NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) -- The City of New York is suing an architect after a large panel fell off the facade of a building.
The City of New York filed a complaint on June 22 in New York County Supreme Court against Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP, and Tishman Technologies Corp., for breach of contract and breach of warranty.
According to the complaint, in March 2018, a facade panel fell off the City's Public Safety Answering Center. The panel itself weighed 300 pounds and measured 11 feet by 4 feet wide.
The panels were designed to withstand winds of up to 155 mph, and the wind on the day the panel fell was 70 mph, the suit says. The City of New York alleges that it was guaranteed the facade panels would be able to withstand higher winds without damage to the building, as the building is an important structure in the city.
The City of New York seeks $3,177,756 for damages and cost of investigation as to why the panel fell and cost of legal action. The City of New York is represented by June R. Buch.