In Re Cobblestone Associates

141 B.R. 245, 6 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 144, 27 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 222, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 867, 1992 WL 127933
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJune 8, 1992
DocketBankruptcy 92-01885-BKC-3P1
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 141 B.R. 245 (In Re Cobblestone Associates) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Cobblestone Associates, 141 B.R. 245, 6 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 144, 27 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 222, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 867, 1992 WL 127933 (Fla. 1992).

Opinion

*246 FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

GEORGE L. PROCTOR, Bankruptcy Judge.

This case is before the Court upon the Motion for Relief from Stay filed by NCNB National Bank of Florida, a national banking association (“NCNB”). An evidentiary hearing on NCNB’s Motion for Relief from Stay was held on May 18, 1992, and upon the evidence presented the Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

FINDINGS OF FACT

Cobblestone Associates (“Cobblestone”), Debtor, is the owner and operator of a strip shopping center located at 3033 North Monument Road, Jacksonville, Florida, consisting of land, buildings, improvements, and related personal property (the “Property”). The Property is Cobblestone’s only asset.

Pursuant to a Loan Agreement with NCNB (the “Loan Agreement”), and on September 28, 1987, Debtor executed and delivered to NCNB a promissory note in the original principal amount of $1,500,000 (the “Note”). As security for payment of the Note and performance of certain other obligations, Debtor executed and delivered to NCNB a mortgage and security agreement also dated September 28, 1987, granting NCNB a first lien against the Property (the “Mortgage”). As additional security for payment of the Note and performance of other obligations, Debtor executed and delivered to NCNB a UCC-1 Financing Statement, and Assignment of Lessor’s Interest in Leases, Rents, and Profits, each dated September 28, 1987. The obligations under the Note, Mortgage, and other collateral documents were modified by a Loan Modification Agreement dated July 6, 1989.

Debtor defaulted on the Note and Mortgage by failing to pay all principal and interest due under the Note, as modified by the Loan Modification Agreement, at its maturity on September 15, 1990.

On February 28, 1991, NCNB filed a civil action in the Circuit Court, Fourth Judicial Circuit, in and for Duval County, Florida, Case No.: 91-2156-CA, Division “CV-H” (the “Foreclosure Action”). On September 13, 1991, a receiver was appointed in the Foreclosure Action to manage the property, collect all rents from tenants, and collect books and records from the Debtor.

Despite the Receiver’s request, the Debt- or failed to deliver immediate possession of the Property. Accordingly, NCNB moved in the Foreclosure Action to have the general partners of the Debtor held in contempt. The initial hearing on NCNB’s Motion for Contempt was commenced on September 23, 1991, and was continued for further hearing on September 25, 1991.

On September 24, 1991, an involuntary bankruptcy petition was filed in Houston, Texas, by Donald Suman and Mark Michelson, two of the general partners of the Debtor, and by Accolade Development Corporation, a corporation owned by Mark Michelson and Donald Suman. Upon motion of NCNB, and on March 18, 1992, the Texas Bankruptcy Court transferred venue of the case to this Court, concluding that the convenience of the parties was best accommodated in Florida.

As of the date of the hearing on the Motion for Relief from Stay, NCNB was owed the principal amount of $1,250,507.66, and accrued interest at the contract rate of $208,846.17, for a total indebtedness of $1,459,353.83. Additionally, the total amount of unpaid ad valorem real property taxes for the years 1989, 1990, and 1991 was $66,102.86, which taxes constitute a lien against the Property senior to NCNB’s interest.

NCNB’s expert real estate appraiser testified the Property has a fair market value of $1,000,000.00 as of November 15, 1991, and as of the date of the hearing. Mark Michelson, testifying as the owner of the Property, stated the value of the Property was $1,400,000.00.

Debtor has no employees and employs no management company. With one exception, the unsecured creditors consist solely of insiders or entities controlled by insiders of the Debtor.

*247 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

NCNB seeks relief from stay under Sections 362(d)(1) and 362(d)(2). Under Section 362(d)(1), a movant is entitled to relief from stay for cause, including the lack of adequate protection as well as upon a finding that the petition was filed in bad faith. Under Section 362(d)(2), relief from stay shall be granted with respect to a stay against property if the debtor does not have equity in such property and the property is not necessary to an effective reorganization.

Section 362(g) delineates the relative burdens of proof between the party requesting the relief from stay and the party opposing such relief. The establishment of lack of equity is on the moving party, and the burden is on the party opposing the lifting of the stay, in this case the Debtor, as to all other issues. Additionally, the burden is not only the burden of proof, but also the burden of persuasion. In the Matter of Certified Mortgage Corp., 20 B.R. 787, 788 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1982).

Addressing first the issues under Section 362(d)(2), the Court must initially determine whether the Debtor has equity in the Property. Charles Lentz, M.A.I. appraised the Property as having a fair market value at the time of the hearing of $1,000,000.00. One of Debtor’s general partners, testifying as the owner of the Property, stated that he believed the Property was worth $1,400,000.00. In addition, a NCNB corporate representative testified that the total indebtedness owed on the Note at the time of the hearing was $1,459,353.83, including principal and interest. The evidence also indicated that outstanding ad valorem real property taxes due for 1989, 1990, and 1991, which constitute a senior lien on the Property, totalled $66,012.86. Even if the outstanding ad valorem real property taxes were excluded, and even accepting the Debtor’s own opinion of value, the Court must conclude for the purposes of Section 362(d)(2)(A) that the Debtor does not have equity in the Property.

The next issue for the Court to determine under Section 362(d)(2) is whether the property is needed to accomplish an effective reorganization. To avoid the lifting of the stay, the debtor must offer evidence that there is a realistic possibility of an effective reorganization. In the Matter of Discount Wallpaper Center, Inc., 19 B.R. 221, 222-23 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1982); In re Dublin Properties, 12 B.R. 77, 80-81 (Bankr.E.D.Penn.1981).

Whether the property at issue is necessary for an effective reorganization is not dependent upon whether the property is the only asset of the Debtor or whether the Debtor is deriving income from such property. In re Royal Palm Square Associates, 124 B.R. 129, 132 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1991); In the Matter of Certified Mortgage Corp., 20 B.R. 787, 788 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1982). The requirement of whether property is necessary for an effective reorganization may be satisfied by any of the following measures:

... [E]ither the property has sufficient equity which could be refinanced and the plan could be funded from a new loan, that the property will be sold and the sale will produce sufficient monies to fund the plan of reorganization, or the property is unique in character and it is essential to the survival of the reorganized entity. In re Royal Palm Square Associates, 124 B.R. 129, 132 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1991).

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141 B.R. 245, 6 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 144, 27 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 222, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 867, 1992 WL 127933, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-cobblestone-associates-flmb-1992.