Fisker can’t seem to do anything right – and that includes closing up shop. Apparently, the La Palma, California headquarters of the now-dead automaker was abandoned and left in “complete disarray” with full-size clay models, automotive equipment, EV batteries and goddamn hazardous waste left behind.
This all comes from the facility’s landlord in a new filing submitted to Fisker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy docket, according to TechCrunch. Tony Lenzini, a representative for Shamrock Properties II, said his client “now faces tens of thousands of dollars in cleanup costs, damage repairs, and what appears to me to be hazardous waste removal.” Listen, I’m very rarely a guy who will stick up for landlords, but damn that doesn’t sound good. This is all part of an effort to stop Fisker’s attempted lease abandonment because of all the shit that has been left behind.
Matters get even more confusing when you realize it isn’t even clear who owns this stuff anymore. TechCrunch reports that Shamrock says Fisker sold some of the on-site assets to an auction house called Heritage Global Partners. However, it isn’t clear if that actually ever happened, so now no one knows whose stuff this is.
Photos from Lenzini’s declaration show a number of full-sized clay models for Fisker’s planned upcoming vehicles like the Ronin sports car and Alaska pickup. We can also see trash strewn about, hazardous waste drums and shelves filled with car parts.
Here’s more on the bankruptcy proceedings and what is going on with the La Palma HQ, from TechCrunch:
Lenzini says in his declaration that representatives for Fisker accompanied him on a walkthrough of the facility, which is located in La Palma, California, on September 24. (Fisker shifted its headquarters to this facility after it closed its shiny main Manhattan Beach office in May.) He says they assured him that Heritage Global Partners “would have everything removed” by September 27 — the date Fisker was slated to hand over the property — and that “the building would be cleaned as thoroughly has [sic] possible.”
Over those few days, though, Lenzini describes a manic scramble. He says people were “pulling items out of the office and warehouse and loading up trucks and cars” and claims no one was logging what was taken.
Meanwhile, HPG President Nick Dove tells TechCrunch that his firm, which purchased some office equipment, furniture and related items, had an agreement with Fisker that was supposed give them access until September 30. However, the company and its moving crew wasn’t not allowed into the building September 30 to retrieve those items. He also says the “chemicals and batteries were not part of our transaction” with Fisker.
On September 27, Lenzini says he “witnessed people hurriedly removing property from the building and loading vehicles with various items” but adds that he had “no idea who these people were – whether they were Fisker employees, HGP, Huron staff, or friends of either.” (Huron is the name of the consulting group that has advised Fisker through the bankruptcy process.) Lenzini says these people were “throwing debris everywhere, taking tools, computers, automotive parts, and more, and then returning for another load.”
And yet, Lenzini says, the La Palma facility “has been left in complete disarray.” He says there are two 50- to 55-gallon drums, one which references containing oil and another which says contains coolant. He says there are “approximately 20 automotive sized batteries” left on site, too. It isn’t clear if those are electric vehicle battery packs or more typical 12-volt car batteries. Lawyers for Shamrock wrote that Fisker vehicles “were left parked” in the lot outside the facility, but did not specify if they are Ocean SUVs.
“My concern is that I do not know what chemicals have been left at La Palma,” Lenzini writes.
To make matters even worse, lawyers for Shamrock say folks have broken into the facility “attempting to set up residence when the Premises were left vacant and not secured.”
Ya know, I’m really glad Henrik Fisker decided to give making a car company another go. It really seems to have worked out for all parties involved. I can’t wait to see what his third automaker does.