In Re Kizzac Management Corp.

44 B.R. 496, 11 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1106, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 4562
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York
DecidedNovember 21, 1984
Docket18-36544
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 44 B.R. 496 (In Re Kizzac Management Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Kizzac Management Corp., 44 B.R. 496, 11 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1106, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 4562 (N.Y. 1984).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER ON OBJECTION TO CONFIRMATION

BURTON R. LIFLAND, Bankruptcy Judge.

In this somewhat typical “real estate chapter 11 proceeding” the pre-petition tensions between mortgagor and mortgagee continue unabated from date of filing through date of confirmation. The debtor having successfully interdicted an all but ultimated foreclosure proceeding now seeks, through the felicitous provisions of title 11 U.S.C. and external funding, to emerge stabilized and rehabilitated from bankruptcy. In the debtor’s view the emergence from chapter 11 leaves the second mortgage in its same pre-petition ranking with all defaults cured. The second mortgage holders, who are the prior owners and the objectants herein, disagree. The increasing value of the property in question has made each of these protagonists most eager to control and capitalize on its economic potential.

This decision represents the final part in a trilogy of recent decisions rendered by this Court dealing with the issue of interest on interest. The first decision, In re Forest Hills Associates, 40 B.R. 410 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1984), dealt with the availability of pre-petition interest on interest. The principles of cure and reinstatement underlying that decision were also explored in In re Manville Forest Products Corp., 43 B.R. 293 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1984), which also dealt with post-petition interest on interest. In this decision, the Court will further expand upon its exploration of the concept of interest on interest in the context of an overse-cured creditor.

Five individuals, Ron Morgan, Irving Rosenblum, Rhoda Rosenblum, and Bernard Rose (collectively “the second mortgagees”) object to confirmation of the amended plan of reorganization submitted by Kizzac Management Corporation, the debtor in possession (“Kizzac”). The primary thrust of the objection is that by failing to provide interest on pre-petition defaulted second mortgage interest installments and other monetary defaults, and by providing for a reconstituted first mortgage, the plan falls short of the requirements of sections 1124 and 1129 1 of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (“the Code”), and thus the claims or interests of the second mortgagees are not statutorily accommodated.

*498 1. Background Facts

On August 6, 1980 Kizzac purchased the premises located at 214 West 72nd Street, New York, New York, from the second mortgagees’ assignor and predecessor in interest 214 West 72nd Street Realty Corp. (“Realty Corp.”). 2 The premises consist of a five-story apartment building with two commercial units and seven residential units. At the time of the purchase, the premises, which are the primary asset of the estate and its only source of income, were already encumbered by a first mortgage in the principal amount of $63,793.26, due three months later on November 1, 1980. Kizzac assumed the first mortgage and executed a purchase money second mortgage to the vendor Realty Corp. in the amount of $350,206.74. Kizzac defaulted on the November 1, 1980 final payment of the first mortgage, and on February 6, 1981, when it failed to make a monthly installment, defaulted under the second mortgage as well. On March 30, 1981, with both mortgages in default, the second mortgagees acquired the second mortgage by assignment from Realty Corp. On May 19, 1981, the second mortgagees or their children or siblings, acquired the first mortgage by an assignment from the first mortgagee for payment of an amount equal to the then-outstanding balance, $63,793.26. The precise identity of the first mortgage acquires remains unclear from the record submitted. Nevertheless it is not controverted that the source of payment came from among the personnel of the second mortgagees. As is usually the case, the terms of the second mortgage entitled the second mortgagees to protect their security interest by covering defaults. No satisfaction of the first mortgage ever was given. Thus the second mortgagees remain descriptively so ranked.

The second mortgagees were entitled, upon default, to declare the second mortgage indebtedness immediately due and payable. They elected to exercise this right and commenced a foreclosure proceeding in Supreme Court, New York County. Summary judgment was granted in favor of the second mortgagees but entry of judgment of foreclosure was stayed pending a trial on Kizzac’s counterclaims. After trial, all of Kizzac’s counterclaims were dismissed.

On July 12, 1983 Kizzac filed its petition for reorganization under chapter 11 of the Code. The second mortgagees contend that Kizzac filed its petition in order to receive the protection of the Code § 362(a)(4) automatic stay 3 which would suspend entry of and execution on the state court foreclosure judgment. As of the date its petition was filed, Kizzac was in default on second mortgage installments totalling $73,063.03 exclusive of interest, representing twenty-nine installments due between February 6, 1981 and June 6, 1983. Other defaults, all accruing pre-petition, include the $63,793.26 paid by the second mortgagees to acquire the first mortgage, and $4,273.87 in rem expenses paid to prevent foreclosure for overdue real estate taxes, water and sewer rents.

Kizzac filed its amended plan of reorganization (“the plan”) with the Bankruptcy Court on January 17, 1984. 4 In the plan, the debtor designated the second mortgagees as class four secured claim holders. The plan provides that the second mortgage and Note will be reinstated on the effective date of the plan; that all monetary defaults in the second mortgage and *499 Note not cured during the pendency of the case will be cured by cash payment in full on the effective date of the plan; that the maturity of the second mortgage will be reinstated to its pre-default state; and that the debtor will pay the balance of the second mortgage and Note in accordance with the terms of such allowed secured claim without penalty. In its disclosure statement, Kizzac asserts that the second mortgagees will not be impaired under the plan.

On September 13, 1983, the second mortgagees moved by Order to Show Cause for, inter alia, an order (1) vacating the automatic stay so that they could continue with their state foreclosure action; and (2) directing Kizzac to provide adequate protection of the second mortgagees’ interest. After argument was heard, this Court ruled that the stay should not be lifted in view of Kizzac’s equity in the property. An Order was entered on October 5, 1983 directing Kizzac to provide adequate protection under Code § 361 5 , by making current payments of principal and interest under the second mortgage and by paying all real estate taxes, sewer and water rents.

II. Parties’ Contentions

The second mortgagees’ objections to confirmation of the plan are twofold. They contend that the second mortgage cannot be cured and reinstated in accordance with Code § 1124(2)(C) unless they receive interest on all unpaid pre-petition arrears of interest as well as principal under the second mortgage.

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Bluebook (online)
44 B.R. 496, 11 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1106, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 4562, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-kizzac-management-corp-nysb-1984.