Poor 'Workmanship' or Structurally Deficient?

Hatboro is the owner of a 2,500-square-foot firehouse addition that, after spending nearly $1 million over two and a half years, sits empty and unused. 

And, instead of recouping half of those monies from a previously approved $500,000 state grant, borough attorney Christen Pionzio told Patch that officials are staring down the real possibility of suing the building's contractor for reimbursement of all expenses. 

"The borough just spent a ton of money on a building it can't use," Pionzio said. "There is sufficient data and reason to believe there are structural deficiencies."

The council is poised to authorize the hiring of Roman C. Jastrzebski of Chalfont-based Jastrzebski Engineering, Inc. to carry out invasive testing and gather soil samples under the building's footings, according to Pionzio. The governing body is expected to vote on the $20,800 contract during its June 24 meeting, she said. 

That contract, along with borough monies used to cover the cost of two building inspectors and legal fees represent "significant dollars" Hatboro has spent over and above the building's construction costs. Pionzio estimated those fees to be "tens of thousands of dollars" and said Hatboro hopes to recoup all costs through litigation.

The building inspector's report, which noted deficiencies with the roof, walls and floors, as well as water seepage, warrant the need to have a structural engineer determine the "soundness" of the addition, she said. 

Chris Gowen, Enterprise's former president, raised issues of "poor workmanship" last summer. Pionzio, at that time, would not comment on those claims, but told Patch this week that while the borough has been "quiet for a while, we've been working to gather information and data."

That work, she said, has been discussed and contracts authorized in Hatboro Borough Council executive sessions as officials said publicly last year that the project represents "potential litigation."

Contractor Mark Gill of Bensalem-based Titanium Inc. told Patch in July that the project was "99 percent complete" and that there was "less than two days of work.” At that time he said he knew nothing of issues related to water seepage, warped floorboards and other concerns that Gowen had raised.

Gill and Titanium representatives, however, stopped working last year once Hatboro officials voted to hold the remaining 10 percent owed–$87,989.21–until all work was satisfactorily completed. 

What appears to be construction debris–stacks of old wood, orange tape and more–remained behind the firehouse addition this week. Patch was unsuccessful in reaching Fire Chief Keith Gordon for comment.

The addition was originally due to be completed in August 2011. Since work began in spring 2011, there have been ongoing construction issues, as well as issues with the contractor completing required paperwork in a timely fashion.