Garry v. Ryan & Henderson, P.C.

53 Misc. 3d 200, 36 N.Y.S.3d 364
CourtNassau County District Court
DecidedJune 29, 2016
StatusPublished

This text of 53 Misc. 3d 200 (Garry v. Ryan & Henderson, P.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nassau County District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garry v. Ryan & Henderson, P.C., 53 Misc. 3d 200, 36 N.Y.S.3d 364 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2016).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Scott Fairgrieve, J.

Petitioner moves for summary judgment in favor of petitioner against respondent for the sum of $415,932.30, and to dismiss respondent’s counterclaims.

Petitioner commenced this nonpayment proceeding against respondent to recover the sum of $281,810.59, and possession of the premises located at One Old Country Road, Suite 428, Carle Place, New York (hereinafter referred to as premises).

Respondent filed the verified answer, dated April 16, 2015. Respondent admits the allegations of paragraph 2 that it entered into a lease with Treeline Inc. (owner’s predecessor), wherein respondent agreed to pay monthly rent of $15,019.50.

Respondent denies the allegations contained in the rider to the verified answer by asserting lack of knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief to the following:

[202]*2021 (a) CLK/HP, One Old Country LLC and HLP Old Country TIC LLC is the owner of the premises.

1 (b) BACM 2005-6 foreclosed on the property.

1 (c) William J. Garry was appointed receiver of the property on September 17, 2012.

1 (d) Receiver filed his oath and bond on December 13, 2013.

1 (e) Property manager is John Proscia of Colliers International.

The answer contains numerous affirmative defenses (paragraph lettering does not follow manner set forth in answer):

(a) Actual partial eviction.

(b) Constructive eviction.

(c) Respondent has been barred and excluded from the parking lot.

(d) Failure of consideration.

(e) Petitioner and its predecessors failed to take reasonable action to prevent damage to the premises (parking garage) which has resulted in the improper and illegal actual or partial eviction.

(f) The obligation to pay rent terminated when the Town of North Hempstead ordered the closing of the parking lot. In the alternative, respondent is entitled to a rent abatement.

(g) Statute of frauds, equitable estoppel and unclean hands.

(h) The parking garage was closed by the order of the Town of North Hempstead in March of 2014. The receiver was appointed on September 17, 2012. Petitioner waited 15 months before assuming his duties on December 23, 2013. Petitioner thereby delayed performing his duties upon his appointment for 15 months. During this period, petitioner could have collected almost $10,000,000 in rent which could have been used to repair and/or complete emergency repairs to the parking garage. This course of conduct may have caused the Town not to close the garage and respondent may not have been barred and excluded from the parking garage (part of the demised premises).

Respondent also asserts a counterclaim and additional affirmative defenses. Numerous facts (allegations) are set forth as follows (paragraph lettering does not follow the numbering of same in the verified answer):

(a) Respondent leased the premises from Treeline Management Corp.

[203]*203(b) Treeline sold the premises to HLP Old Country TIC LLC, CLK/LP One Old Country Rd LLC (CLK).

(c) The lease was amended on November 25, 2009, to set the termination date of the lease for October 31, 2016.

(d) Respondent had ample parking with reserved spaces for two senior partners (article 13 of lease).

(e) The parking provided by the three-story garage is part of the demised premises and is appurtenant thereto.

(f) Respondent employs 14 lawyers, one paralegal, four secretaries, one calendar clerk, one billing clerk, one bookkeeper, one title clerk and one intern, for a total of 21 employees.

(g) Respondent states the following about the closing of the parking garage and the parking situation presently:

