School project manager fired in Jersey

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School project manager fired in Jersey

Taunton Call - MA*

http://www.wickedlocal.com/taunton/news/education/x691146766

TAUNTON - The same company charged with overseeing the $104 million

Taunton High - Middle School project was fired by the state

of New Jersey as project manager of multiple school construction

jobs.

The New Jersey Schools Development Authority fired Gilbane Building

Co. on Feb. 21 for its role in overseeing the construction of a

Neptune, N.J. elementary school infested with mold before the

building was completed, according to the " New Jersey Star Ledger. "

But Gilbane spokesperson Wes Cotter said Gilbane lived up to its

contract in New Jersey.

As project manager, the company had a purely advisory role on the

project, he said.

" We advised them early and often of difficulties on that project.

Now, it's a difficult situation, and that's unfortunate, " Cotter

said.

Taunton Building Commissioner Avilla could not be reached for

comment.

New Jersey paid Gilbane a total of $53 million for multiple projects

in 14 communities before giving the firm the ax, according to

the " Star-Ledger. "

The Community Midtown Elementary School in Neptune had to be

partially re-built to get rid of the mold at a cost of about $13

million, according to Weiner, chief executive officer of the

New Jersey School Development Authority.

Gilbane has worked with the New Jersey school authority for eight

years on more than 60 projects across the Garden State, according to

a statement from Gilbane. The statement says Gilbane has managed

projects in New Jersey that have won numerous industry awards and

the New Jersey school authority has previously provided positive

reference letters and expressed satisfaction in customer surveys.

But in its termination letter, the authority stated that Gilbane did

not live up to its end of the bargain. The letter asserts Gilbane

failed to review design elements that led to the mold outbreak.

The designer and builders on the project agreed to pay half the

repair costs, but Gilbane refused to pay the remainder. The

authority intends to sue Gilbane to recoup the money.

State Treasurer Tim Cahill told the " Quincy Patriot Ledger " Gilbane

has a solid reputation and he doesn't think the firm's troubles in

New Jersey are a cause for concern in Massachusetts.

" I wouldn't hold this one issue against them because they've had

more successes than failures, " Cahill, chair of the Massachusetts

School Building Authority, said.

There are various models for overseeing building projects.

The city has blazed a trail with the Taunton High- Middle

school project, opting to hire a " construction manager at-risk "

instead of the more traditional route of a low-bid general

contractor.

The construction manager at-risk guarantees a maximum project price

or pays the difference. The City Council opted to take that route on

the recommendation of Avilla and Gilbane, which oversees the entire

Taunton project in an advisory capacity, as in New Jersey, over the

objections of Councilors Gerald Croteau and Cleary, both

former superintendents of schools.

Supporters said a CM at risk guarantees the price of the project

won't balloon. The company hires the subcontractors and has the

authority and incentive to keep them on schedule and on budget.

But Croteau said the added cost of not taking the low bidder far

outweighs any potential savings.

Croteau said the goal of the traditional approach is to put " more

money into the building and less into somebody's pocket. "

The construction manager at risk is Agostin Bacon Joint Venture of

East Providence, R.I., according to a project directory created by

Gilbane.