trinity13da-042913.htm

 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
SCHEDULE 13D
 
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.5)
 
 
Trinity Place Holdings Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
 
 
Common Stock, $.01 par value
(Title of Class of Securities)
 
      89656D101      
(CUSIP Number)
 
Andrew L. Sole
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC
1330 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1800
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 315-1340
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
 
April 29, 2013
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
 
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box p .
 
 
Note:  Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits.  See Rule 13d-7(b) for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 
 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 89656D101
   

1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP – Series A
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)   x   (b)   o
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS
 
WC
5
CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)    o
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON WITH
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
682,731
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
682,731
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
682,731
12
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     o
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
4.11%
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 
PN


 
 

 

 
 
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP – Series L
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)   x   (b)   o
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS
 
WC
5
CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)    o
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON WITH
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
366,229
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
366,229
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
366,229
12
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     o
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
2.20%
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 
PN


 
 

 

 
 
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)   x   (b)   o
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS
 
AF
5
CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)    o
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON WITH
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,048,960
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,048,960
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,048,960
12
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     o
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
6.31%
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 
OO


 
 

 

 
 
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
Andrew L. Sole
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)   x   (b)   o
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS
 
AF, PF
5
CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)    o
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
United States
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON WITH
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
92,200
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,048,960
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
92,200
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,048,960
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,141,160
12
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     o
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
6.86%
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 
IN


 
 

 

 
 
1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
 
Lauren A. Krueger
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)   x   (b)   o
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS
 
AF
5
CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)    o
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
United States
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON WITH
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
0
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
1,048,960
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
0
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
1,048,960
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
1,048,960
12
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES     o
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
6.31%
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
 
IN


 
 

 

This Amendment to Schedule 13D is filed with respect to the 682,731 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of Trinity Place Holdings Inc. (the “Issuer”) held by Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP - Series A, the 366,229 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer held by Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP - Series L, and the 92,200 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer held by Andrew L. Sole.  This Statement amends the Schedule 13D initially filed by the Reporting Persons identified below on September 24, 2012, as amended on January 18, 2013, as amended on February 19, 2013, and as amended on April 2, 2013, and as amended on April 22, 2013  (collectively, the "Schedule 13D").  Except as set forth herein, the Schedule 13D is unmodified.
 
The names of the persons filing this statement on Schedule 13D (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”) are:
 
 
·
Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP - Series A,
     
 
·
Esopus Creek Value Series Fund LP - Series L,
       
 
·
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC (“Esopus Advisors”),
 
·
Andrew L. Sole (“Mr. Sole”), and
   
 
·
Lauren A. Krueger (“Ms. Krueger”)
 
 
Collectively, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own 1,141,160 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately 6.86% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
 
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction
 
Item 4 of the Schedule 13D is being supplemented by the following:

On April 29, 2013, the Reporting Persons sent a letter to the Board of Directors of the Issuer (the “Board”) objecting to the putative appointment of Mark Ettenger as Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer pursuant to an engagement agreement entered into without the required consent of the Series A designated Director.  The Reporting Persons urged the Board, including Mr. Ettenger, to reverse this action.  The letter is annexed hereto as Appendix IV and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits
 
The following documents are filed as exhibits:
 
Appendix I: List of the transactions in the Issuer’s Common Stock and in the common stock of the Issuer that were effected by the Reporting Persons during the past sixty days
 
Appendix II: Joint Filing Agreement (previously filed)

Appendix III: Redacted Copy of the Letter to the Board of Directors of the Issuer dated April 2, 2013 (previously filed)

Appendix IV: Copy of the Letter to the Board of Directors of the Issuer dated April 29, 2013

 

 

 
 

 


Signature
 
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, each of the below certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
 
Dated: April 29, 2013
 
 
ESOPUS CREEK VALUE SERIES FUND LP - SERIES A
 
 
By:
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC,
 
   
as General Partner
 
         
         
   
By:
/s/ Andrew L. Sole   
     
Andrew L. Sole, Managing Member
 
         
 
ESOPUS CREEK VALUE SERIES FUND LP - SERIES L
 
 
By:
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC,
 
   
as General Partner
 
         
         
   
By:
/s/ Andrew L. Sole 
 
     
Andrew L. Sole, Managing Member
 
         
 
ESOPUS CREEK ADVISORS LLC
 
         
         
 
By:
/s/ Andrew L. Sole   
 
   
Andrew L. Sole, Managing Member
 
       
       
 
/s/ Andrew L. Sole 
 
 
Andrew L. Sole
 
     
  /s/ Lauren A. Krueger   
 
 Lauren A. Krueger
 
 
 
 

 
 

 

APPENDIX I

TRANSACTIONS EFFECTED DURING THE PAST SIXTY DAYS


None.

 
 

 

APPENDIX IV
 
 
 
 
April 29, 2013

VIA E-MAIL AND MAIL

The Board of Directors of
Trinity Place Holdings, Inc.
One Syms Way
Secaucus, New Jersey 07094
 
Re:           CEO Appointment
 
Dear Sirs and Madam:
 
As shareholders we are perplexed and disturbed by the events described in the Company’s Form 8-K filed on Friday.
 
Giving the Board the benefit of the doubt, we can understand how it would be possible to overlook the unambiguous requirement in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation that the Series A designee on the Board approve the appointment of an insider as the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to a lucrative Engagement Agreement. However, we cannot understand (or abide) the Board’s failure to immediately cancel this ultra vires transaction once it had become clear that Mr. Cohen had exercised his right to block the Engagement Agreement.
 
Let there be no mistake.  The putative appointment of Mark Ettenger pursuant to the Engagement Agreement is clearly a “transaction” which includes any exchange of funds for services (see, e.g.,Investopedia).  As a current director, Mr. Ettenger is without question an “insider” as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation. Nor is it remotely acceptable to suggest that this is a “done deal” because the Company is already bound by the signed Engagement Agreement. Mr. Ettenger is a fiduciary of the Company bound to reasonably cooperate with any action necessary to allow the Company to comply with its organizational documents. Nor can it credibly be argued that the appointment of a sitting director as CEO pursuant to an engagement agreement (which doubles the prior CEO’s base salary and adds a new incentive-based component) is not a matter for the Series A director’s review – the provision was obviously intended to place a limit on payments to insiders out of Company assets. Clearly then, Mr. Ettenger is obligated to permit the Company to immediately rescind the invalidly approved Engagement Agreement.  And the other directors, particularly Alan Miller as the independent director, should work toward that result.


 
 

 

The Board of Directors of
Trinity Place Holdings, Inc.
April 29, 2013
Page 2
 
 
Given that this controversy was not resolved prior to the filing of the 8-K (a filing which can only be viewed as an embarrassment), we are compelled to the conclusion that a majority of the Board intends to try to proceed with the engagement over Mr. Cohen’s objection. This would be a reckless course with potentially serious consequences. Any action taken by Mr. Ettenger as CEO without Board approval could be called into question and individual Board members could be held responsible for their outcome.  The Board’s judgment and fidelity to their obligations might well be challenged. There is simply no justification for such corporate governance failures.
 
We urge the Board to reverse course and rescind the Engagement Agreement and the CEO appointment.  We expect a prompt response, if not to us then publicly to all Shareholders.

 
Very truly yours,


/s/ Andrew L. Sole                                
Andrew L. Sole, Esq.
Managing Member
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC



/s/ Lauren A. Krueger                                           
Lauren A. Krueger
Managing Member
Esopus Creek Advisors LLC

cc:  Brett Rodda, Esq.