Partita Partners LLC v. United States

216 F. Supp. 3d 337, 2016 WL 6238611, 118 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6243, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147904
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedOctober 25, 2016
Docket15-cv-2561 (PKC)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 216 F. Supp. 3d 337 (Partita Partners LLC v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District 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
Partita Partners LLC v. United States, 216 F. Supp. 3d 337, 2016 WL 6238611, 118 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6243, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147904 (S.D.N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

CASTEL, United States District Judge.

Defendant the United States of America moves for partial summary judgment pur[338]*338suant Rule 56, Fed. R. Civ. P. In its 2008 federal tax return, plaintiff Partita Partners LLC (“Partita”) claimed a deduction of $4,186,000 based on its charitable donation of a preservation easement in the fagade of building located in a historic district. In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service denied the deduction and assessed an accuracy-related penalty against Partita for claiming the deduction. Partita and one of its “notice partners,” Denise Jo Levy, commenced this action in 2015 pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 6226(b), which governs partnership petitions for tax adjustments.

The United States moves for summary judgment only as to whether Partita’s tax deduction satisfied statutory requirements, with the separate issue of the accuracy-related penalty to be decided in a non-jury trial. There is no dispute as to the underlying facts, and the motion is based entirely on the construction and application of the federal tax laws.

For the reasons explained, Partita’s claimed deduction is not authorized under the express statutory language governing the deduction because the easement does not “preserve! ] the entire exterior of the building ....” 26 U.S.C. § 170(h)(4)(B). The motion for partial summary judgment is therefore granted.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD.

Summary judgment “shall” be granted “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Rule 56(a), Fed. R. Civ. P. A fact is material if it “might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law .... ” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). On a motion for summary judgment, the court must “construe the facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party and resolve all ambiguities and draw all reasonable inferences against the movant.” Delaney v. Bank of Am. Corp., 766 F.3d 163, 167 (2d Cir. 2014) (quotation marks omitted). It is the initial burden of the movant to come forward with evidence on each material element of his claim or defense, demonstrating that he is entitled to relief, and the evidence on each material element must be sufficient to entitle the movant to relief in its favor as a matter of law. Vt. Teddy Bear Co. v. 1-800 Beargram Co., 373 F.3d 241, 244 (2d Cir. 2004).

If the moving party meets its burden, “the nonmoving party must come forward with admissible evidence sufficient to raise a genuine issue of fact for trial in order to avoid summary judgment.” Jaramillo v. Weyerhaeuser Co., 536 F.3d 140, 145 (2d Cir. 2008). “A dispute regarding a material fact is genuine if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.’” Weinstock v. Columbia Univ., 224 F.3d 33, 41 (2d Cir. 2000) (quoting Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505).

BACKGROUND.

On April 2, 2003, Partita purchased a building at 964-966 Lexington Avenue in New York City, for a price of $4,050,000. (Def. 56.1 ¶ 1; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶1.) The building is a four-story walk-up that was constructed in 1871-72. (Byars Dec. Ex. A at 3.) The Complaint describes the building as having been constructed “in the Italianate style.” (Compl’t ¶ 3.) It has been designated as part of the Upper East Side Historic District since May 19,1981, and is subject to regulation by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. (Def. 56.1 ¶¶ 2-3; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶ 2-3.)

In 2007, E. William Judson, who is a managing member of Partita, met with a representative of the non-party Trust for Architectural Easements (the “TAE”) to discuss donating an easement in the build[339]*339ing’s fagade to the TAE. (Def. 56.1 ¶¶ 4-5; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶¶ 4-5.) On June 25, 2008, Judson signed a “Trust for Architectural Easements 2008 Donation Agreement,” a “Donation Agreement Addendum: Development Rights” and a “Trust for Architectural Easements 2008 Disclosure Notice.” (Def. 56.1 ¶¶ 7-9; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶¶ 7-9.)

In October 2008, Judson, on behalf of Partita, signed a “Historic Preservation Deed of Easement” (the “Deed of Easement”). (Def. 56.1 ¶ 10; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶ 10.) This easement provided that 2,700 square feet of development rights associated with the property “shall be reserved for the future expansion of the Property in accordance with the terms of this Easement.” (Def. 56.1 ¶ 11; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶ 11.) As discussed in greater detail below, the Deed of Easement contained provisions that permitted Partita to undertake additional construction on the property, conditioned on the TAE’s approval. Judson testified in his deposition that the development rights were reserved to add “a couple of floors, two or three floors on the roof’ and to potentially extend the ground floor of the structure. (Def. 56.1 ¶¶ 12-14; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶¶ 12-14.)

Based on its donation of the easement to the TAE, Partita claimed a charitable deduction of $4,186,000 on its federal tax return for 2008. (Def. 56.1 ¶ 16; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶ 16.) On November 10, 2014, the IRS disallowed Partita’s claimed deduction, and imposed accuracy penalties in the amount of 40% of the tax underpayment. (Def. 56.1 ¶ 17; Pl. 56.1 Resp. ¶ 17.)

In opposition to the motion, Partita sets forth additional facts that it claims are undisputed, and which the United States has not addressed in reply. Partita notes that under the Deed of Easement, it covenanted that it would not undertake certain actions with respect to the 964-966 Lexington Avenue property without the express written consent of the TAE, including any alteration, construction, remodeling or exterior extension. (Def. 56.1 Resp. ¶¶ 18-20.) The Deed of Easement required that any exercise of development rights may not interfere with the preservation and conservation purposes of the easement, and must be approved by the TAE. (Def. 56.1 Resp. ¶¶ 21-22.)

DISCUSSION.

I. The Statute Authorizing the Deduction Expressly Requires that the Contribution of a Building Exterior 'Must Include a Restriction that Preserves the Entire Exterior.

Partita’s claimed deduction is based on a provision of the Internal Revenue Code (the “IRC”) that permits a taxpayer to receive a deduction for the donation of the fagade of a building located in a registered historic district. See 26 U.S.C. § 170(h)(4)(B).

“[Statutory interpretation must ‘begin with the plain language, giving all undefined terms their ordinary meaning’ while ‘attempting] to ascertain how a reasonable reader would understand the statutory text, considered as a whole.’ ” Deutsche Bank Nat. Trust Co. v. Quicken Loans Inc., 810 F.3d 861, 868 (2d Cir. 2015) (quoting Fed. Hous. Fin. Agency v. UBS Am.

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216 F. Supp. 3d 337, 2016 WL 6238611, 118 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6243, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147904, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/partita-partners-llc-v-united-states-nysd-2016.