PHILADELPHIA — Officials at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts have sued the building's internationally acclaimed architect, accusing the firm of "deficient and defective design work" and delays that boosted the project's final cost.
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court over construction of the arts center, designed to be one of the world's great venues for orchestral music, does not seek a specific amount of damages from Rafael Viñoly Architects, but it cites a loss of $23 million.
"This action arises from an architect who had a grand vision but was unable to convert that vision into reality, causing the owner to incur significant additional expenses to correct and overcome the architect's errors and delays," says the suit, filed November 23.
The lawsuit alleges that construction ended up costing $180 million, which was "significantly more" than the $157 million originally budgeted.
"We determined that a significant number of the cost overruns were the result of their design delays, and we attempted for a long time to resolve the matter with mediation," Kimmel Center president Janice C. Price said Monday [November 28]. "We had no other alternative than to file the suit."
Richard J. Davies, lawyer for Viñoly, said he had not seen the suit and therefore could not comment on it. But he said previous claims that Kimmel executives have made "don't have merit."
"The project speaks for itself," Davies said. "It's a fabulous building."
The Kimmel Center opened with a three-night celebration
in December 2001, in an unfinished state and with a price tag that had continued
to rise during construction.
