Universal Folding Box Co. v. Hoboken City

19 N.J. Tax 141
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedAugust 21, 2000
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 19 N.J. Tax 141 (Universal Folding Box Co. v. Hoboken City) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Universal Folding Box Co. v. Hoboken City, 19 N.J. Tax 141 (N.J. Super. Ct. 2000).

Opinion

KAHN, J.T.C.

This is the court’s determination of a tax appeal filed by plaintiff, Universal Folding Box Co., against the City of Hoboken. The various complaints for the tax years in question (1994 through 1998), describe the subject property solely as Block 106, Lot l.1

The subject property contains an industrial building situated on 3.51 acres of land. Taxpayer operates its business on the entire parcel, which also includes Block 111, Lot 3. At all times relevant to these appeals Block 111, Lot 3 was owned by Ruth Batkin, and upon her death, the Estate of Ruth Batkin (“Batkin”). Taxpayer used Block 111, Lot 3 solely for parking. None of the complaints under review name Ruth Batkin or Batkin as a plaintiff, and specifically, none of the complaints itemize or describe Block 111, Lot 3, as a parcel under appeal. The Batkin parcel is a separate line item, with its own assessment apart from Block 106, Lot 1. The Batkin parcel was the subject of Tax Court judgments for 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and a judgment was entered at the Hudson County Board of Taxation for 1998.

The assessment appealed for each of the five years at issue regarding Block 106, Lot 1 is follows:

1994 Land $3,522,300

Improvements 2,279,000

Total $5,801,300

1995 Land $3,522,300

1996 Land $3,522,300

Improvements 1,197,700

Total $4,720,000

1997 Land $3,522,300

[144]*144Improvements 1,197,700

1998 Land $3,522,300

For the same years, the judgments on the Batkin lot (Block 111, Lot 3) were as follows:

1994 ' Land $200,000

Improvements 10,000

Total $210,000

1995 The Tax Court complaint was dismissed, reinstating the original assessment:

Land $245,000

Total $255,000

1996 Land $200,000

1997 Land $200,000

1998 Land $200,000

At the outset of the trial, the municipality moved to dismiss taxpayer’s complaint, alleging that the 1994-1998 complaints listed only Block 106, Lot 1, as the property under appeal. None of the complaints named either Ruth Batkin or the Estate of Ruth Batkin as a plaintiff. Additionally, the municipality contended that property still owned by the named taxpayer herein actual[145]*145ly contained more lots than Block 106, Lot 1, which, in fact, was the case. Even though the property owned by the named plaintiff-taxpayer contains multiple block and lot numbers, including Block 106, Lot 1, the assessment is identified as a line item for Block 106, Lot 1. As such, any error in the complaint was merely technical, and the municipality was on notice that the entire parcel owned by the named plaintiff herein (Universal Folding Box Co.) is under review'. With respect to Block 111, Lot 3, the Batkin parcel, a separate assessment existed. For reasons set forth on the record at the time of trial, this court denied the municipality’s application to dismiss plaintiffs complaint. At this time, this court amends and alters its determination. This court dismisses the complaint with respect to the Batkin parcel because said parcel was separately assessed, and in fact, was the subject of prior determinations by either the Tax Court or the Hudson County Board of Taxation. As hereinafter set forth, this court is able to review' the entire property, inclusive of the Batkin lot (Block 111, Lot 3) and extract the appropriate value for Block 106, Lot 1.

In addition, taxpayer moved at the outset of trial to suppress the municipality’s answering pleadings and further sought an order prohibiting the municipality from presenting any witnesses or evidence in support of a valuation estimate. This application was based upon the fact that the municipality’s failure to answer interrogatories. For the reasons set forth on the record at trial, this court granted taxpayer’s motion, suppressed the municipality’s pleadings and permitted the municipality to only cross-examine taxpayer’s witnesses. The municipality was, therefore, precluded from presenting any evidence at trial on the issue of valuation.

The property under review by this court consists of 3.51 acres of land, and a total of 119,723 square feet of improvements. The Batkin lot, which is separately assessed, and not identified in the complaint, occupies a small portion of the 3.51 acres under review. Of the 119,723 square feet of improvements, 8,550 square feet consist of second floor space. The improvements were originally constructed in 1920, with various additions in 1947 and 1981. [146]*146According to taxpayer’s expert appraisal witness, the weighted chronological age of the improvements is circa 1948.

Taxpayer’s expert appraisal witness was the only witness in the case. He utilized the income capitalization and market sales approaches to value the subject property. He testified that by reason of the age and condition of the improvements, the cost approach would not be useful. He arrived at an estimate of value of the subject property for each year in question by using the income capitalization approach, in the amount of $2,563,364. Utilizing the market sales approach, he valued the property for each year in question at $2,750,000. He indicated that the income capitalization approach was the primary basis for his total valuation, according little (if any) weight to the market sales approach, and concluded a value for the subject property of $2,600,000 for each of the five years at issue. This court finds that the income capitalization approach provides the only reliable method to value the subject property.

Taxpayer’s expert witness fust analyzed eight purported comparable rental properties. He displayed personal knowledge and familiarity with both the comparables and the subject. He made adjustments between same for the date of the inception of comparable leases, as well as for the length of the leases. He further adjusted for location, land-to-building ratio, ceiling clearance, age, and condition. Taxpayer’s expert witness concluded that after adjustments, the 111,173 square feet of ground floor space commanded a market rent of $3.00 per square foot for each year at issue. For the 8,550 square foot second floor space, taxpayer’s expert witness decided on a market rent of $2.40 per square foot, essentially opining that second floor space has 20% less market value than first floor space. 'Utilizing a weighted average of the ground floor and second floor space, taxpayer’s expert witness concluded that for the entire 119,723 square feet of leasable space, market rent would be $2.97 per square foot for all five years in question. By calculation, this results in potential gross income (PGI) in the amount of $356,039.

[147]*147Based upon taxpayer’s expert witness’ experience and knowledge of the industrial real estate market in Hudson County, he concluded that a 10% vacancy and collection loss factor should be deducted from PGI to achieve effective gross income (EGI) in the amount of $320,436. The witness further deducted operating expenses as follows:

Management - 4% of EGI - $12,817

Allowance for replacements - 15c per s.f. $17,958

Leasing commissions - 5% of EGI $16,022

Miscellaneous (inclusive of professional fees) - 1% of EGI $ 3,204

Total $49,991

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
19 N.J. Tax 141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/universal-folding-box-co-v-hoboken-city-njtaxct-2000.