A.J. Properties, LLC v. Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

972 F. Supp. 2d 68, 2013 WL 5356891
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedFebruary 4, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 11-10835-FDS
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 972 F. Supp. 2d 68 (A.J. Properties, LLC v. Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
A.J. Properties, LLC v. Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., 972 F. Supp. 2d 68, 2013 WL 5356891 (D. Mass. 2013).

Opinion

AMENDED AND CORRECTED MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ON CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

SAYLOR, District Judge.

This dispute concerns an $800,000 performance bond issued for the environmental remediation of a contaminated parcel of land in Worcester, Massachusetts. Plaintiff A.J. Properties, LLC alleges that defendant Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. wrongfully collected payment under the bond after it had assigned its rights to those proceeds to a third party, the Wyman-Gordon Company. As the assignee of Wyman-Gordon with respect to various agreements relating to the remediation of the property, A.J. Properties contends that it is entitled to the proceeds of the performance bond.

In 2010, Stanley settled a claim against the surety on the bond, United Capitol Insurance Company, which had since been liquidated, and received a payment of $659,000. A.J. Properties then commenced this action, in which it alleges breach of contract, conversion, violation of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A, and unjust enrichment. It seeks recovery of the money that Stanley received from United Capitol and a declaration of the rights of the parties. Jurisdiction is based on diversity of citizenship.

Plaintiff has moved for partial summary judgment on the issue of its rights to the proceeds of the performance bond, on its contract claims, and on its conversion claim. Defendant has cross-moved for summary judgment in its favor as to all claims asserted against it.

For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that undisputed facts establish that A.J. Properties was assigned Stanley’s interest in the proceeds of the performance bond, but that summary judgment is not warranted as to the conversion claim. In addition, summary judgment will be granted to defendant as to the contract claims, but denied as to the remaining claims.

I. Background

During the early and mid-1990s, Stanley-Bostitch, Inc., a predecessor to defendant Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (collectively, “Stanley”), operated a small-tools manufacturing facility on a site located at 149 Washington Street in Worcester (“the 149 property”). (J.A. at 146, 215).1

In March 1995, Stanley became aware of substantial levels of soil and groundwater contamination on portions of the 149 property. (Id. at 215). The area surrounding the 149 property had a long history of industrial use, and it is not clear from the record exactly what portion of the contamination was attributable to Stanley. (Id. at 145, 515, 843). Nonetheless, it appears that at least some of the degradation resulted from Stanley’s manufacturing operations. (Id.). In any event, the company submitted a release notice to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, as required by the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 21E. (Id. at 878). Environmental assessments undertaken around that time indicated that the contamination on the 149 property extended to an adjacent par[72]*72cel at 105 Madison Street, where the Wyman-Gordon Company operated an industrial facility. (Id. at 145-47).

Stanley ceased operations at the 149 property in July 1996. (Id. at 147). In October 1997, Vargo & Associates Environmental Consulting Corporation (“Vargo Corp.”) completed a “Phase III Remedial Action Plan” for the site that included a risk analysis and evaluation of remedial alternatives. (Id. at 141-44). Vargo Corp. and its president, Patrick Vargo, were in the business of evaluating, purchasing, and remediating contaminated properties. (Id. at 7).

On December 31, 1997, Stanley and Var-go Corp. entered into an agreement by which Vargo Corp. would purchase the 149 property for one dollar. (Id. at 1). Stanley also agreed to pay $400,000 in exchange for Vargo Corp.’s promise to remediate both the 149 property and the Wyman-Gordon property. (Id. at 2-4).2 The agreement provided that as conditions for the closing of the sale, Vargo Corp. would (1) deliver an indemnity agreement executed by it and its principal, Patrick Vargo; (2) obtain a performance bond in the amount of $800,000; and (3) grant Stanley a mortgage on the 149 property that would “secure all obligations of [Var-go Corp.] and Vargo to [Stanley] under the Indemnity Agreement, this Agreement and all other agreements between [Stanley] and [Vargo Corp.]” (Id. at 8).

Also on December 31, 1997, the parties executed an Environmental Compliance and Indemnity Agreement to satisfy the first condition of closing under the Purchase and Sale Agreement. (Id. at 82-106). In that document, Patrick Vargo and Vargo Corp. agreed to “take all action necessary to obtain all permits, approvals, licenses and the like ... to fully remediate the Site.” (Id. at 84). In addition, they promised “to protect, indemnify, reimburse, defend and hold harmless Stanley ... from and against any and all liabilities” arising from any breach by Vargo Corp. of the agreements between the parties, from any contamination on the site, or from any activities of Vargo Corp. on the site. (Id. at 87).

A Mortgage and Security Agreement was also executed on the same day. (Id. at 107). Pursuant to that agreement, Var-go Corp. granted Stanley a mortgage on the 149 property as security for Vargo Corp.’s remediation obligations under the Purchase and Sale Agreement and the Environmental Compliance and Indemnity Agreement. (Id.).

On January 22, 1998, Vargo Corp. obtained a performance bond in the amount of $800,000 to fulfill the final condition for closing on the sale. (Id. at 69-70). The surety on the bond was the United Capitol Insurance Company. (Id.).

Around August 2000, Vargo Corp. suspended operation of the remedial system at the site and, in early 2001, abandoned the site. (Id. at 311, 879). Soon thereafter, Wyman-Gordon became aware that the system had not effectively addressed the contamination at the site. (Id. at 214-16, 248). On March 16, 2001, it issued a letter to both Stanley and Vargo Corp. in which it asserted that the companies were liable under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 21 E for the remaining contamination. (Id. at 214-19). Shortly thereafter, Stanley sent a series of letters to Vargo Corp. and its representative, attorney David Li of Posternak, Blankstein & Lund, LLP. (Id. at 220-46). It asserted that Vargo Corp. had [73]*73breached its duties under the Purchase and Sale Agreement and the Environmental Compliance and Indemnity Agreement and demanded that Vargo Corp. complete the remediation of the 149 property and Wyman-Gordon Property. (Id.). It also demanded indemnification under those agreements for any liabilities that arose from the remaining contamination. (Id.). On January 11, 2002, David Li responded to Stanley and explained that his firm had been unable to establish contact with Mr. Vargo for some time. (Id. at 247). He indicated that Mr. Vargo had filed for personal bankruptcy and provided the name and address of Mr. Vargo’s bankruptcy counsel. (Id.).

On February 21, 2002, a representative of Stanley telephoned United Capitol to request its performance as surety under the 1998 performance bond. (Id. at 918).

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972 F. Supp. 2d 68, 2013 WL 5356891, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aj-properties-llc-v-stanley-black-decker-inc-mad-2013.