Mazur Bros. Realty, LLC v. State

23 Misc. 3d 346
CourtNew York Court of Claims
DecidedDecember 15, 2008
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 23 Misc. 3d 346 (Mazur Bros. Realty, LLC v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mazur Bros. Realty, LLC v. State, 23 Misc. 3d 346 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Terry Jane Ruderman, J.

Petitioner seeks an order (special proceeding No. SP-120) for the distribution of an award, together with interest at a rate of 9%, for the appropriation of 80 Lake Street, White Plains, New York (hereinafter 80 Lake Street). Petitioner seeks a second order (special proceeding No. SP-121) for the distribution of the advance payment, together with interest at a rate of 9%, for the appropriation of 90 Lake Street, White Plains, New York (hereinafter 90 Lake Street).

80 Lake Street

Petitioner is the owner in fee of 80 Lake Street. On April 4, 2006, defendant State of New York (hereinafter defendant) filed map Nos. 650, 656 and 657, parcels 963, 969 and 970 to appropriate property located at 80 Lake Street. Defendant offered $1,369,500 as the value of the property appropriated. Petitioner agreed to this value and executed an agreement of adjustment (petitioner’s exhibit B in support of SP-120; verified reply, ex[348]*348hibit A).1 The agreement of adjustment states that the compensation paid to petitioner represents “the total value of the property so appropriated and for all legal damages caused by such appropriation, including all damages ... to the remainder of the affected property” (petitioner’s exhibit B).

90 Lake Street

Petitioner is the owner in fee of 90 Lake Street. On April 4, 2006, defendant filed map Nos. 638 R-l, 639 R-l, parcels 951 and 952 to appropriate property located at 90 Lake Street. Petitioner executed an advance payment agreement for 90 Lake Street in the sum of $1,011,500 (exhibit F in support of SP-121).2 Defendant offered this money to petitioner to satisfy “the total value of the property so appropriated and for all legal damages caused by such appropriation, including all damages . . . to the remainder of the affected property” (petitioner’s exhibit F).

Background

Prior to authorizing either payment, defendant identified several parties with a potential interest in the properties. Those parties identified the following parties: petitioner (fee interest in both properties); Mazur Brothers, Inc. (lessee of both properties); JPMorgan Chase3 (mortgagee of both properties); City of White Plains (taxing authority of both properties); County of Westchester (taxing authority of both properties); petitioner’s attorney (attorney’s lien);4 Thomas DiNapoli (Comptroller of the State of New York); and the Attorney General’s office (a necessary party pursuant to EDPL 304 [E] and Court of Claims Act § 23). As the interest that each of these parties held was not easily ascertainable, defendant deposited the monies for each of the parcels into an interest bearing account with the Comptroller’s office.

Mazur Brothers, Inc. is the commercial tenant at both properties. Mazur Brothers, Inc. has filed two claims (claim Nos. [349]*349112661, 112658) against defendant for damage to its trade fixtures as a result of the appropriation. The trade fixtures are located at 62 Lake Street but were used in conjunction with the business conducted at 80 Lake Street and 90 Lake Street. The fixtures have been rendered useless as a result of the taking (Mazur Bros., Inc. v State of New York, Scuccimarra, J., M-72859, claim Nos. 112661, 112658).

As motions to the pending claims, petitioner and Mazur Brothers, Inc. brought a distribution proceeding before Honorable Thomas H. Scuccimarra (M-72859). Judge Scuccimarra properly denied the motion as the distribution proceeding must be brought by a special proceeding (EDPL 304; Court of Claims Act § 23). Thereafter, petitioner and Mazur Brothers, Inc. brought a special proceeding before this court (special proceeding Nos. SP-115, SP-116) seeking distribution of the money in the appropriation accounts for 80 Lake Street and 90 Lake Street. Due to several procedural errors, the proceedings were denied and petitioner has brought the instant actions seeking distribution. Prior to allowing this proceeding to begin, the court directed petitioner to join an additional necessary party, to wit, the City of White Plains School District. The School District has been served and appears in these actions.

Analysis

Petitioner asks that the $1,369,500 on account for 80 Lake Street be distributed first to Chase in full satisfaction of the mortgage on 80 Lake Street and 90 Lake Street. Petitioner asks that the remainder of the account be distributed to petitioner. It is petitioner’s position that Mazur Brothers, Inc. has no interest in these funds because they were offered as part of the fee taking and not part of the trade fixture claim. Petitioner also argues that none of the taxing authorities have a right to any distribution of the money. According to petitioner, all taxes were current at the time of the taking on the appropriated portion of the property.

As to the $1,011,500 held for 90 Lake Street, petitioner asks that the entirety of the account be distributed to petitioner. The mortgage held by Chase will be satisfied by the funds held for 80 Lake Street. Again, it is petitioner’s position that Mazur Brothers, Inc. has no interest in these funds because they were offered as part of the fee taking and not part of the trade fixture claim. Petitioner also argues that none of the taxing authorities have a right to any distribution of the money. According to [350]*350petitioner, all taxes were current at the time of the taking on the appropriated portion of the property.

EDPL 303 states in pertinent part, “[t]he condemnor shall establish an amount which it believes to represent just compensation for the real property to be acquired. The condemnor shall make a written offer to acquire the property for one hundred per centum of the valuation so established.” It is the mandate of EDPL 303 that condemnor establish and offer an amount which it believes to represent just compensation (Matter of Lateral Sewer 2005 of Southwest Sewer Dist. in County of Suffolk v Martin Constr. Corp., 113 AD2d 799 [1985]). It is incumbent upon condemnor to value the property to be acquired, not the separate interests of the potential parties having an interest in the property acquired.

After condemnor makes its offer, the condemnee must make a choice. The condemnee may either accept the offer in full satisfaction of the appropriation or accept the offer as an advance payment and reserve its right to bring a court action to obtain just compensation (EDPL 304). In addition, the condemnee may either expressly reject the offer or have it deemed rejected if the condemnee does not notify the condemnor in writing within 90 days of the offer that the advance payment is accepted (EDPL 304 [B]). According to EDPL 304 (A) (4),

“upon the acceptance of the written or an adjusted offer, the condemnor shall enter into an agreement or stipulation with the condemnee providing for payment pursuant to such agreement, either as payment in full or as an advance payment. The right of the condemnee to the advance payment shall not be conditioned on the waiver of any other right.”

In the instant matter, defendant requested that petitioner enter into a written agreement as to the agreement of adjustment and the agreement for advanced payment.

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Related

Mazur Brothers Realty, LLC v. State
69 A.D.3d 726 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2010)

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Bluebook (online)
23 Misc. 3d 346, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mazur-bros-realty-llc-v-state-nyclaimsct-2008.