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Urban Archaeology Ltd. v. 207 E. 57th Street LLC

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
Dec 17, 2009
68 A.D.3d 562 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)

Opinion

No. 1822.

December 17, 2009.

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (O. Peter Sherwood, J.), entered September 14, 2009, which granted defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint, unanimously affirmed, with costs.

Alpert Butler Weiss, P.C., New York (Clark E. Alpert of counsel), for appellant.

Epstein, Becker Green, P.C., New York (Adrian Zuckerman of counsel), for respondent.

Before: Gonzalez, P.J., Mazzarelli, Nardelli, Acosta and Román, JJ.


The force majeure clause of the parties' lease agreement contemplates either party's inability to perform its obligations under the lease due to "any cause whatsoever" beyond the party's control — other than financial hardship. This clause conclusively establishes a defense to plaintiff's claim that it is excused from performing under the lease by reason of the effect that the downturn in the economy has had on it ( see Kel Kim Corp. v Central Mkts., 70 NY2d 900, 902-903).

We reject plaintiff's argument based on what it describes as the otherwise broad language of the clause.

Nor does the doctrine of impossibility avail plaintiff, since impossibility occasioned by financial hardship does not excuse performance of a contract ( see 407 E. 61st Garage v Savoy Fifth Ave. Corp., 23 NY2d 275, 281-282). Moreover, an economic downturn could have been foreseen or guarded against in the lease ( see Kel Kim Corp., 70 NY2d at 902).


Summaries of

Urban Archaeology Ltd. v. 207 E. 57th Street LLC

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
Dec 17, 2009
68 A.D.3d 562 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)
Case details for

Urban Archaeology Ltd. v. 207 E. 57th Street LLC

Case Details

Full title:URBAN ARCHAEOLOGY LTD., Appellant, v. 207 E. 57TH STREET LLC, as Successor…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department

Date published: Dec 17, 2009

Citations

68 A.D.3d 562 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)
2009 N.Y. Slip Op. 9379
891 N.Y.S.2d 63

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