A Pennsylvania county government is suing the contractors that designed and built its jail more than 40 years ago, alleging work was never completed because a bond beam shown on plans was never placed. Officials say the construction oversight hastened deterioration and added millions of dollars to the cost of a recent renovation.
The Clearfield County Jail was designed and built around 1981, according to the lawsuit filed in state court. The contracts have been lost, but county officials believe the firm L. Robert Kimball and Associates was hired to provide architectural and engineering services for the jail project, and that Kimball was also responsible for retaining contractors and supervising construction. Altoona, Pa.-based Leonard S. Fiore Inc. was the general contractor on the project, and Everett, Pa.-based Showalter Masonry Inc. also provided services, according to the suit.