Telesca v. M. L. Bruenn Co.

71 Misc. 2d 208, 335 N.Y.S.2d 875, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1690
CourtNew Rochelle City Court
DecidedJuly 25, 1972
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 71 Misc. 2d 208 (Telesca v. M. L. Bruenn Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Rochelle City Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Telesca v. M. L. Bruenn Co., 71 Misc. 2d 208, 335 N.Y.S.2d 875, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1690 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1972).

Opinion

Richard L. Baltimore, Jr., J.

These two summary proceedings under the same title, one for possession of the demised, premises on the ground, of nonpayment.of rent and the second on the ground that the respondent is a squatter, are being tried by consent on a stipulation of facts.

The agreed facts are:

1. Respondent and its predecessors in interest have been in possession of the premises, the subject matter of the proceedings through mesne leases from approximately April 1,1959.

2. The present lease of the premises dated August 30, 1968, was entered into on or about that date between petitioner’s predecessor in interest as landlord and respondent as tenant.

3. About April 1, 1959 and at the time the present lease was executed, respondent and its predecessors in interest used the space at the rear of the building for parking two automobiles. During that period of time only respondent or its predecessors in interest utilized the said space for parking.

[209]*2094. From April 1, 1959 to date, respondent has continuously occupied an area in the basement of the building for storage purposes. There are only two entrances to the basement of the building, one from the outside in the rear and the other from the inside through the premises occupied by the respondent.

5. Respondent’s use of the basement space was first objected to by petitioner on or about December 9, 1971 by notice from petitioner’s attorney to respondent to remove his property therefrom by January 1, 1972.

6. Respondent’s use of the said parking area was first objected to by petitioner on or about December 22, 1971 by petitioner installing a chain and lock across the area which prevented respondent from using the said area.

The lease is a standard Blumherg lease for business premises. The demised space pursuant to the lease, is ‘1 the store premises [..stricken____] known as # 630 Main Street, New Rochelle, New York, to he used and occupied by the Tenant as an insurance office and for no other purpose ”. The stricken phrase is “ in the building

Paragraph 37 of the rider reads as follows: The tenant shall have the right to rent space in the demised premises without the consent of the landlords in the present form as now exists.”

The other changes in the lease and rider are immaterial to these proceedings.

Two questions were certified by the stipulation of facts to this court:

“1. Whether the basement area occupied by respondent is part of1 the demised premises included under the terms of the lease;
2. Whether the parking area used by the respondent is part of the demised premises under the terms of the lease.”

The intent of the parties cannot be determined from the language of the lease. The changes and the rider demonstrate that the parties gave some thought to their intention. The striking of the words in the building ” can be interpreted to mean either that they did not intend to delimit the demised space to the building only, hut would include the parking area. The striking could mean, to the contrary, that the leasing was restricted to the store and was not to include anything else, particularly the storage area.

The lease is unclear as to what the parties were attempting to say. The use of both the storage and parking areas subsequent [210]*210to the execution of the lease for a long period of time does not clarify the intent of the parties or meaning of the lease,

The fact that the landlord provided free parking service and free storage service for many years neither created a duty nor imposed an obligation upon it to continue doing so.

In Fogelson v. Rackfay Constr. Co. (300 N. Y. 334, 340), the court said: “ and the circumstance that the landlords supplied that service for many years neither creates a duty nor imposes an obligation upon them to continue doing so in perpetuity.”

The storage space can be considered an appurtenance to the lease; the parking space cannot, for reasons hereinafter set forth.

The law in general is that a tenant of a part of a building acquires no easement or privilege in parts of the building not leased. One who has only an easement or right of way over property, does not have the right to the possession of that property but merely the right to use it.” (Matter of Berlin v. Yachnin, 128 Misc. 24, 25; Keesey v. O’Reilly, 181 App. Div. 665).

The exception to the above rule is that if the easement or privilege was necessary to the enjoyment of the premises leased, or was intended for the enjoyment of such portion, then the ease-, ment or privilege passes by implication to the tenant. (Presby v. Benjamin, 169 N. Y. 377; Matter of Hall v. Irvin, 78 App. Div. 107; Stevens v. Taylor, 111 App. Div. 561.)

We are not unmindful of the fact that the practical construction of the parties placed on this lease during many years of the term is entitled to great weight.

In Greenblatt v. Zimmerman (132 App. Div. 283, 285), the court, after giving “ great weight ” to the practical construction of a lease by the parties for nearly four years, concluded that the right to occupy the cellar to the extent necessary to store coal necessary to be used in conducting the restaurant business was appurtenant to the lease of the store ”. (Italics supplied.)

The general rule is that appurtenances reasonably essential to the enjoyment of demised premises pass, as an incident to them unless specially reserved. (Fabrycky, Inc. v. Nad Realty Corp., 261 App. Div. 268, mot. for lv. to app. den. 261 App. Div. 987; 36 C. J., Landlord and Tenant, § 632.)

But the key words are “ necessary ’ ’. Mere convenience is not enough. (Anixter v. Bangor Realty Corp., 104 Misc. 613, 616; Lemkin v. Gulde, 25 Misc 2d 144.)

We must therefore take into consideration the nature of the business.

[211]*211An insurance agency business is essentially one of office space requirements. Is storage space in the basement a necessity? We hold not. A great convenience, yes, but not necessary.

The storage space must be “ intended ” for the use or benefit of the part of the premises demised (Dollard v. Roberts, 130 N. Y. 269; Grynbaum v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 272 App. Div. 216).

In 18th Ave. Pharmacy v. Wilmant Realty Corp. (95 N. Y. S. 2d 534) the court granted tenant the right to use the cellar but the facts there proved a necessity and are distinguishable (pp. 535-536): “ Plaintiff had been in possession for a period of years antedating such lease and for the time of its possession had used a portion of the cellar directly below the store.

11 A dispute has arisen between the parties. Defendant claims that plaintiff may not use the cellar because such use has not been specifically granted or referred to in the lease * * * In such cellar plaintiff maintains a carbonator for its soda fountain and also stores merchandise which is not required for immediate sale.

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71 Misc. 2d 208, 335 N.Y.S.2d 875, 1972 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/telesca-v-m-l-bruenn-co-nynewroccityct-1972.