“Million Dollar Maybe”: School Redesign Claim Escalates

By Dave Freneaux

The structural steel redesign of Central's new schools may cost someone in excess of $1 Million to correct.  $1,017,580.37 is the formal request made on February 4th by Arkel Anderson Joint Venture, the contractor building the new Central Community School System schools on Sullivan Road.  This cost estimate has risen from the initial amount of just over $800,000 two weeks ago.
 
On face value, the design flaws seem to be the responsibility of the architect firm, PBK, the designers of the school buildings.  If that holds true, it would follow that the Central Community School System will bear none of the costs for the redesign.  The party ultimately responsible for the costs resulting from the redesign will have the task of negotiating a settlement with either the school system or the contractor.  In the meantime, construction continues under the Construction Change Directive issued by PBK, which allows the Contractor to continue the job while the extent and responsibility of the redesign costs are determined.