Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a $1.6 million settlement with three construction companies and a design firm over dangerous flaws in an 11-year-old building at Zane State College.
“Accountability is not optional when it comes to the safety of our schools,” AG Yost said. “When you refuse to fix your shoddy work and put students and staff at risk, you will quickly find yourself at the wrong end of a lawsuit.”
The Attorney General’s Office initially sued Robertson Construction, SHP Leading Design, and Quandel Construction Group in October 2022 after mediation failed to resolve a dispute regarding the splitting and crumbling façade of the Advanced Sciences and Technology Center, completed in 2013 on Zane State’s campus.
The lawsuit alleged faulty design and construction caused hazardous conditions on the building’s south, east, and west sides. Falling debris from the brick and veneer prompted the school to close one of the building’s entrances and install overhead protection and fencing as a safety measure for visitors.
The settlement involves Robertson Construction paying $750,000; SHP Leading Design contributing $750,000; Miami Valley Synthetics Inc., a subcontractor for Robertson, providing $75,000; and Quandel Construction Group adding $25,000. The Attorney General’s Office has received these funds in full.
The settlement funds will enable Zane State to install a new exterior on the Advanced Sciences building. “Zane State College is grateful for the team at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which played a key role in facilitating an amicable resolution,” a spokesman for the school said. “We also extend our appreciation to Zanesville and the surrounding communities for their continued support as we work diligently to carry out necessary repairs.”
Constructed in 2013, the building remains in use as students return to school. Exterior protections are still in place as repairs have not yet begun. The college anticipates that completing the façade project will take between 16 and 18 months.
Video of the damaged building is available here.
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Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127