UPDATE: As we have suspected all along at DaCola, the city and Mortenson forced the crappy siding job. Steve Young (BTW, Great Reporting) got Dalsin to spill the beans.
These were my theories;
1) Koch Hazard actually designed a paneling system that was workable, and Dalsin agreed to apply it.
TRUE. As I was digging through some of the first drawings of the EC, I noticed the panels were hexagonal in nature. These were the designs that were supposed to be used, but Mortenson and the city rejected them to SAVE money;
But Kuik and Dalsin dispute the claim that their company is responsible for designing, specifying and installing the metal panels on the west side of the center that appear to be bulging, creating a rippling effect on the curved face of the building.
Kuik said a mockup of the wall that was fabricated in Dalsin’s yard at Mortenson’s request showed what he called “deflection in the end swedge panel joints of the flush panels.â€
Everybody looked at and saw that deflection issue, Kuik said, including city public works director Mark Cotter, as well as the Koch Hazard Architects design team and Mortenson officials.
Cotter has said in the past that the bulging panels were not something he saw in the mockup. Kuik apparently disagrees.
That mockup was built to replicate the design and curve of the west side facing Western Avenue, Kuik said, though he reiterated that his company was not involved in the design or specifications for the wall. In fact, he noted that a preliminary design by Koch Hazard called for an insulated composite metal wall panel, but that it was scrapped for a corrugated and flush metal panel that came in $3 million cheaper.
Hazard designed it correctly. Dalsin agreed to go with that design, then the city and Mortenson came in and said, Notta-Collata.
Make no mistake, just because Cotter is 3rd in charge in the city, doesn’t mean he makes these kind of decisions on his own. Think about it kids, think about it.
Here is Dalsin’s press release that goes into more detail (DSPC West Radius Metal Wall Panel Information)
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We once again get to see our intrepid City Attorney David Fiddle-Faddle dance. This time around the M.J. Dalsin lien during Tuesday December 9, 2014 City Council Informational. He really fancies himself to be a smooth mover.
Kermit Staggers asked him several straight up questions and Fiddle-Faddle gave several left and right answers. If you remember one of our earlier videos, David told us how experienced and successful he was in these types of issues ( check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-R4… ).
If you build a house you can’t move in until the building inspectors give you an occupancy permit. If you build a building for your business, you can’t use it until the building inspectors give you an occupancy permit. In Sioux Falls recently, the building inspectors did not show up before the scheduled opening of a business and it almost had to postpone the grand opening.
If you moved into your house without one, Fiddle Faddle and crew would issue a Notice to Abate, tag your door, take you to jail or other “official” documents to force you out.
What about the Sanford Event Center? There has been no occupancy permit made public. Why is this? Consider this, if the inspector issues an occupancy permit to an unfinished building and something happens, the inspector who signed it could be brought up on murder charges. This has happened in many other cities. Look it up, it is interesting.
Why does the city operate a building with thousands of people inside with different rules than we citizens have to follow? If something happens in the building or on the grounds, would the building’s insurance company cover the losses?
Who or what is the city and its officials hiding from us. You will love Fiddle Faddle’s claims of transparency, HA!
We just want answers and M.J. Dalsin just wants their money.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVWrAljcBw[/youtube]
It’s strange how the city attorney defers to state law regarding a city project. My understanding is that the unconventional city charter affords independence if not separation from state or federal civil procedures. Recent court cases have challenged and excepted the charter from civil rights and criminal authority. The city attorney appears to be representing contractors and the mayor when he should be looking out for the general population. Indeed, constitutional challenge with infringement seems his focus. Isn’t it time to challenge his ethics and patriotism?
To the tune of “Give me that old time religion”:
Give me that old city charter
Give me that old city charter
Cause that’s democracy for us.
I still say MMM opened mouth, inserted foot or Cotter did to create the biggest foo-pah of Constructive Change Orders known to all of us. A good or bad contractor would not install crap without the owner being on the hook. MJ Dalsin is not stupid and I hope they get all their fees and interest. Our city Fiddle Faddle probably will be exposed as an idiot if the occupancy permit was never issued, maybe they’ll back date it, that would make this interesting too. Thanks for the great article Scott. Keep it up. Thanks
Everything about this building is shoddy. From the way it was sold to the public by the mayor, to the way it was financed, to the way it was designed, to the way it was constructed to the way the city is treating a local contractor only following their contract.
Like Dan Daily said to the City Council months ago (now confirmed http://www.southdacola.com/blog/2014/08/events-center-siding-prentation-by-citizen-advocate/ ), the metal siding put on the building was not designed to be installed as is now. The steel siding is developed to be installed as vertical or up & down, not laid down and bent to fit.
This building is nothing more than a slightly larger Arena and it was not designed to last. The building will be long gone before the old Arena. Maybe then our city leaders will do the long overdue Arena addition to replace the EC.
Could it be the Mayor was crying at the grand opening because his inner Catholic soul was fighting to break free. Remember this? http://www.southdacola.com/blog/2014/09/my-name-is-ozymandias-king-of-kings/
How many city directors and staff are now polishing their resumes so they can jump from the sinking ship?
As long as we are looking at questionable building projects we can’t afford, how is the Quit Claim Deed coming on the Spellerberg Park issue? Won’t is be great when the City of Sioux Falls illegally builds a monster building on land they technically do not own?
Get your popcorn ready, this is getting to be a great show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSx8TWrSFv0
Notice the Press Release is dated November 26, a day before Thanksgiving. Funny how it took a couple of weeks to have this released. Secondly, The statement about the consultants report being made public, yup, what we have been saying all along.
Games, Games and more Games.
This comment under the KELO story is interesting;
‘Julie Paintner Dalsin · Bismarck State College
I think Denny Sanford has has done a lot of good with the profits of his business. I do not mean to say anything bad about Sanford. There is a lot of info that was not shared in these articles including the independent report that states the city got what they paid for.’
In other words, when you agree to buy a polished turd, and you get a polished turd after the purchase is made, it is still a polished turd.
http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/subcontractor-claims-city-of-sioux-falls-owes-it-money/?id=173098
Thank you for sharing Steve’s great reporting on this story.
–Dan Haugen, Watchdog Coach, Argus Leader
dhaugen@argusleader.com
Once again DaCola is well ahead of the curve on this one…and many more I might add. Scott, are you still moonlighting as a waiter somewhere? Love to have a meal there if you do, and shoot the $##^.