Due to a dispute between the city and the building contractor, construction of the new Library ground to a halt earlier this year. Assistant City Manager Mike Wotka said, ”It’s at a standstill.”South Florida Construction Services, the low bidder for library construction, filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court in March, claiming the city has withheld payments and refused to grant an extension of time for completion of the building. It is about 75% complete, but the City Manager, Leif Ahnell, predicted to City Council that the ongoing troubles with the contractor will delay completion for a year. Completion time was 420 days, in the original contract, for substantial completion and 450 days for final completion from the notice to proceed. Notice was issued July 7, 2004.
Local officials have said the builder was behind in its work and had allegedly jacked up the price of materials because they did not buy them before the project began and failing to lock in the pricing forced the firm to purchase materials at current market rates. The City Manager said that, “One month into construction, the builder wanted a $795,000 change order, which was found to be unmerited under the contract documents and conditions.” He added, “The contractor’s bonding company has gotten involved and have to decide if they will find someone else to finish or take the side of the contractor. They have the option to mediate.” Ahnell said that the $2.5-million in this year’s city budget that was allocated for the operation of the library will be used instead to cover the expected additional costs from the lawsuit and the delay.
A 2003 bond issue provided funding for the library and other local libraries.
No comments:
Post a Comment