District library settles lawsuit over Lodi, Ohio library branch defects for $640,000
January 22, 2015
The Medina County District Library in Ohio will receive $640,000 in
an out-of-court settlement ending a lawsuit over defects in the
construction of the Lodi Library.
The library was closed in November 2011 for 2 1/2 years
after officials said the wooden beams in the cathedral ceiling of the
new library’s main room were weak because they dried out and began to
twist.
Because of the danger of a collapse, the library’s materials
— books, DVDs and computers — were moved to a cramped space in another
part of the library. The library was not reopened to the public until
May, after repairs were completed.
The library district filed a lawsuit in July 2013 against
the architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers involved in the
construction of the $3 million Lodi Library in 2005.
The settlement covered less than half the $1.5 million the
library district spent on the renovations. But library officials said
they were satisfied with the outcome because the work went beyond fixing
the structural problems with the roof.
“The engineering and architectural solution involved
removing the defective wood structural timbers and replacing those
timbers with steel beams wrapped in oak,” said Kelly Kroll, the library
district’s business manager and fiscal officer. “This solution provided a
much more stable structural system while at the same time preserving
the original wood timber appearance.”
In addition to fixing the roof, several new features were
added to the library, including laptop rentals, self-checkout counters, a
recording studio, an electronics table, sitting areas, a teen section,
free lockers and study rooms.
The renovation was done by Prime Engineering & Architecture and Simmons Brothers Construction.
Kroll said the cost of the $640,000 settlement will be shared by the six defendants in the lawsuit:
• $250,000 from Cavanaugh Building Corp.;
• $250,000 by David Milling & Associates/Architects;
• $50,000 by Koehlinger Engineering;
• $50,000 by Amish Timber Framers Inc.;
• $25,000 by Thorson Baker & Associates;
• $15,000 by Ruhlin Co.
• $250,000 from Cavanaugh Building Corp.;
• $250,000 by David Milling & Associates/Architects;
• $50,000 by Koehlinger Engineering;
• $50,000 by Amish Timber Framers Inc.;
• $25,000 by Thorson Baker & Associates;
• $15,000 by Ruhlin Co.
Attorneys for the library district, which operates the Lodi
Library and five other branches throughout the county, filed a notice of
dismissal of the lawsuit Jan. 15.
“The Medina County District Library is pleased to announce
it has resolved its dispute with the architects, engineers, and
contractors involved in the original construction of the Lodi Library,”
library spokesperson Heather Coontz said in a news release. “The Library
Board of Trustees unanimously voted to accept the combined settlement
offer made by the defendants and put the litigation to rest.”
Coontz said roof repairs provided “substantial improvements over the old design in terms of safety and stability.”
“With the additional interior improvements, the Lodi Library
is a beautiful relaxing space for patrons to use and enjoy now and for
many years to come,” she said.