Adwood Corp. v. Commissioner

15 T.C. 148, 1950 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 108
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedAugust 25, 1950
DocketDocket No. 19202
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 15 T.C. 148 (Adwood Corp. v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adwood Corp. v. Commissioner, 15 T.C. 148, 1950 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 108 (tax 1950).

Opinion

OPINION.

Murdock, Judge:

The Commissioner determined deficiencies for fiscal years ending May 31st as follows:

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The petitioner has alleged that the Commissioner erred (1) in holding that the transaction whereby the petitioner acquired its hotel property does not come within the provisions of section 112 (b) (3), 112 (g) (1) (C), and 112 (b) (5), so that it is entitled to use as its basis for depreciation the cost of the property to Savoy Hotel Co. less depreciation to June 11,1941, and (2) in determining that the cost basis is only $400,000. The facts in the record are there by agreement of the parties and the facts thus agreed upon are adopted as the findings of fact.

The petitioner is a Michigan corporation. The returns were filed with the collector of internal revenue for the first district of Michigan.

Harry L. Pierson and Harriet P. Taylor, hereafter called Piersons, owned property in Detroit. They leased this property on August 1, 1925, for 99 years to Ray Spitzley and Paul L. Kamper. The lessees agreed to erect a new hotel building on the premises. The annual rent for the first 10 years was $37,200, after which it was to be larger amounts. The Piersons agreed to join with the tenants in the execution of a mortgage covering the land and buildings, to be drawn so that the Piersons would not be personally liable. The lessees were to pay all taxes and special assessments.

The lease provided that if default occurred, the Piersons could, after proper notice and the elapse of 3 months, declare the lease terminated and take possession, and upon termination, all improvements standing on the premises were to belong to the Piersons.

The lessees assigned the lease to the Savoy Hotel Co. on October 20, 1925.

The Savoy Hotel Co. and the Piersons executed a trust indenture to secure first mortgage bonds in the principal amount of $1,450,000. It was provided in Article VI, Section 1, that upon the occurrence of any events declared therein to constitute default on the part of Savoy Hotel Co. and the Piersons to carry out the terms .of the mortgage, then the trustee could, by notice to the Savoy Hotel Co. and the Pier-sons, declare the principal of the mortgage to be due immediately, “provided, however, thirty (30) days’ notice in writing of any such declaration of default shall be given the Owners by registered mail at their last known address.” It was provided in Article VI, Section 7, that in case of default “the Owners shall in each instance be given thirty days’ notice in writing of the intention of the party or parties entitled to do so, to declare the principal of any bonds secured by this mortgage and then outstanding to be due and payable in advance of their maturity, or to foreclose this mortgage, or sell or- convey or otherwise dispose of the Owners’ interest in the property mortgaged, or to take possession of the mortgaged premises, or to take any other action for the enforcement of this mortgage, before any steps looking to such declaration, foreclosure, conveyance, disposition, or taking of possession or enforcement are taken, and the Owners may, but shall not be required so to do, do whatever may be necessary to remedy and remove such default or defaults; and in case the Owners elect to and do remedy and remove such default or defaults within the above period of 30 days, or within such further period of grace as may be allowed them by the terms of this mortgage or otherwise, then in such case the principal of any bonds secured hereby and then outstanding shall not be declared to be due and payable in advance of their maturity * * * nor shall any other action be taken for the enforcement of this mortgage because of such default or defaults.”

The Savoy Hotel Co. in April 1929 was having financial difficulties and was unable to pay the rent. The Piersons, on June 12, 1929, served upon the tenant a notice to quit.

The Piersons entered into a written agreement with the Savoy Hotel Co. and Emily K. Kamper on July 1,1929. The agreement provided that Emily would advance sufficient funds to cover the payments due on the first mortgage on July 1, 1929, and the Piersons would waive all past-due rent and all rent for the remainder of 1929. The agreement further provided that the Piersons could take possession in case the Savoy Hotel Co. failed to pay the trustees the interest falling due after July 1, 1929.

The Savoy Hotel Co. failed to make the required payments and the trustee served notice dated December 13,1929, on the Savoy Hotel Co. and the Piersons, in accordance with Article VI, Section 7, of the trust indenture reciting defaults and stating their intention to declare all principal due immediately, to take possession, and to foreclose the mortgage. The Piersons served a 7-day notice to quit on the Savoy Hotel Co. on December 2G, 1929, and took possession of the premises on January G 1930.

The Savoy Hotel Co. filed a bill of complaint in a Michigan court on January 8 asking for restoration of possession, of the property. The Piersons filed an answer and a cross-bill requesting that the lease be decreed to be lawfully cancelled and terminated. The court entered an opinion on January 28,1930, in which it referred to the agreements and acts of the parties and then said:

It is the conclusion of the Court:
1. That the entry of January 6, 1930. was a peaceable one, and that the same was made in accordance with the provisions of the agreement of July 1st, 1929.
2. That by such entry the landlords secured the right of possession for the defaults which had occurred, but that the original ninety-nine year lease, dated August 1st, 1925, contemplated a ninety day delay after default, before the right to terminate could accrue, and that this provision still remained in force and effect, and that therefore it is inequitable for rhe lessors to claim a title and extinguishment of the equity of the lessee without giving the lessee an opportunity to reinstate itself.
3. He who seeks equity must do equity. The landlords have invoked the aid of a court of equity to confirm them in their title. This confirmation will be granted, subject to the right on the part of the plaintiffs to reinstate themselves within a period of ninety days from the 20th day of December, 1929. Such reinstatement will consist in the payment of all the items mentioned as being in arrears, and the restoration of the plaintiff to good standing with relation to all the mortgages. In the event that the plaintiff company has complied with these conditions, the defendant shall account to the plaintiff for all of the operating profits during the period that the defendants have been in possession, and proceedings may be had on the foot of this decree for such an accounting upon appropriate petition by the plaintiffs. Upon compliance with the foregoing, plaintiff shall also be entitled to be restored to possession of the property.
A decree may be entered accordingly, with costs in favor of defendants and cross plaintiffs.

A decree was entered on February 3,1930.

A Michigan court, on February 6, 1930, appointed a receiver for the Savoy Hotel Co. upon an action filed by stockholders on January 15, 1930.

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Adwood Corp. v. Commissioner
15 T.C. 148 (U.S. Tax Court, 1950)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
15 T.C. 148, 1950 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adwood-corp-v-commissioner-tax-1950.