More responses in AHS ‘gymatorium' suit filed

The final party in the suit over the Alleghany High School gymnasium floor has filed its response to claims against it.

James R. Vannoy & Sons Construction Co. of Jefferson filed its response Nov. 15 to the Alleghany County Board of Education vs. T. Greene Plumbing Company and Gulf Insurance Company vs. James R. Vannoy & Sons Construction Co. and Orkan Architecture. In its response, filed by attorney William H. McElwee III of North Wilkesboro, Vannoy denied Greene's allegations that it was negligent and therefore responsible for damage to the gym floor.

Meanwhile, Orkan filed a response Nov. 12 to Gulf Insurance's cross-claims against it.

The dispute is over who is responsible for water damage to the gym floor in July 2001, which necessitated replacement of the floor and delayed the opening of the new gym for a year. T. Greene Plumbing of Sparta was the plumbing contractor for construction of AHS' east wing, which included the gym; Vannoy was the general contractor, while Orkan Architecture of Charlotte was the project architect.

Several months of discussions and negotiations reached an impasse, with contractors and their respective insurance carriers unable to reach an agreement as to who was responsible for what portion of the cost of replacing the damaged floor.

The school board had the floor replaced, with a change order cost listed at $84,869.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News! Back