Lawsuit Expected To Be Filed Against Designer, Contractor
posted July 2, 2008
) Photo by Wes Schultz |
Members of the Chattanooga Downtown Redevelopment Corporation voted to move ahead with the costly fix, while also considering a lawsuit against the designer and the contractor.
The Passage was closed a number of months ago after city officials cited a number of safety concerns. It was reopened as a walkway just prior to the Riverbend Festival, but the water feature remains turned off.
Steve Leach, city public works director, said the aim is to have The Passage back in full operation by next spring.
It would have cost about $900,000 to fix The Passage as only a reflective pool and not allowing members of the public to wade into the pool. However, city officials Dan Johnson and Daisy Madison said the overwhelming sentiment is to keep it interactive.
The project was designed by Hargreaves and Associates of Cambridge, Mass., and built by Continental Construction.
TWH Architects, which led a study of problems at The Passage, will now draw up construction documents.
Officials said the work will include removing panels from the large wall at The Passage, which is located between the Market Street Bridge and the new section of the Tennessee Aquarium. The wall will be reinforced to prevent water seepage, then the panels - some of which have fallen off - will be re-attached.
Officials said pads were placed on sand in the pool area, and some of those have become dislodged. Those will be taken out, and the pool floor will be repoured.
Electrical fixtures that were in the water and were deemed unsafe will be repositioned.
Mike McMahan, assistant city attorney, said there may be some money available from a lawsuit, but he does not expect the full $1.5 million to be recovered.
He said officials should not expect any money any time soon from that avenue and "people will be splashing in the water before the attorneys have finished."
Officials said they want to add some handrails at the pool area and changed the steps so the drop is six inches instead of a foot between steps.
City Council Chairman Linda Bennett said she would like to have a rendering prepared so that council members can see what the redesigned Passage will look like.
Officials said it will be very similar to the original design except for such new items such as the handrails.
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