The city of Norman, Okla., and the Norman Municipal Authority are suing several contractors involved in the construction of the Young Family Athletic Center.
As reported by local NBC affiliate KFOR, the action comes less than two years after the voter-approved project opened. According to city officials, there have been persistent moisture and water intrusion issues.
The city also alleges several tasks being unfinished and general negligence in the contractors’ work, claiming breaches of contract in each case.
A statement from the city says that mediation efforts up to this point have been unsuccessful, leading them to take legal action to “protect taxpayers.” The city is withholding $1.5 million in payments to contractors until these issues are fixed and the dispute resolved.
The city says it filed the lawsuit before final, full acceptance of ownership of the property, at which point risk would shift from the contractors back to the city.
The city has also been dealing with an ongoing legal dispute over alleged mold and water leaks at the Norman Public Library Central, problems that have kept the library closed longer than it has been open. However, the city says that, unlike the Norman Public Library Central, the YFAC will remain open throughout repairs. The city says that the issues in question do not present any health or safety risks to visitors and are largely present in spaces “out of the public eye.”
