Palo Alto officially terminated Flintco Pacific Inc. from the Mitchell Park library project due to what a letter on the city's website calls “a lengthy history of Flintco’s failure to pursue and prosecute the work.”
Originally intended to be completed in June 2012, the Mitchell Park library project is the largest expenditure out of a $78-million bond referendum passed in 2008. Palo Alto public works director Michael Sartor says the 56,000-sq-ft facility is expected to be finished in 2014, although that depends on whether the surety company will hire a new contractor or if the city will have to find a replacement.
The contractor blames the problems on the large number of changes and the owner's unwillingness to make progress payments.
Flintco Pacific’s bid for the project was $24.3 million, well below the city engineer’s estimate of the project cost, $32 million. Work on the project began in September 2011.