The long delayed Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver officially launched in late February but that has not stopped the flow of lawsuits resulting from construction of the 63-storey tower that includes a 15-floor, 147-room hotel under 217 luxury residences.
Urban One Construction Management Inc. is the latest contractor to sue companies related to the tower’s developer, Holborn Group.
Urban One’s March 14 lawsuit claims that it is owed $835,059.10 for providing contract management services and is suing Holborn Developments (West Georgia) Ltd. as well as West Georgia Holdings Inc. – both of which are companies controlled by Holborn CEO Joo Kim Tiah. There are 27 other defendants, most of whom are strata-lot owners.
“Urban One has never previously filed a lawsuit against anyone,” Urban One president Alan Beron told Business in Vancouver in an email.
“Unfortunately, in this exceptional circumstance, litigation is our only option. Prior to filing of this lawsuit, Urban One worked hard to negotiate a settlement with Holborn Developments (West Georgia) Ltd., the developer of Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver. Unfortunately, the negotiations were unsuccessful.”
Urban One's litigation is the second lawsuit filed against Holborn-related companies connected with work on the Trump tower since the tower’s splashy media launch on February 28, when sons of U.S. president Donald J. Trump – Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump – were on hand to give speeches and cut a ceremonial ribbon alongside Tiah and others.
Erwin Construction Corp., on March 2, sued Holborn-related companies as well as contractor William Kelly & Sons Plumbing Contractors (1989) Ltd.
Erwin’s lawsuit claims that it is owed $718,974.66 for providing materials and labour for the building’s mechanical systems. It seeks a lien against the property.
Other contractors have lawsuits pending.
Nova Stone Inc., for example, alleges in a suit filed last November that it provided stone work for the building and is owed $27,325.62.
Two months earlier, in September 2016, Catcan Holdings Inc. filed a suit against West Georgia Holdings Inc. and contractor CP Distributors Ltd. alleging that Catcan was not fully paid for installing finishings, including pocket frames, doors and mouldings, and is owed $41,378.30.
West Georgia Holdings did not file a response to the claim but CP alleged in its December response to Catcan that Catcan’s work was defective and not performed in a “workmanlike” manner.
Note: This story has been revised since it was first posted.
To read the original version of this story, go here: https://www.biv.com/article/2017/3/flow-lawsuits-continues-trump-tower-vancouver/
