Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 1 of 6 UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE. Chapter 11

Transcription

1 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 1 of 6 UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE In re: CHARMING CHARLIE HOLDINGS INC., et al., Debtors. Chapter 11 Case No (CSS) (Jointly Administered) Hearing Date: January 11, 2018 at 1:00 PM Ref. Docket Nos.: 21, 93, 212, 213 and 216 LIMITED OBJECTION AND JOINDER TO OTHER LANDLORDS BY RAMCO-GERSHENSON PROPERTIES TRUST TO DEBTORS MOTION SEEKING ENTRY OF FINAL ORDERS (I) AUTHORIZING THE DEBTORS TO OBTAIN POSTPETITION FINANCING, (II) AUTHORIZING THE DEBTORS TO USE CASH COLLATERAL, (III) GRANTING LIENS AND PROVIDING SUPERPRIORITY ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE STATUS, (IV) GRANTING ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE PREPETITION LENDERS, (V) MODIFYING AUTOMATIC STAY, (VI) SCHEDULING A FINAL HEARING, AND (VII) GRANTING RELATED RELIEF Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust, as agent six (6) locations for Ramco-Gershenson Properties, L.P., Ramco Jacksonville, LLC, Bridgewater Falls Station, LLC, collectively (the Landlords ), by and through its counsel, hereby files the following limited objection to Debtors Motion Seeking Entry of Final Orders (I) Authorizing the Debtors to Obtain Postpetition Financing, (II) Authorizing the Debtors To Use Cash Collateral, (III) Granting Liens and Providing Superpriority Administrative Expense Status, (IV) Granting Adequate Protection to the Prepetition Lenders, (V) Modifying Automatic Stay, (VI) Scheduling a Final Hearing, and (VII) Granting Related Relief (D.I. Nos. 212, 213 and 216), and respectfully represents as follows: BACKGROUND 1. On December 11, 2017 (the Petition Date ), the Debtors filed voluntary petitions under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code ) with this Court. 1

2 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 2 of 6 2. Upon information and belief, Debtors are operating their businesses as debtors-inpossession pursuant to sections 1107(a) and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code. 3. Landlords and Debtors are parties to unexpired, nonresidential real property leases as follows: a. a lease dated August 23, 2010, which has been subsequently extended and amended between Debtors and Ramco-Gershenson Properties, L.P. for property known as Woodbury Lakes, 9020 Hudson Rd., Suite 403, Woodbury, MN (the Woodbury Lakes Lease ); b. a lease dated April 16, 2012, between Debtors and Ramco-Gershenson Properties, L.P. for property known as the Shoppes at Fox River, 1200 W Sunset Dr., Suite B4, Waukesha, WI (the Fox River Lease ); c. a lease dated September 26, 2011, between Debtors and Ramco Jacksonville, LLC for property known as the River City Marketplace, Space #H104, City Station Drive, Ste. 103 (the River City Lease ); d. a lease dated December 3, 2010, between Debtors and Ramco-Gershenson Properties, L.P for property known as Front Range Village, 2721 Council Tree Ave Suite 103, Fort Collins, CO (the Front Range Lease ); e. a lease between Debtors and Ramco-Gershenson Properties, L.P for property known as Deerfield Towne Center, 5175 Deerfield Blvd, Mason, OH (the Deerfield Range Lease ); and f. a lease between Debtors and Bridgewater Falls Station, LLC for property known as Bridgewater Falls, 3417 Princeton Rd., Ste. 103, Fairfield Township, OH (the Bridgewater Lease ). 2

3 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 3 of 6 Hereinafter the Woodbury Lakes Lease, Fox River Lease, the River City Lease, the Front Range Lease, the Deerfield Lease and the Bridgewater Lease shall be collectively referred to as the Leases and/or Premises. 4. The Leases are leases of real property in a shopping center within the meaning of section 365(b)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code. See In re Joshua Slocum, Ltd., 922 F.2d 1081, (3d Cir. 1990). 5. Both pre-petition and post-petition rents for Landlords respective Leases have not been paid. LEGAL DISCUSSION 6. The proposed budget fails to provide for stub rent owed to Landlords for the use of their property from December 11 through December 31, 2017 ( Stub Rent ) until much later in these cases. 7. Debtors continuing use and occupancy of Landlord s Premises is critical to Debtors sales process, including store closing sales. The use and occupancy of the Premises provides an actual, necessary, and ongoing benefit to Debtors, and the Court should require Debtors to pay Landlords the Stub Rent, immediately. 8. Debtor s Motion authorizes use of the Premises for the benefit of Debtors and Secured Lenders without payment of Stub Rent, immediately, is not supported by applicable law. Further, Landlords should not be required to bear the risk of administrative insolvency by waiting months for payment of the stub rent that is currently due, especially when the Premises are being used by the Debtors outside of the ordinary course of business to liquidate their collateral. 9. The Court should require that payment be remitted to Landlord for post-petition rent for the use of the Premises for the benefit of the Prepetition Secured Lenders. See e.g., In re ZB Company, Inc., 302 B.R. 316, 320 (Bankr. D. Del. 2003) (holding that rent should be paid to 3

