In Re Walden Ridge Development, LLC

292 B.R. 58, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 389, 41 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 69, 2003 WL 1984339
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedApril 28, 2003
Docket19-11747
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 292 B.R. 58 (In Re Walden Ridge Development, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Walden Ridge Development, LLC, 292 B.R. 58, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 389, 41 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 69, 2003 WL 1984339 (N.J. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION

DONALD H. STECKROTH, Bankruptcy Judge.

These matters are before the court upon (1) the motion by Nicholas Rizzo to dismiss the Chapter 11 as a bad faith filing pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b) or, alternatively, to vacate the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d), which the Debtor has opposed, and (2) the Debtor’s motion to (A) assume an option agreement and (B) assume and assign a contract for the purchase of real property, which is opposed by Nicholas Rizzo. For the reasons that follow, the motion to dismiss and vacate the stay is DENIED and the motion to allow assumption and assignment is GRANTED.

JURISDICTION

The Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(b), 151 and 157(a). This is a core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A) and (G). Venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1409(a). The following shall constitute the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance with Bankruptcy Rule 7052.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The Debtor, Walden Ridge Development, LLC (“Debtor”), filed its Chapter 11 petition on December 18, 2002 (“Petition Date”). The Debtor is an entity formed on August 3, 2002 for the purpose of acquiring and developing a specific parcel of real property known as the Walden Village, Hardyston Township, Sussex County, New Jersey consisting of 86.4 acres (the “Property”). At the time of its formation, the managing and sole member of the Debtor was Michael Quigley (“Quigley”).

On August 23, 2002, the Debtor entered into a contract with Nicholas Rizzo, t/a Edgewater Associates (“Rizzo” or “Mov-ant”) for the purchase of the Property (“Purchase Contract”). The purchase price set forth in the contract is $7,170,500. A deposit of $100,000 was paid and is being held by the attorneys for Rizzo. Between the date of the Purchase Contract and the Petition Date, the Debtor incurred unsecured debts totaling $351,700 in connection with the real estate project. As of the Petition Date, all government approvals had finally been obtained to build 287 townhouses on the Property and building permits are available.

The closing date was extended four times due to the failure of the parties to satisfy contingencies within the time parameters originally contemplated. Although the Purchase Contract was not contingent on the Debtor obtaining financing, the Debtor asserts the seller’s delay in obtaining the governmental approvals affected the Debtor’s efforts to obtain financing necessary for closing. By letter dated December 13, 2002, Rizzo advised that due diligence had ended and made closing time of the essence, setting a closing date of December 19, 2002. The Debt- or requested additional time, which was denied. The Debtor was not able to obtain the necessary financing in that time period and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 18, 2002, the day before the closing date.

Quigley is blunt in acknowledging he did not want to be a member of an entity which filed a bankruptcy petition. As a result, on December 16, 2002, Quigley re *61 signed as managing member and assigned his membership interest to William Govel (“Govel”). Also on that day, the Debtor entered into an option agreement (“Option”) with Pottersville Properties, LLC (“PPL”), an entity owned entirely by Quig-ley. Under the terms of the Option, PPL paid $10,000 to the Debtor in consideration for the Option to acquire the Purchase Contract from the Debtor for a payment of $820,000. The $830,000 to be realized will enable the Debtor to pay its unsecured creditors 100% of their scheduled claims. 1 Quigley certifies that the reason for the Option to PPL was due to his belief that the Chapter 11 filing would hamper Debt- or’s ability to obtain financing, a burden PPL would not have.

At the time the motion to dismiss was heard, PPL had obtained a loan commitment from First Savings Bank (“FSB”) which provides $5,000,000 for land acquisition. Quigley certifies he has more than $2,000,000 of his own marketable securities available for liquidation. PPL has also obtained equity investors who will provide sufficient funds to pay the balance due Rizzo and enable the Debtor to propose a plan which will immediately pay its creditors 100% of their claims. PPL asserted it would exercise the Option and file a Plan of Reorganization paying creditors in full. The proposed plan was filed February 26, 2003.

An appraisal of the Property offered by Debtor indicates a fair market value in excess of $8,000,000. Rizzo presented no evidence contradicting the appraisal. Since the Purchase Contract with Rizzo is for $7,170,500, the substantial equity in the Property adequately protects the interest of Rizzo despite his assertion of prejudice due to his fear of the uncertainty of the economy and the real estate market.

After the hearing on the motion to dismiss, the Debtor filed its motion for assumption of the Option and assumption and assignment of the Purchase Contract. That motion was argued and the parties submitted briefs after the hearing on issues first raised by Rizzo at the time of argument. The last brief was filed on April 3, 2003 and the record closed at that time. This opinion follows.

LEGAL ANALYSIS

1. Motion to Dismiss and/or Vacate Automatic Stay

Rizzo has moved seeking an order dismissing the Chapter 11 proceeding pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b), contending it was filed in bad faith, and lifting the automatic stay imposed by § 362 of the Bankruptcy Code. 11 U.S.C. § 362(a).

11 U.S.C. § 1112(b) permits a court, in its discretion, to convert or dismiss a Chapter 11 petition on the request of a party in interest. It provides in part:

... the court may convert a case under this chapter [Chapter 11] to a case under chapter 7 of this title or may dismiss a case under this chapter, whichever is the best interest of creditors and the estate, for cause ...

In addition to the court’s discretion to dismiss a Chapter 11 case for “cause,” the court may also dismiss a case for the ten reasons enumerated in the statute. 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b)(1) — (10). The list is not exhaustive and courts should “consider other factors as they arise.” First Jersey National Bank v. Brown (In re Brown),

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
292 B.R. 58, 2003 Bankr. LEXIS 389, 41 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 69, 2003 WL 1984339, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-walden-ridge-development-llc-njb-2003.