JPR Mechanical of New Rochelle files for Chapter 7

J.P.R. Mechanical Inc., a New Rochelle heating and air conditioning contractor that has worked on major public works projects, has filed for Chapter 7 liquidation.

Separate bankruptcy petitions were filed for two affiliates, J.P.R. Mechanical Services Inc. and J&G Group Inc.

JPR”™s owner and his wife, Timothy and Dina Schmidt of Westport, Connecticut, simultaneously filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on Aug. 16 in federal bankruptcy court in White Plains.

JPR has worked on projects such as the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, the Long Island Rail Road east side access concourse, and LaGuardia Airport terminal renovations. The company is based at 255 Main St. in New Rochelle, and operates a facility on East 164^th Street in the Morrisania section of the Bronx.

The company estimated that the assets and the liabilities both range from $10 million and $50 million. More than 200 creditors are listed.

The Schmidts estimated assets up to $50,000 and liabilities up to $10 million.

More detailed financial information is due by the end of the month.

Three lawsuits filed this week in Westchester Supreme Court suggest that JPR has been short of cash for a while.

A.D.E. Systems Inc., a wholesale distributor of commercial and industrial HVAC equipment in Nassau County, claims that JPR has paid none of the nearly $1.2 million bill for goods delivered in December. Schmidt and Anthony Ruffino, according to the complaint, personally guaranteed payment.

A Connecticut Secretary of State business record names Ruffino of White Plains as president and Schmidt as vice president of JPR Mechanical Inc. as of 2015. The bankruptcy petitions show Schmidt as JPR”™s president and sole shareholder and do not name Ruffino.

S.W. Anderson Sales Corp., a wholesale distributor in Farmingdale, claims that JPR, Schmidt and Ruffino have refused to pay $347,459 for heating and air conditioning materials.

Albert Weiss Air Conditioning Products of Manhattan sued Ruffino for allegedly not paying $113,046 delivered to JPR last year.

A year ago, Schneider Electric USA Inc. sued JPR, claiming it was still owed $424,547 for work and materials it provided JPR on the Second Avenue Subway project in Manhattan. Schneider withdrew the case in January, following settlement negotiations.

The JPR companies and the Schmidts are represented by Dawn Kirby of Scarsdale,  Lawrence Morrison of Manhattan and John Stackpole Groarke of Garden City.