A $54 million traffic management center under construction for the state and city is plagued by numerous deficiencies, including leakage problems and incorrect installation of the roof, access flooring, lobby glass walls and fire escape stairways, the city said Tuesday.
The general contractor, Watts Constructors LLC, also failed to install a weather-resistant barrier behind exterior metal panels, possibly contributing to water infiltration at the Joint Traffic Management Center, the city said in a news release.
Over the past year the city informed Watts of numerous defects identified in more than 90 noncompliance reports, yet about
80 percent of the flaws remain uncorrected, according to the city.
In an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Gennaro Di Nola, Watts general manager in Hawaii, said the majority of deficiency notices were for work still in progress and that the company has been providing the city with correction plans.
“Watts, unequivocally, will ensure that all work will be put in place to the city’s satisfaction,” Di Nola wrote, noting the company’s reputation as an award-winning builder with a track record of successfully completing projects in Hawaii since 2004.
The city Monday sent Watts a letter alleging that the contractor was in default of the March 2015 construction contract, giving the contractor seven calendar days to begin fixing the deficiencies.
Among the actions the city is seeking are water tests to confirm the integrity of the roofing system and the source of the leaks, and repairs to the roof.
If Watts fails to cure the defaults, the city could terminate the contract and tap a performance bond posted by the company to complete the center.
The project, which had an original completion date of June 2017, likely will face more delays as the city and Watts address the alleged defects. A new completion date has not been set.
“The default letter was issued only after many opportunities had been given to Watts to correct the various issues that had been identified by the city,” Donna Leong, the city’s top attorney, said in the release. “We trust that Watts will take this letter seriously and cure the defaults in accordance with the construction contract.”
The city broke ground on the facility at South King and Alapai streets in April 2015. It is designed so the state and city can collaborate to improve traffic management and public safety coordination on Oahu.
In its default letter — addressed to Di Nola and Wahid Hakki, president of Contrack Watts Inc. in Virginia — the city said water has continued to infiltrate interior spaces of the project, with water being observed in 10 rooms in late October and in one room as recently as Dec. 27.
Watts had told the city in August that the roofing was not finished when the city issued a series of noncompliance reports in May and June, according to the default letter. But the company said the roofing, when completed and tested, will be in compliance with the contract requirements and that the specified 20-year warranty will be provided.
While Watts representatives have told the city at various times that the water leaks are due to faulty concrete work and cracks in concrete walls rather than the roofing assembly, the company has not provided the city with information on the source of the infiltration or plans to address the problem, according to the default letter.
Even though the contract requires installation of a weather-resistant barrier behind the exterior metal panels, Watts has refused to follow the contract for such installation and instead proposed limited water testing of the panels, presuming they act as a rain screen,
the letter said.
The city also said Watts has failed to provide adequate plans to correct deficiencies in the glass lobby walls and the parapet walls (where the roof meets the walls). It is demanding removal and reconstruction of the walls, including lobby wall clips that were not welded by certified welders, according to the letter.
In addition, the city said Watts failed to install access flooring in accordance with construction specifications, shop drawings and manufacturer’s installation procedures, compromising the flooring’s structural integrity. The company’s corrective plans, with one exception, have been incomplete or not submitted, the city said.
For the improperly installed concrete stairs, the city is seeking detailed demolition plans, along with plans to install metal stairs and landings, according to the default letter.
While the project has had many challenges and obstacles, Watts diligently has worked with the city to overcome them, including numerous design changes that have contributed to the delays, according to Di Nola.
“Watts fully understands the importance of the project and remains committed and obligated to its successful completion,” he added.
The Federal Highway Administration is providing $37.8 million for the project. The city’s contribution is $15.8 million.
