E. Michigan St., just west of North Lincoln Memorial Drive, but the firm hasn't yet landed financing for the $122 million project.

Contact Rick Romell at (414) 224-2130 or rick.romell@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RickRomell.