A handful of Spanish-speaking workers labor slowly in a dirt and gravel pit, laying foundation for the expansion of the city Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courthouse. The façade of the old brick building, its interior completely gutted, hides behind a green wall that has long taken over the sidewalk along High Street. The name of the building contractor, Kenbridge Construction, is proudly proclaimed on a white sign.
The work at the juvenile courthouse was slated to be finished by August 7. But the project was severely derailed by the collapse of the back wall more than a year and a half ago, as the excavation company J.A. Walder, hired by Kenbridge, was digging an extended foundation. The estimated completion date has been pushed back to December 2008. Yet across the street, in the Charlottesville Circuit Courthouse, a lawsuit file has had no problems growing fatter and fatter as the city, contractor, subcontractor and sub-subcontractor lay out claims for who’s to blame for the still unfinished courthouse.
 The City of Charlottesville is suing over the March 2006 collapse of the back wall of the Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courthouse, alleging that builders tried "to cut corners" and "increase [their] profits at the expense of the City." |
Characterizing that the March 2006 collapse happened because Kenbridge and Walder tried "to cut corners" and "increase [their] profits at the expense of the City," the city has sued the companies on 16 counts of negligence and breach of contract, charging Kenbridge $500 a day until construction is completed, and seeking additional damages. After the wall collapsed, says the city in its complaint, the city had to hire an engineer to come up with new designs while Kenbridge did nothing for months, and didn’t return to work until June 11, 2007. The city also makes charges against Structural Engineering Concepts, the company hired by Walder for additional project design.
After receiving the suit, Kenbridge lashed out at both the city and Walder. The city provided "inaccurate or inadequate" plans, argues Kenbridge in its $2 million countersuit. Kenbridge also wants $2.8 million from Walder for breach of contract and negligence.
Walder, in turn, denied the charges and says the city misrepresented the condition of the building in the architectural plans, drawn up by Moseley Architects. Structural Engineering filed its own response, denying wrongdoing.
Additional reporting by David Moltz.
C-VILLE welcomes news tips from readers. Send them to news@c-ville.com.