Downtown Development v. K-Mart Corporation ( 1998 )

USCA1 Opinion

                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]



                            United States Court of Appeals

                                For the First Circuit

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          No. 97-2316



                             DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, CORP.,



                                Plaintiff - Appellant,



                                          v.



                                 K-MART CORPORATION,



                                Defendant - Appellee.



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                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT



                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO



                  [Hon. Carmen Consuelo Cerezo, U.S. District Judge]
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                                 ____________________



                                        Before



                               Torruella, Chief Judge,
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                           Selya and Stahl, Circuit Judges.
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                                _____________________



               Johanna Emmanuelli Huertas, with whom Pedro E. Ortiz Alvarez
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          and The Law Offices  of Pedro E. Ortiz Alvarez were  on brief for
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          appellant.

               Jon  R. Steiger,  with whom  Patrick M.  McCarthy, Howard  &
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          Howard,  Steven C.  Lausell,  James  W.  McCartney  and  Jim nez,
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          Graffam & Lausell were on brief for appellee.
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                                 ____________________



                                  February 26, 1998

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                    Per  Curiam.  On  March 27, 1996,  Downtown Development
Per  Curiam.
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          Corporation  ("Downtown") filed  this action  to recover  damages



          arising from  K-Mart Corporation's  ("K-Mart's") alleged  illegal



          occupancy of Downtown's property in Ponce, Puerto Rico.  Downtown



          appeals the district  court's decision to grant  summary judgment



          in favor of K-Mart Corporation ("K-Mart").



                    We affirm on the grounds stated in the district court's



          opinion and order.  See Downtown Dev. Corp. v. K-Mart Corp., Civ.
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          96-1497CCC (D.P.R. September 25, 1997).  We find clause 27 of the



          lease at  issue dispositive.   As the district court  noted, that



          provision grants K-Mart the option to remain as  a month-to-month



          tenant after the expiration of  the lease until it is  forced out



          by the courts.  In the instant case, K-Mart simply exercised this



          option.



                    Costs to be assessed against appellant.



                    Affirmed.
Affirmed
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