4 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 4 of 6 landlords on a per diem basis during the pre-rejection period in order to avoid the potential that the landlord could be left with an allowed administrative claim against an administratively insolvent estate). 10. Payment of Stub Rent is also warranted as adequate protection pursuant to Section 363(e) of the Bankruptcy Code. This provision of the Bankruptcy Code serves as a basis to grant adequate protection to real property lessors. See, e.g., Matter of Cont l Airlines, Inc., 154 B.R. 176, 180 (Bankr. D. Del. 1993) (finding that adequate protection is available under 363(e) for a decrease in value due to the use, sale, or lease of an entity s interest in property) (emphasis added); In re P.J. Clarke's Restaurant Corp., 265 B.R. 392, 404 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2001) (providing that a landlord s right to adequate protection seems to follow clearly from the language of Section 363(e)... ). Here, with the likely administrative insolvency of Debtors, Landlords should not be compelled to allow use of their Premises, without payment of Stub Rent, immediately. 11. Further, Secured Lenders seek waivers of sections 506(c) and 552(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, forcing unsecured creditors, like Landlord to pay for the bankruptcy case. This Court should not allow Debtors and Secured Lenders to misuse the chapter 11 process by disregarding provisions of the Bankruptcy Code they find unfavorable. 12. The Court should require immediate payment of Stub Rent pursuant to Section 506(c), which authorizes a debtor to surcharge property that serves as collateral for a secured claim the reasonable, necessary costs and expenses of preserving or disposing of, such property to the extent of any benefit to the holder of such claim. 11 U.S.C. 506(c). 13. There is substantial authority which permits lessors to recover under Section 506(c) provided that the standards for recovery are met. In re World Wines, Ltd., 77 B.R. 653, 658 (Bankr. N.D.Ill.1987). Such standards are that the services provided were necessary and 4

5 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 5 of 6 beneficial to the lender. Visual Ind., Inc., 57 F.3d at Here, Debtors and Secured Lenders are the primary beneficiaries of the post-petition sales at the Premises. As such payment should be made for such use of the Premises pursuant to Section 506(c). 15. Finally, the Court may authorize the immediate payment of Stub Rent as an administrative claim under Section 503(b). Section 365(d)(3) does not preclude the Court from ruling that Stub Rent is an administrative expense under Section 503(b)(1). See In re Goody s Family Clothing Inc., 610 F.3d 812, (3rd. Cir. 2010); In re Garden Ridge Corp., 323 B.R. 136, (Bankr. D. Del. 2005) (citing ZB Company Inc., 302 B.R. at 319 (landlords entitled to prorated rent from the Petition Date despite the fact that the billing date occurred the day before the petition date). 16. Courts have discretion to determine the timing of payment of administrative claims, and may direct immediate payment of prorated, post-petition rent. See, e.g., Garden Ridge Corp., 323 B.R. at 143 (citing HQ Global Holdings, Inc., 282 B.R. 169, 173 (Bankr. D. Del. 2002) (entering interim orders directing the full contract rent for February 2004 to each landlord); ZB Company, 302 B.R. at 320. In determining the time of payment, courts consider prejudice to the debtor, hardship to the claimant, and potential detriment to other creditors. See Garden Ridge Corp., 323 B.R. at 143; see also HQ Global, 282 B.R. at Here, the prejudice to Debtors and other constituents is far outweighed by the hardship to Landlord. Unless Landlord is paid immediately for Stub Rent, it is left exposed to providing use and occupancy at the Premises cost-free, while Debtors and others reap the benefits of the ongoing sales. Other constituents are not being compelled to provide post-petition services or goods to Debtors estates without payment and Landlords should not be forced to shoulder the burden of the on-going sales as an involuntary lender. See In re Travel 2000, Inc., 264 B.R. 444 (Bankr. 5

6 Case CSS Doc 227 Filed 01/05/18 Page 6 of 6 W.D. Mich. 2001) (finding that Congress and courts have determined that a landlord should receive the benefit of its bargain and be compensated for being compelled to continue providing a debtor with a critical service). JOINDER IN OBJECTIONS RAISED BY OTHER LANDLORDS AND RESERVATION OF RIGHTS 18. To the extent consistent with the objections expressed herein, Landlords also join in the objections of other shopping center lessors to the Motion. Further, Landlords reserve all rights to make further and/or future objections based upon any facts or arguments that come to light prior to the hearing on these issues. WHERFORE, the Landlords respectfully request entry of an order denying the Motion and granting such other relief as is just and proper. Dated: January 5, 2018 Respectfully submitted, STARK & STARK A Professional Corporation By: /s /John R. Weaver, Jr. John R. Weaver, Jr. P.O. Box W. 18th Street Wilmington, Delaware (302) (main) (302) (direct) jrweaverlaw@verizon.net and Thomas S. Onder Joseph H. Lemkin STARK & STARK A Professional Corporation 993 Lenox Drive Lawrenceville, NJ (609) (direct) (609) (main) (609) (facsimile) Attorneys for Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust 6

