In re Ecoventure Wiggins Pass, Ltd.

406 B.R. 115, 21 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 758, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 1206, 2009 WL 1491465
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedMay 13, 2009
DocketNos. 9:08-bk-9197-ALP, 9:08-bk-9198-ALP, 9:08-bk-9199-ALP
StatusPublished

This text of 406 B.R. 115 (In re Ecoventure Wiggins Pass, Ltd.) 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 Ecoventure Wiggins Pass, Ltd., 406 B.R. 115, 21 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 758, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 1206, 2009 WL 1491465 (Fla. 2009).

Opinion

ORDER ON DEBTOR’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON MOTION FOR ORDER AUTHORIZING ASSUMPTION AND SALE PURSUANT TO CONTRACTS FOR PURCHASE OF CONDOMINIUM UNITS

ALEXANDER L. PASKAY, Bankruptcy Judge.

THIS CASE came before the Court for hearing to consider the Debtor’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Motion for Order Authorizing Assumption and Sale Pursuant to Contracts for Purchase of Condominium Units. (Doc. 306).

In its Motion, the Debtor requests authority to assume certain Purchase and Sale Agreements that were entered by Ecoventure Wiggins Pass, Ltd., as the Seller, prior to the filing of its bankruptcy Petition. The Purchase and Sale Agreements relate to condominium units in a development known as Aqua at Pelican Isle Yacht Club in Naples, Florida.

Written responses to the Debtor’s Motion were filed by the Carl Redfield Trust 2000 Dated October 18, 2000 and Carl Redfield Trustee (Doc. 320), Donald J. Niederpruem (Doc. 321), Edward Cherney and Joanne Cherney (Doc. 322), Jerome A. Hayes (Doc. 323), Carlyle Investments, Inc. (Doc. 327), and R.J. Shirley and Jake Shirley (Doc. 383). The responding parties are all identified as “buyers” in the Purchase and Sale Agreements listed in the Debtor’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

After the responses were filed, Edward Cherney and Joanne Cherney filed a Consent to Settlement (Doc. 378), and the Debtor and Carlyle Investments, Inc. filed a Joint Stipulation for Abatement of Motion to Assume and Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 389), based on a proposed sale to Carlyle free and clear of liens. (Doc. 372). Additionally, the Debtor filed a Supplemental Memorandum regarding its Motion for Summary Judgment, in which it withdrew its request for relief as to Jerome A. Hayes. (Doc. 379, p. 3).

For purposes of this Order, therefore, the respondents whose claims remain at issue are the Carl Redfield Trust 2000 Dated October 18, 2000 and Carl Redfield [117]*117Trustee, Donald J. Niederpruem, and R.J. Shirley and Jake Shirley (collectively, the Purchasers).

Each of the Purchasers entered into Purchase and Sale Agreements with the Debtor. The Purchasers assert, however, that they executed separate documents (Accommodation Agreements) at or around the same time that they executed the Purchase and Sale Agreements. According to the Purchasers, the Accommodation Agreements and the Purchase and Sale Agreements constitute single, integrated agreements between the Debtor and the respective Purchaser. Consequently, the Purchasers contend that the Debtor may not sever and assume only a portion of the parties’ entire agreement pursuant to § 365 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Background

The Debtor is the developer and owner of a luxury waterfront condominium complex known as the “Aqua at Pelican Isle Yacht Club” in Naples, Florida. The complex includes a residential tower, together with an adjacent marina and dock facility. Financing for the project was initially provided by a group of lenders led by Regions Bank, which loaned approximately $100 million to the Debtor to develop and construct the condominium units and facilities.

In 2006 and 2007, while the project was in development, the Debtor entered into a series of agreements with the Purchasers. Specifically, the Debtor and the Carl Red-field Trust entered into the following agreements:

Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 15, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit PH 1007 for the purchase price of $4,675,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Accommodation Payment and Termination of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated December 4, 2006, relating to Unit PH 1007.
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 15, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit 907 for the purchase price of $3,000,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Accommodation Payment and Termination of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated December 4, 2006, relating to Unit 907.

The Debtor and Donald J. Niederpruem entered into the following agreements:

Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 20, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit 705 for the purchase price of $2,850,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Accommodation Payment and Termination of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 30, 2006, relating to Unit 705.

Finally, the Debtor and R.J. Shirley or Jake Shirley entered into the following agreements:

Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 1, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit 709 for the purchase price of $2,500,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Put-Call Option and Assignment of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 28, 2007, relating to Unit 709.
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 1, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit PH 1105 for the purchase price of $4,975,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Put-Call Option and Assignment of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 1, 2006, relating to Unit 1105.
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 5, 2006, relating to the sale of Unit 409 for the purchase price of $1,975,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Put-Call Option and Assignment of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated November 28, 2006, relating to Unit 409.
[118]*118Purchase and Sale Agreement dated February 20, 2007, relating to the sale of Unit 607 for the purchase price of $2,600,000.00.
Agreement Regarding Accommodation Payment and Termination of Purchase and Sale Agreement dated February 20, 2007, relating to Unit 607.

In addition to the agreements listed above, the parties also entered agreements relating to the purchase of marina slips or other amenities associated with the project, as well as various addenda to the agreements.

According to the Debtor, each of the Purchase and Sale Agreements executed by the Purchasers is a “standard form” agreement as promulgated in accordance with the Florida Condominium Act. (Doc. 306, pp. 8-9). Generally, the Purchase and Sale Agreements provided in part:

1. The Purchasers would purchase a condominium unit from the Debtor for the purchase price set forth in the respective Agreement. (¶¶ 1, 2).
2. The Purchasers would pay an Earnest Money Deposit to the designated Escrow Agent, generally in an initial amount equal to 10% of the purchase price. (¶ 2).
3. The Debtor was subject to a pre-sale requirement by its lender, and could unilaterally terminate the agreement if it was unable to meet the pre-sale requirement. (¶ 28).
4. The Purchasers were entering into the agreement “with the full intention of complying” with each obligation thereunder, including the obligation to close on the purchase of the unit. The Purchasers further represented that the Debtor had not made any statement indicating that they would not be obligated to close the purchase. (¶ 37).

The Purchase and Sale Agreements also provided that the sale of the units would close within fifteen days after the Debtor notified the Purchaser that the unit was substantially complete. (¶ 5).

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Bluebook (online)
406 B.R. 115, 21 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 758, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 1206, 2009 WL 1491465, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ecoventure-wiggins-pass-ltd-flmb-2009.