University Of Chicago Owes Contractors For Work On Hospital

By aaroncynic in News on Sep 4, 2013 9:00PM

Three contractors that performed work on University of Chicago Medicine’s new $700 million pavilion allege the institution still owes them money.

According to Crain’s Chicago Business, the three contractors are owed $9 million for work done on U of C Medicine's Care and Discovery Center. Ebenisterie Beaubois Ltee, a woodworking company from Quebec, filed a lien against the hospital for $5.5 million against the hospital in November. Records filed with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds show a subcontractor of Beaubois filed a lien worth $206,000.

Levy Co., a Northbrook-based carpentry and drywall firm, claim the hospital owes about $3.3 million after costs exceeded budget projections. Jim Henegan, a partner at Ruben Firsel & Ross LLC in Bannockburn told Crain’s “Somebody's got to pay the extra. The owners are going to try really hard not to do it.”

According to the legal complaint, Levy’s contract was for $23.8 million but jumped to $28.4 million “to address the negligent and defective design depicted in the contract documents.”

A spokesperson from Gilbane Inc, one of the two general contractors overseeing the project said the dispute with Beaubois is being settled shortly. The settlement will also cover the dispute with its subcontractor Jade Carpentry Contractors Inc, and the spokesperson said Gilbane expects the lawsuit filed by Levy Co. to be dropped.