7 Case CSS Doc Filed 01/05/18 Page 1 of 3 UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE In re: Chapter 11 Case No (CSS) CHARMING CHARLIE HOLDINGS, INC., et al., Debtors. (Jointly Administered) Hearing Date: January 11, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE OF THE LIMITED OBJECTION AND JOINDER TO OTHER LANDLORDS BY RAMCO-GERSHENSON PROPERTIES TRUST TO DEBTORS MOTION SEEKING ENTRY OF FINAL ORDERS (I) AUTHORIZING THE DEBTORS TO OBTAIN POSTPETITION FINANCING, (II) AUTHORIZING THE DEBTORS TO USE CASH COLLATERAL, (III) GRANTING LIENS AND PROVIDING SUPERPRIORITY ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE STATUS, (IV) GRANTING ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE PREPETITION LENDERS, (V) MODIFYING AUTOMATIC STAY, (VI) SCHEDULING A FINAL HEARING, AND (VII) GRANTING RELATED RELIEF John Weaver, Esquire hereby certifies that on the 5 th day of January, 2018, a true and correct copy of the Limited Objection and Joinder to Other Landlords by Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust to Debtors Motion Seeking Entry of Final Order (I) Authorizing the Debtors to Obtain Postpetition Financing, (II) Authorizing the Debtors to Use Cash Collateral, (III) Granting Liens and Providing Superpriority Administrative Expense Status, (IV) Granting Adequate Protection to the Prepetition Lenders, (V) Modifying Automatic Stay, (VI) Scheduling a Final Hearing, and (VII) Granting Related Relief, was served upon the addressees listed on the attached service list in the manner indicated , v. 1

8 Case CSS Doc Filed 01/05/18 Page 2 of 3 STARK & STARK A Professional Corporation Dated: January 5, 2018 By: /s /John R. Weaver, Jr. John R. Weaver, Jr. P.O. Box W. 18th Street Wilmington, Delaware (302) (main) (302) (direct) jrweaverlaw@verizon.net and Thomas S. Onder Joseph H. Lemkin STARK & STARK A Professional Corporation 993 Lenox Drive Lawrenceville, NJ (609) (direct) (609) (main) (609) (facsimile) Attorneys for Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust , v. 1

9 Case CSS Doc Filed 01/05/18 Page 3 of 3 SERVICE LIST (Via Regular Mail & CM/ECF) Domenic Pacitti Morton Branzburg Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg LLP 919 North Market Street, Suite 1000 Wilmington, Delaware Co- counsel to the Debtors Mark D. Collins David T. Queroli Richards Layton & Finger One Rodney Square, 920 North King Street Wilmington, Delaware Counsel to the DIP ABL Agent and the Prepetition ABL Agent Pauline K. Morgan M. Blake Cleary Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP 1000 North King Street Wilmington, Delaware Counsel to the Consenting Term Loan Committee David M. Fournier Pepper Hamilton LLP Hercules Plaza, Suite N. Market Street Wilmington, Delaware Counsel to the DIP Term Loan Agent and Prepetition Term Loan Agent Jennifer R. Hoover Kevin M. Capuzzi Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP 222 Delaware Avenue, Suite 801 Wilmington, Delaware Counsel to the Committee Cathy Hershcopf Seth Van Aalten Michael Klein Cooley LLP 1114 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York Counsel to the Committee Richard L. Schepacarter Office of the United States Trustee 844 N. King Street, Room 2207 Lockbox 35 Wilmington DE, Joshua A. Sussberg Aparna Yenamandra Kirkland & Ellis LLP 601 Lexington Avenue New York, New York Counsel to the Debtors Kirkland & Ellis LLP 300 North LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois Counsel to the Debtors Julia Frost-Davies Amelia C. Joiner Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP One Federal Street Boston, Massachusetts Counsel to the DIP ABL Agent and the Prepetition ABL Agent Brad J. Finkelstein Jeffrey Saferstein Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York Counsel to the Consenting Term Loan Committee Ronald A. Hewitt Martin E. Beeler Covington & Burling LLP 620 Eighth Avenue New York, New York Counsel to the DIP Term Loan Agent and Prepetition Term Loan Agent , v. 1