UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  August 21, 2024 (August 19, 2024)

AMBASE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
1-07265
95-2962743
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification Number)

7857 WEST SAMPLE ROAD, SUITE 134
CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA  33065
 (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(201) 265-0169
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)).

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered

None.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).    Emerging growth company ☐
 
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Item 1.01
Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

In August 2024, AmBase Corporation (the “Company”) and BARC Investments, LLC (“BARC”), an affiliate of the Company owned and controlled by two of the Company’s directors and their sibling entered into a Senior Promissory Note for BARC to provide a loan to the Company of two million dollars ($2,000,000) at an interest rate of 6.5% per annum, (the “Promissory Note”), for working capital.

The Promissory Note is due on the earlier of the date the Company receives funds from any source, (but potentially excluding funds received by the Company by any litigation funding entity to fund any of the 111 West 57th legal proceedings), sufficient to pay all amounts due under this this Note, including all accrued interest thereon, including without limitation, from a settlement of the 111 West 57th legal proceedings or (b) August 31, 2027.

The Company and BARC further agreed that amounts due pursuant to the Promissory Note plus interest can be converted by BARC, at its option, into a litigation funding agreement pari-pasu with any litigation funding agreement entered into by the Company with a litigation funding entity.

A copy of the Promissory Note is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

As previously disclosed in the reports filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Company’s financial statements have expressed a qualification about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
 
In order to provide the necessary cash resources to continue operations and continue the litigation related to the 111 West 57th Property, the Company continues to consider and evaluate various strategic funding and/or financing alternatives. Such additional funding may be provided by a variety of sources, including but not limited to third parties, existing shareholders of the Company and/or Company management, and may take in the form of litigation funding agreements, equity or debt securities, loans, or any combination thereof. Any sale of securities by the Company may not be offered or sold absent registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or an applicable exemption from such registration, which may include exemptions pursuant to Rules 506(b) or 506(c) of Regulation D under the Act.
 
The Company will also continue to consider and explore other litigation funding agreements with third party litigation funders that it could enter into for portions of the litigation costs for up to $5 million of funding, at market terms to be agreed upon at such times. In general, litigation funding agreements are structured so that the litigation funder would receive back their initial funding amount first (i.e. before any recovery is received by the Company), plus an additional multiple ranging from 1.0 times to 3.5 times the amount funded (depending on various factors), plus depending on the funder, additional fees, expenses, interest and potentially an additional percentage of the total recovery received. There can be no assurance that the Company would be able to secure any such additional litigation funding on acceptable terms or at all.

The terms and conditions of any such funding and/or financing agreements may take several months to negotiate and finalize. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to secure any such funding and/or financing arrangements on acceptable terms or at all.

With respect to its disputes and litigation relating to its interest in the 111 West 57th Property, the Company is pursuing, and will continue to pursue, other options to realize the Company’s investment value, various legal courses of action to protect its legal rights, recovery of its asset value from various sources of recovery, as well as considering other possible economic strategies, including the possible sale of the Company’s interest in and/or rights with respect to the 111 West 57th Property; however, there can be no assurance that the Company will prevail with respect to any of its claims.

For additional information concerning the Company’s legal proceedings relating to the 111 West 57th Property, see the description of legal proceedings in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and the Company’s periodic filings on Form 10-Q, (collectively, the “Prior Periodic Reports”).

The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K should be read in conjunction with the Prior Periodic Reports. A more complete discussion of the Company's financial condition and results of operations are also set forth in the Prior Periodic Reports, including without limitation the disclosures under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement for Forward-Looking Information.”

Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)  Exhibits

Exhibit Number
  
Exhibit Title
     
10.1   Senior Promissory Note for $2,000,000, between BARC Investments LLC (“BARC”) and the Company.
     
104.1
  
The Cover Page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
AMBASE CORPORATION
   
 
By
 /s/ John Ferrara  
 
John Ferrara
 
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Controller
 
AmBase Corporation
 
Date:  August 21, 2024


EXHIBIT – 10.1

SENIOR PROMISSORY NOTE - $2,000,000

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, AMBASE CORPORATION (“AmBase” or the “Company”) promises to pay, without setoff, deduction or counterclaim of any kind or nature to BARC Investments LLC, its heirs or assigns (collectively, “BARC”), the principal sum of TWO MILLION 00/100 DOLLARS (US $2,000,000), or so much thereof as has been advanced and remains unpaid, to be paid in lawful money of the United States together with interest thereon at a rate equal to 6.50% per annum, as follows:

Interest and Maturity Date.  Interest shall accrue on the outstanding principal balance due hereunder commencing on the date hereof and continue until this Promissory Note (the “Note”) has been paid in full.  Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a year of 360 days and paid for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). As used herein the term “business day” shall mean a day of the week that is not a Saturday, Sunday or Federal banking holiday. The entire outstanding principal balance due hereunder, all accrued interest, and any other charges or fees provided for by this Note shall be and become due and payable from AmBase to BARC upon the first to occur (the “Maturity Date”) of the following: (a) within one (1) week after the date the Company receives funds from any source, (but specifically excluding funds received by the Company by any litigation funding entity to fund any of the 111 West 57th legal proceedings), sufficient to pay all amounts due under this this Note, including all accrued interest thereon, including without limitation, from a settlement of the 111 West 57th legal proceedings or (b) August 31, 2027.

