LAKEWOOD – The same contractor fired from a high school construction project in Mill Creek last month could soon lose a project in the Lakewood School District.
The district, northwest of Marysville, has informed Stone- Ridge Development Corp. of Spokane that it intends to terminate its contract for renovation work at Lakewood Elementary School.
The $2.33 million project was originally slated for completion in February 2005. District officials say they can’t pinpoint when it will be finished but expect it to be done by next fall.
In a letter to district residents, Superintendent Larry Francois said StoneRidge’s performance has been “unsatisfactory.”
He listed several concerns, saying the company failed to supply enough properly skilled workers and materials, didn’t pay subcontractors and suppliers promptly, didn’t meet deadlines and didn’t correct “substandard and deficient work.”
Francois also said the company didn’t protect the project from water damage and failed to fix damage quickly after it occurred.
StoneRidge accused Lakewood of withholding payments for $300,000 of additional work the district requested. It told the district Sept. 1 it would stop all work unless it was paid, said Travis Young, project manager for StoneRidge.
The district is retaliating, he said.
Young said the district has no grounds to terminate the contract. He said the district could end up in court for wrongful termination and have to pay the contract and damages.
Francois disagreed with StoneRidge’s version and said the district is on solid ground.
“We have been extremely diligent, extremely cautious, extremely patient and extremely careful,” he said.
The Lakewood Elementary project includes a new four-classroom wing addition and the renovation and remodeling of the 1958 portion of its main building, which is being converted into a new library, computer lab and staff work areas.
StoneRidge was also the contractor for a $2.8 million addition at Henry M. Jackson High School near Mill Creek. Construction was halted in August when the Everett School District fired StoneRidge.
The district said StoneRidge hadn’t met deadlines and was in default of its contract. The 12-classroom addition originally was scheduled to be ready when school opened Sept. 8.
StoneRidge argues in court papers that it was wrongfully terminated and is suing the school district in Snohomish County Superior Court.
StoneRidge, alleges there were problems with the building design, and claims its complaints about the phasing of the construction schedule were not heeded.
The Everett district does not expect to use the new addition this school year. The project is about 70 percent complete.
As of Friday, the district was still discussing with a bonding company which firm would take over the project, said Gay Campbell, a school district spokeswoman.
Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or stevick@heraldnet.com.
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