Monroeville Mall files suit against restaurant owners
Owners of the Monroeville Mall are seeking more than $1.1 million in back rent and other damages from tenants who until recently operated a restaurant in the shopping center.
CBL/Monroeville LP, a local subsidiary of the Tennessee-based company that owns and operates the mall, filed a complaint in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 25 accusing the owners of Winghart's Burger and Whiskey Bar of not paying rent since Nov. 1, 2013 and failing to pay for trash removal and other fees required under their lease agreement.
The lawsuit names Prasad Margabandhu and Sivram M. Bandhu, both of Murrysville, and their companies Bandhu Brothers Inc. and Prasiv Inc. as defendants. Attempts to reach Margabandhu and Bandhu were unsuccessful.
The Winghart's at the Monroeville Mall was one of several in the Pittsburgh area.
Saul Markowitz, a communications consultant for the mall, said CBL doesn't comment on legal matters.
The restaurant closed earlier this year, weeks after a fraternity event in April spilled into the parking lot where fighting broke out and gunshots were fired.
Margabandhu said at the time that he already planned to close that location. CBL was already pursuing litigation over unpaid rent. The new lawsuit doesn't mention the April incident.
Winghart's also has locations in Greensburg, downtown Pittsburgh and the South Side.
“We regret that (the Monroeville) location is no longer operational, and our legal team is working on it as to what the next step is,” said Colin Smith, Winghart's general manager.
Kevin Eddy, the downtown Pittsburgh attorney representing CBL, said in the complaint that the defendants owe $1,122,466 in back rent, late fees, utilities and other charges as of July 31.
The amount doesn't include attorney's fees.
Eddy also wrote that CBL, as a creditor, owned items recorded in a 2012 filing that later were removed from the restaurant.
The form lists furniture, tableware, cooking dishes, a refrigerator and other items as missing.
Gideon Bradshaw is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-871-2369 or gbradshaw@tribweb.com.
