A downtown florist who struggled to keep his shop going after 9/11, sued the Marriott for breach of contract, only to have the hotel serve an eviction notice.

Lenny Kaufman, owner of Flower World, on the ground floor of the Marriott, two blocks from Ground Zero, said he decided to come back because the hotel said it would renew its agreement to buy only from him.

Business was down 50 percent, but one day in late 2003, he found another reason for his weak receipts.

An invoice meant for the Marriott from Flowers of the World, seven blocks away, ended up in Kaufman’s mailbox.

He filed suit in June, alleging the Marriott had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars with the competition.

In an attempt to recoup some losses, Kaufman’s lawyer told him to stop paying rent last month. Ten days later, the eviction notice arrived.