“Forty-Fourth: On March 28, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., Petitioner closed the entire parking lot and advised all tenants that they needed to vacate the parking lot by 6:00 p.m., that evening. Thereafter, Petitioner barricaded the entrances to the parking garage and placed security guards at all entrances and exits thereby physically excluding all tenants from this portion of the Demised Premises. This exclusion from a portion of the demised premises continues through today.
“Forty-Fifth: In order to provide parking, Petitioner leased a portion of a parking lot, in a shopping center, approximately three miles east of the building, on Old Country Road and provided busing for all tenants, their staff, and employees. Limited valet parking was provided at the building for some tenants, some employees, and visitors.
“Forty-Sixth: On or about June 1, 2014, Petitioner obtained limited use of the parking garage, for a limited number of tenants, valet only. Most tenants, their staff, and employees still had to and continue to use the buses from the offsite parking to get to and from the office.
“Forty-Seventh: From March 28, 2014 to on or about June 1, 2014, all tenants were required to use the offsite parking and take the bus. Depending upon the time of day, traffic on Old Country Road, and waiting time, this bus ride could take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.
[204]*204“Forty-Eighth: After June 1, 2014, limited parking was made available, onsite, by valet only, for some percentage of the total number of people working at the Building. Respondent was allocated only ten (10) parking places for its staff of 21 employees. The balance had to continue to take the bus and continue to take the bus today.
“Forty-Ninth: The valet parking has not alleviated all the problems. At some times, the delay with the valet parking can be worse than the time it takes to take a bus. Depending on the time of arrival, there is a line out the entrance of the Building, eastward up Old Country Road. Between 8:30 and 10:00 in the morning, it can take as much as one half hour to get onto the building site and to reach the valets. Leaving the building, between four and six, can be worse. Often, there are 12-15 or more people waiting for their car. The valet leaves at 7:30 p.m. in the evening: If you work late, as attorneys are generally required to do, you must leave your office, collect your car, park in an available space, if any, and then return to your office.”

(h) The loss of the parking spaces has greatly impacted the daily operations of respondent to conduct business.

(i) These circumstances create grounds for an actual partial eviction or constructive eviction.

(j) The closing of the parking garage and the failure to provide on-site parking constitutes a breach of contract.

(k) Respondent claims damages in excess of $500,000.

(l) The obligation to pay rent has been suspended.

Petitioner responded with a verified reply to counterclaims, dated April 27, 2015. The reply denies the allegations set forth in the answer of respondent; except that it admits that the premises had a parking structure and admits that valet parking was instituted and that it provided shuttle services to and from the Fortunoff s parking lot.

Numerous affirmative defenses were asserted in the reply (paragraph lettering does not follow manner set forth in the reply):

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Vermont Teddy Bear Co. v. 538 Madison Realty Co.
807 N.E.2d 876 (New York Court of Appeals, 2004)
Barash v. PA. TERM. REAL ESTATE CORP.
256 N.E.2d 707 (New York Court of Appeals, 1970)
Edgerton v. . Page
20 N.Y. 281 (New York Court of Appeals, 1859)
Snow v. . Pulitzer
36 N.E. 1059 (New York Court of Appeals, 1894)
City of New York v. Pike Realty Corp.
160 N.E. 359 (New York Court of Appeals, 1928)
Lindwall v. May
111 A.D. 457 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1906)
Ernst v. Straus
114 A.D. 19 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1906)
Two Rector Street Corp. v. Bein
226 A.D. 73 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1929)
W.W.W. Associates, Inc. v. Giancontieri
566 N.E.2d 639 (New York Court of Appeals, 1990)
Appliance Giant, Inc. v. Columbia 90 Associates, LLC
8 A.D.3d 932 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2004)
Huron Associates, LLC v. 210 East 86th Street Corp.
18 A.D.3d 231 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2005)
All 4 Sports & Fitness, Inc. v. Hamilton, Kane, Martin Enterprises, Inc.
22 A.D.3d 512 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2005)
Jackson v. Westminster House Owners Inc.
24 A.D.3d 249 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2005)
Pasqua v. De Marchi
31 A.D.2d 781 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1969)
Murray Hill Mews Owners Corp. v. Rio Restaurant Associates L.P.
92 A.D.3d 453 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2012)
Soldiers', Sailors', Marines' & Airmen's Club, Inc. v. Carlton Regency Corp.
95 A.D.3d 687 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2012)
Scolamiero v. Cincotta
128 A.D.2d 224 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1987)
Ciraolo v. Miller
138 A.D.2d 443 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1988)
Winston Churchill Owners Corp. v. Churchill Operating Corp.
193 A.D.2d 396 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1993)
CBS Inc. v. P.A. Building Co.
200 A.D.2d 527 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
53 Misc. 3d 200, 36 N.Y.S.3d 364, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garry-v-ryan-henderson-pc-nydistctnassau-2016.