Opinion ID: 1656900
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: narrative events

Text: In 1976, Leigh, Vice and Thomas R. Ferguson agreed to develop a parcel of property owned by Leigh on Bluecutt Road in Columbus. As part of the agreement, Vice constructed three commercial structures at what became known as 3502, 3504 and 3506 Bluecutt Road. A common parking lot was also constructed in front of all three buildings. [2] Thereafter, Leigh leased the property at 3502 Bluecutt Road to Vice and Ferguson for a term of fifteen years on June 28, 1977. The lease stated in relevant part: Lessees shall not assign this lease nor sublease said premises in whole nor any part thereof without the written consent of Lessor; provided, however, such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. ... . In the event of default by Lessees in payment of any installment of rent accruing under the terms of this lease, or in the event Lessees should fail to perform or observe any other covenant, agreement or obligation assumed under the terms of this lease and such default shall continue for a period of 30 days, or in the event of the insolvency of the Lessees, or the adjudication of the Lessees to be bankrupt, whether such adjudication be voluntary or involuntary, or in the event of a judgment against Lessees remaining unsatisfied and without appeal for more than 30 days after its entry, or in the event of an abandonment of the leased premises by Lessees, then in any such event, Lessor shall have the right to declare the rights of Lessees under this lease forfeited and cancelled [sic] and to re-enter into possession of the demised premises. In such event, Lessor may re-let said premises or make such other use of it as he may consider expedient under the circumstances and Lessees shall be liable for the full guaranteed to Lessor by the lease together with all the Lessor's costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, less whatever amount Lessor should derive from the subsequent reletting or re-use of said property for the remainder of this lease. ... . In consideration of the covenants and rental payments provided herein, Lessor does hereby grant unto the Lessees the right at their option, to renew this lease for an additional period of 15 years beginning the 28th day of June, 1992, and terminating the 27th day of June, 2007, upon the same terms and conditions as herein provided, except for the provisions providing for an option of renewal and except for the rental ... (a) Lessees, in order to exercise this option to renew, must give written notice of their intention so to do at least three months prior to the expiration of the primary term of this lease; (b) In order to avail themselves of the right of this option to renew, Lessees must have made all rental payments when due and must have complied with and performed all of the covenants premises and agreements of this lease. In the event of any delinquency in the payment of rentals or any violation of nonperformance of the covenants of this agreement, the right of Lessees to renew shall be forfeited and Lessor shall be under no obligation to renew this lease as specified above. The covenants and agreements contained in this lease are interdependent and are binding on the parties hereto, their heirs and assigns. A business, the House of Lights, was a sub-tenant of Vice and Ferguson and occupied the 3502 property, at the time the June 1977 lease was executed. [3] Leigh raised no objection to the House of Lights. In 1979, House of Lights vacated the 3502 property. The property was then sub-let to Magnolia Lighting. Vice and Ferguson did not obtain Leigh's consent prior to sub-leasing the property. However, Leigh raised no objection to the sub-lease. In 1986, Ferguson assigned his entire interest in the 3502 property to Vice without Leigh's prior approval. Thereafter, Vice notified Leigh of the assignment. Leigh raised no objection. At the same time, Vice gave notice to Leigh that he intended to renew the lease. Magnolia Lighting vacated the 3502 premises in 1987. On June 24, 1988, Vice sublet the property to Bob W. Eidson without Leigh's prior approval. By a letter date November 5, 1988, however, Vice did inform Leigh that he had sub-let the property to Eidson: My lease with Edison [sic] is a triple net lease, in which, he pays all taxes, insurance, and upkeep on the building. A similar letter was sent to Leigh on December 2, 1988. Thereafter, in 1989, Leigh constructed the fence across the parking lot, dividing the other property from the 3502 premises. On August 8, 1990, Leigh informed Vice that he was in default on the lease, partly because of the unauthorized sublease to Eidson. At trial, the following colloquy took place: LEIGH BY MR. LISTON: Did you ever give your consent to the sublease of those buildings to Mr. Eidson? BY MR. LEIGH: No. No, sir. BY MR. LISTON: At any time during the primary term of the 1977 lease did you give Mr. Vice and Mr. Ferguson notice of what you considered to be default in terms of that lease by them? And, in that connection, I want to hand you Exhibit No. 11 in evidence. BY MR. LEIGH: I construed the August 8, 1990, letter from me to Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Vice as notification that they were in default. (T. 70-71) CROSS-EXAMINATION: BY MR. GEESLIN: Mr. Leigh, the document in front of you, Exhibit No. 28, [dated December 2, 1988] is there reference in that letter to Bob Eidson doing business as Eidson Chemical and Office? Is that correct? BY MR. LEIGH: That's correct. BY MR. GEESLIN: All right, sir. And did you voice any objection to Mr. Vice at the time about the occupancy of No. 3502, Building No. 1 by Mr. Eidson? BY MR. LEIGH: I have never approved Mr. Eidson. BY MR. GEESLIN: Excuse me. My question is did you voice any objection  BY MR. LEIGH: Yes, I did to Mr.  Yes, I did voice my objection to Mr. Vice when Mr. Vice sought me out to tell me about this and to ask me if I would participate in an expenditure of Mr. Eidson ... ... . BY MR. GEESLIN: Are you unable to tell us, sir, when you objected first to him to Mr. Vice? BY MR. LEIGH: I objected to  I don't know when I objected to  Whenever I was asked, I objected. He may know when I objected. I don't. I objected when he asked me. BY MR. GEESLIN: So you say Mr. Vice would know? BY MR. LEIGH: Yes. VICE BY MR. GEESLIN: If you know, looking at the lease dated June 24, 1988, when did you inform Mr. Leigh of the fact that Mr. Eidson was leasing Building No. 1? BY MR. VICE: I don't know that I informed him. He contacted me about an insurance  wanting to be sure we had some insurance on it, was he covered under the lease as the lease stated, and I told him I thought so, and I would get that for him. I don't remember the dates on it. He voiced no objection to Mr. Eidson at all in the beginning. It was months after Mr. Eidson had been there. It was  He began to voice an objection when he and Mr. Eidson had words. BY MR. GEESLIN: Well, when if ever, did he voice an objection to you about it? BY MR. VICE: He's never voiced an objection to me until he sent this letter, I believe in August of 1990. That's the when he objected to me.