St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare filed a lawsuit over uneven floors in its new patient tower, a problem the health system said delayed construction by a year and cost "millions of dollars," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
BJC filed a lawsuit against St. Louis design firm HOK and Dallas-based Jacobs Project Management seeking $150 million in damages for breach of architect and management agreements, and contractual indemnity, according to the report.
The lawsuit alleges the design form had substandard and vague flooring plans, which ultimately caused uneven floors in BJC's $1 billion expansion project, required multiple fixes and led to significant delays. The lawsuit alleges the defendants knew of the issue and hid it from BJC, according to the report.
Both HOK and Jacobs denied the claims. HOK spokesperson Stephanie Miller told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "We are proud of the work we've done for them, which has helped to transform the BJC campus over the years. While we are disappointed they have taken this step in this matter, we will address the issue through the legal process." Jacobs said its liability tops out at $10 million.
The Post-Dispatch reported on the issue in 2017, when a city commissioner said the floors were "buckling." At that time, a BJC spokesperson told the Post-Dispatch the floors had "levelness issues," but the issues were being addressed, according to the report.
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