Prepayment.  AmBase may, at any time and from time to time without premium, penalty or advance notice (written or otherwise) from AmBase to BARC, prepay to BARC all or any portion of the outstanding balance under this Note.  Any partial prepayment shall not affect the obligation to continue to pay in full the amount outstanding hereunder until the entire unpaid principal balance hereof, along with all accrued interest, if any, and any other charges and fees, have been paid in full.

Method and Application of Payment.  AmBase shall pay all amounts payable under this Note in cash of immediately available funds: (a) by wire transfer to an account designated by BARC; or (b) if no account has been designated, by bank check delivered to BARC at the address for BARC set forth herein or at such other place as may be designated in writing by BARC.  All such payments shall be made without setoff, deduction or counterclaim.  All payments received by BARC under in connection with this Note shall be applied: first, to any charges or fees due under the Note; second, to accrued and unpaid interest; and third, to outstanding and unpaid principal due in connection with the Note. AmBase and BARC further agree that amounts due hereunder plus interest can be converted by BARC, at its option, into a litigation funding agreement pari-pasu with any litigation funding agreement entered into by the Company with a litigation funding entity.

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Senior Indebtedness.  AmBase hereby agrees that amounts due under this note shall be senior obligations of AmBase, and AmBase shall not incur indebtedness that is secured by assets of AmBase (other than litigation funding to the extent secured by litigation proceeds) or senior to the amounts due under this note (other than litigation funding) without the consent of BARC.

Notices.  All notices, consents or other communications required or permitted to be given under this Note shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered personally or one (1) business day after being sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, postage or delivery charges prepaid or five (5) business days after being sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage charges prepaid to the addresses set forth below, or may be given by facsimile and shall be effective on the date transmitted if confirmed within 48 hours thereafter by a signed original sent in one of the manners provided in the preceding sentence:

 
If to AmBase Corporation:
  
AmBase Corporation
     
12 Lincoln Blvd. Suite 202
     
Emerson, NJ 07630
     
ATTN:  John Ferrara
     
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
     
Facsimile Number:  201-265-0169
       
 
If to BARC:
  
BARC Investments LLC
     
c/o Barry Strauss Associates LTD
     
307 Fifth Ave, 8th Floor
     
New York, NY 10016

Miscellaneous.


 •
This Note and all matters arising out of or relating to this Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut, applicable to agreements made and to be performed solely therein, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law.

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 •
Subject to applicable law, this Note may be amended, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified only by written agreement entered into by AmBase and BARC.


•
The section headings set forth in this Note are solely for the purpose of reference and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of this Note. Ambiguities and uncertainties in the wording of this Note shall not be construed for or against either AmBase or BARC but shall be construed in the manner that most accurately reflects AmBase and BARC’s intent as of the date of this Note.  AmBase and BARC acknowledge that each has been represented by counsel in connection with the review and execution of this Note and, accordingly, there shall be no presumption that this Note, or any provision hereof, be construed against AmBase.


•
If any provision of this Note is construed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then the remaining provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforceable without regard thereto.


•
This Note is and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of AmBase.


•
The rights and remedies of BARC under this Note shall be cumulative and not alternative.  No waiver by BARC of any right or remedy under this Note shall be effective unless in writing signed by BARC.  Neither the failure nor any delay in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Note will operate as a waiver of such right, power or privilege, and no single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege by BARC will preclude any other or further exercise of such right, power or privilege or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:  (i) no claim or right of BARC arising out of this Note can be discharged, in whole or in part, by a waiver or renunciation of the claim or right unless in a writing signed by BARC; (ii) no waiver that may be given by BARC will be applicable except in the specific instance for which it is given; and (iii) no notice to or demand on AmBase will be deemed to be a waiver of any obligations of AmBase or of the right of BARC to take further action without notice or demand as provided in this Note.  AMBASE HEREBY WAIVES PRESENTMENT, DEMAND, PROTEST AND NOTICE OF DISHONOR AND PROTEST AND OTHER DEMANDS AND NOTICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE DELIVERY, ACCEPTANCE OR ENFORCEMENT OF THIS NOTE.


•
AMBASE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE TRANSACTION OF WHICH THIS NOTE IS A PART IS A COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION AND HEREBY VOLUNTARILY AND KNOWINGLY WAIVES ITS RIGHT TO NOTICE AND HEARING UNDER CHAPTER 903a OF THE CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTES, OR AS OTHERWISE ALLOWED BY THE LAW OF ANY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW WITH RESPECT TO, FOLLOWING ANY DEFAULT IN ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS NOTE, ANY PREJUDGMENT REMEDY WHICH BARC MAY DESIRE TO USE.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AmBase has caused this Note to be duly executed and delivered as of the date set forth below.
 
AmBase Corporation
  
   
/s/ John Ferrara
  
John Ferrara
  
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
  
AmBase Corporation
  
Dated:  August 19, 2024
  
   
/s/ Alessandra F. Bianco
  
Alessandra F. Bianco
  
Member
  
BARC Investments LLC
  
Dated:  August 19, 2024
  


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