Siegel v. Levy Organization Development Co.

579 N.E.2d 1112, 219 Ill. App. 3d 579, 162 Ill. Dec. 298, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1595
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedSeptember 18, 1991
Docket1-89-1881
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 579 N.E.2d 1112 (Siegel v. Levy Organization Development Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Siegel v. Levy Organization Development Co., 579 N.E.2d 1112, 219 Ill. App. 3d 579, 162 Ill. Dec. 298, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1595 (Ill. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinions

JUSTICE RIZZI

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff Joseph E. Siegel (Siegel) appeals from an order of the circuit court of Cook County which granted defendants the Levy Organization Development Co., Inc. et al.’s (Levy Organization’s) motion for summary judgment on all counts of Siegel’s eight-count third amended complaint for rescission, restitution and other relief. On appeal, Siegel contends that (1) this cause of action was improperly transferred from the chancery to the law division of the circuit court; and (2) the trial court erred in granting the Levy Organization’s motion for summary judgment. We affirm in part and reverse and remand in part.

On January 26, 1981, Siegel entered into a purchase agreement with the Levy Organization as agent of the beneficiaries of a La Salle National Bank land trust for the purchase of a condominium unit in the One Magnificent Mile (OMM) luxury development located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The condominium purchase price was $1.6 million. The relationships of the other defendants to this matter are as follows. One Magnificent Mile Partnership and One Magnificent Mile Condominium Partnership were beneficiaries of the land trust. Sheffield Properties, Inc., and Lomm Commercial Partnership were general partners of One Magnificent Mile Partnership. The Levy Organization and Lawrence F. Levy (Levy) are general partners of Lomm Commercial Partnership. Lomm Condominium Partnership and Newcastle Properties, Inc., are general partners of One Magnificent Mile Condominium Partnership. Levy is president of the Levy Organization.

Siegel is a commodities trader. He and his fiancee, Kay Kimberly (now Siegel), were interested in purchasing a condominium residence expansive enough to entertain large groups of people. In late 1979 or early 1980, Kay Kimberly saw a newspaper advertisement regarding OMM. As a result of this advertisement, the Siegels met with Levy, and Levy Organization vice-president, Helen Jaeger (Jaeger), at the OMM sales office. During the course of this initial discussion and all subsequent negotiations relative to the purchase of an apartment in OMM, the Siegels stated their desire for an apartment large enough for entertaining on a lavish scale.

According to Siegel, at the initial meeting Levy turned the discussion toward OMM unit 48A, which he claimed was suitable for the Siegels’ needs. Levy informed the Siegels that apartment 48A would be the largest apartment in the development and that it would have a “very special terrace arrangement, whereby you could have a band there and have tables and chairs and people dancing on it.” Levy called it a “dancing terrace.” Jaeger and Levy showed the Siegels a scale model of OMM. The scale model showed terraces unobstructed by pillars or posts. The conversation at the initial meeting focused on the terrace for unit 48A. Levy’s representations with respect to the expansive, 500-square-foot open terrace became a key attraction for the Siegels. At deposition, Levy denied ever promising the Siegels a “dancing terrace.” However, Levy testified that the model of unit 48A which he showed to the Siegels did not contain posts called “mullions.”

During the course of negotiations with the Levy Organization, the Siegels were given a sales brochure and property report which contained floor plans for unit 48A. Henry Mikolajczyk is an architect and professional engineer who was retained by Siegel as an expert witness in the instant litigation. He reviewed the floor plan for the apartment contained in the Levy Organization’s 8x/2- by 11-inch sales brochure and the floor plans contained in the OMM property report. In an affidavit submitted in opposition to the defendants’ summary judgment motion, Mr. Mikolajczyk stated that those plans did not disclose the existence of free-standing mullions or other obstructions on the terrace of unit 48A. However, according to Jaeger, a full-size copy of the floor plan was attached to the purchase agreement. Paragraph 3 of the purchase agreement provides that unit 48A “shall be constructed substantially in accordance with the floor plan attached as exhibit B hereto and made a part hereof.” The floor plan included architectural drawings indicating the presence of mullions on the terrace. The parties disagree about whether a floor plan of the apartment was among the documents attached to the agreement.

Edward Faron, an architect hired by Siegel in 1981 to work on the interior plan of the apartment, reviewed floor plans for unit 48A prepared by Skidmore, Owens and Merrill, one of defendants’ architects. Mr. Faron made trace drawings of these plans. During a discovery deposition, Mr. Faron testified that the drawings and plans which he reviewed did not reveal the presence of mullions on the terrace and that, in fact, he did not become aware of their existence until September 6, 1983, when he was allowed to view the partially completed apartment.

Paragraph 5 of the purchase agreement provided, in pertinent part, that “it is estimated that the purchased unit will be substantially completed by August 3, 1983 (estimated completion date), subject to extensions for delays occasioned by strikes, material shortages, labor shortages, casualties, inclement weather conditions, acts of God and other causes beyond the reasonable control of seller.” Paragraph 12 of the contract provided that “time is of the essence of this Purchase Agreement.” This provision expressly granted Siegel the right to a refund of all earnest money deposits, plus interest, should the defendants be in default of their obligations.

Siegel subsequently requested remodeling work on the unit which cost $66,594. On November 22, 1982, Siegel entered into a first amendment to purchase agreement with the Levy Organization which incorporated the additional work and its cost. In lieu of a cash earnest money deposit in down payment, Siegel delivered to Levy two unconditional, irrevocable letters of credit in the sum total of $386,594.

On February 14, 1983, the Levy Organization sent Siegel a letter informing him that his irrevocable letter of credit expired on August 24, 1983. The correspondence stated, in part:

“As you know, if we do not receive the replacement letter of credit, or the extension of the letter of credit by thirty days prior to August 24, 1983, we are entitled to draw on the letter of credit.”

On March 3, 1983, Jaeger sent Siegel a letter which stated as follows:

“We would like to advise you concerning the new estimated completion date of the purchased unit. We now estimate, based on construction of the building to date and the construction schedule, the purchased unit will be substantially completed on December 5, 1983. The estimated completion date set forth in your contract was delayed due to the adverse winter weather conditions last year and other causes beyond our control. If you have ordered extras or credits, you should be aware that the date of substantial completion set forth above is the date upon which it is estimated that the purchased unit would be substantially completed but for the extras and credits.”

Nine days after the March 3 letter, Siegel extended the letters of credit until December 31, 1983. In August of 1983, the Siegels viewed the partially completed apartment for the first time.

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Siegel v. Levy Organization Development Co.
579 N.E.2d 1112 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
579 N.E.2d 1112, 219 Ill. App. 3d 579, 162 Ill. Dec. 298, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1595, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/siegel-v-levy-organization-development-co-illappct-1991.