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Skanska, Forest City Ratner Sue Each Other Over World's Future Tallest Modular Building

Skanska's stop-work notice includes all of B2's subcontractors and suppliers, including FC+S Modular.

Last April, when it announced B2's delayed completion, FCRC issued the following statement: "FC+S Modular's setbacks are due to slower factory ramp-up and fit-out, purchasing and supply-chain challenges and slower-than-expected workforce hires."

MaryAnne Gilmartin, FCRC president and CEO, says in a statement issued Sept. 2: "Our priority is to reopen our factory and put [150] employees … back to work so we can resume construction."

Skanska maintains it issued the stop-work notice because the project was requiring a more significant investment than anticipated or agreed to.

"There are site issues associated with the modular design and schedule and cost impacts associated with the design issues," says Kennedy, who declines to elaborate further.

FCRC disagrees, claiming that Skanska, faced with cost overruns, is trying to renege on its obligation under its contract.

FCRC says the dispute will have no impact on plans for three upcoming building starts at Pacific Park, announced recently.

But the developer has decided against more modular construction at the site.

Nadine M. Post, ENR's former editor-at-large for buildings, is an award-winning journalist with 45 years of experience covering trends, issues, innovations, controversies and challenging projects. Post has written about many industry giants, including 10 ENR Award of Excellence winners. And she has covered disasters, failures and attacks, including the 1993 bombing and the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center. Project stories include the redevelopment of the World Trade Center; the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa; Los Angeles’ Disney Concert Hall; and Seattle's Bullitt Center and Rainier Square Tower. In 1985, Post wrote McGraw-Hill's book Restoring the Statue of Liberty (1986) for the restoration’s architects—Richard S. Hayden and Thierry W. Despont.

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