Mondorivoli, the real estate holding company of Durango, Colo., restaurateur Jean-Pierre Bleger, has filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking reorganization under chapter 11, the Durango Herald reported. Mondorivoli’s attorney, Kenneth Buechler, said that the bankruptcy will not affect the operation of Bleger’s restaurant, Jean-Pierre Bakery, Café and Wine Bar. Mondorivoli is also seeking financing to pay off all its loans and creditors and consolidate debt with a new creditor, and if the new financing can be obtained, the bankruptcy petition would be dismissed. Another possibility is refinancing the debt with creditors at lower-interest rates. The bankruptcy petition was filed July 18 to stop foreclosures or collection actions while new financing was sought. A meeting with creditors will likely be held within the next 30 days, but a meeting has not yet been set. Five properties, four in Durango and a strip mall in Pagosa Springs, are involved in the chapter 11 filing. Bleger has been plagued with financial woes for years. A previous real estate company, Winble Corp., filed for chapter 11 in 2006. The café and bakery at 601 Main Ave. was purchased for $1.63 million in 2003 and foreclosed in 2009. Bleger established Mondorivoli in April 2010 as the firm handling his real estate ventures.
