Parkway Auto Service, Inc. v. Wright

49 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1943 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedNovember 20, 1943
Docketno. 2905
StatusPublished

This text of 49 Pa. D. & C. 556 (Parkway Auto Service, Inc. v. Wright) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parkway Auto Service, Inc. v. Wright, 49 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1943 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1943).

Opinion

Alessandroni, J.,

This matter arises out of the expiration of a leasehold held by petitioner under a lease agreement executed by the lessee on August 9, 1933,■ and approved by the lessor on August 11, 1933, for the term of 10 years “beginning with the substantial completion of the construction by lessee of the service station” then to be erected on the demised premises. It is for the determination of the asserted right of removal of the service station from the demised premises, situate at the southeast corner of Broad and Oxford Streets, Philadelphia, that this petition for declaratory judgment was filed.

Prior to the execution of the lease and the erection of the service station building thereon, the improvements on the premises consisted of a 2%-story building, then vacant and partially vandalized. By the terms of the lease, petitioner, as lessee, was granted the right to demolish the existing structure and to erect:

“. . . a building or buildings to be used as and for a gasoline and oil filling station and general automobile service station, together with driveways, tanks, pumps or other equipment as lessee may deem necessary and proper for use in said business, it being clearly understood by and between the parties hereto that all plans and specifications for such installation and buildings be first approved in writing by lessors before the contract for the erection and/or installation of which is let.
“As a condition precedent to this lease and as an essential part hereof, lessee agrees that the cost of [558]*558the construction hereinabove authorized shall be not less than Seventy-five hundred ($7500.00) Dollars, the cost thereof to be evidenced to lessors by receipts to the said amount paid in full.”

The rental to be paid by lessee, based upon the gross gallonage sold, was 1% cents per gallon.

The demolition of the existing building done, petitioner erected on the premises a service station of a type, in general contour and appearance, similar to its other stations. The improvements consisted of a one-story brick gasoline service station consisting of an automobile washroom with a grease and sand trap drain and three open lubrication rooms facing Oxford Street, and an office and lavatory room facing Broad Street. The office portion of the structure also, houses a heating system. Petitioner installed various tanks, pumps, signs, and light standards necessary for the functioning of its business, which commenced on or about September, 20, 1933.

On May 4, 1943, respondent, through his agent, served timely notice upon petitioner of intention to repossess the demised premises at the expiration of the term on September 30, 1943. Thereafter, on July 1, 1943, petitioner, asserting its right to remove the various items of property hereafter enumerated, and manifesting its intention so to do, tendered an option to the lessor to purchase the tanks, signboards, pumps, lights, electrical equipment, and the building. This offer was made in compliance with order M-68-C of the Office of Petroleum Coordinator for National Defense, part 1508, whereby, in advance of the removal of such equipment, the owner of premises such as here involved is vested with a right of purchase. Lessor thereupon signified his intention to purchase the building and denied the asserted right in petitioner to remove it at the expiration of the leasehold; the lessor acknowledged petitioner's right to remove certain [559]*559equipment, such as the tanks, signboards, pumps, light reflectors, and the like, and agreed to purchase them at the prices quoted in the option.

That a genuine controversy exists between the parties with regard to petitioner’s asserted right to remove the building is clear. The differences between the parties under the lease agreement, the construction thereof, and a declaration of the respective rights of the parties are properly before the court in accordance with the Declaratory Judgments Act of June 18,1923, P. L. 840, 12 PS §831, as amended.

Discussion

The issue presented revolves upon the lease agreement entered into between the parties, and the contradictions, relevant to the issue presented, as contained in the printed and typewritten portions thereof. Passing over matters presently immaterial, the following provisions appear in the printed portions of the lease:

Section 7(d). A covenant prohibiting the erection, placing, or painting of signs without the written consent of the lessor and an obligation to remove signs and restore walls at the expiration of the lease.

Section 7(e). A covenant prohibiting alterations, improvements, or additions to the demised premises. The same clause provides that “all alterations, improvements or additions shall remain upon the premises at the expiration or sooner determination of this lease and become the property of lessor, unless lessor shall, prior to the determination of this lease, have given 60 days’ written notice to lessee to remove the same, in which event lessee will remove alterations, improvements and additions and restore the premises to the same good order and condition in which they are now. If lessee fails to do so, lessor may do so, collecting the cost and expense thereof as additional rent”.

[560]*560Section 8(b). An 'affirmative covenant to keep the premises clean, repair all damages to the plumbing, replace glass windows, “and maintain every part and portion of the demised premises, including the exterior and interior, in the same good order and repair as they now are, reasonable wear and tear and damage by accidental fire or other casualty not occurring through negligence of lessee or those employed by or acting for lessee alone excepted”.

Section 11. A clause providing for the abatement of rent if the premises are destroyed by fire and affirmatively stating that: “If the damage caused as above be only partial and such that the premises can be restored to their present condition within a period of 60 days, the lessor agrees to immediately restore the same, reserving the right to enter upon the demised premises for that purpose. The lessor also reserves the right to enter upon the demised premises whenever necessary to repair damage caused by fire or other casualty to the building of which the demised premises are a part, even though the .effect of such entry be to render the demised premises or a part thereof untenable”.

. Section 12(d). “Make repairs. In the event of the failure of lessee to make repairs promptly, as hereinafter agreed, lessor-may go upon the demised premises and make such repairs at the expense of the lessee, the cost thereof to be charged, to lessee as additional and delinquent rent.”

Added to the lease, as a typewritten portion thereof, is the clause previously referred to whereby the lessee is empowered to demolish the existing structure and to erect thereon:

' “. . . a building or buildings to be used as and for a gasoline and oil filling station and general automobile service station, together with driveways, tanks, pumps or other equipment as lessee may deem’necessary and proper for use in said business, it being [561]*561clearly understood by and between the parties thereto that all plans and specifications for such installation and buildings be first approved in writing by lessors before the contract for the erection and/or installation of which is let.

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Bluebook (online)
49 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1943 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 353, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parkway-auto-service-inc-v-wright-pactcomplphilad-1943.