Life care facility center of construction dispute

An assited-living and continuingcare community scheduled to open in Redding last month is the subject of a multimillion dollar construction dispute.

Milford-based Sordoni Skanska Construction filed a $13 million mechanic's lien in June against the owner-developer of Meadow Ridge - Redding Life

David Reis, managing member of Redding Life Care, said the general contractor was terminated before the project was completed.

"The reason why is a debatable question involving several issues relating to work they had previously done on the project. Overall, it is a contract dispute," said Reis.

Glen Hayes, the attorney representing Sordoni Skanska Construction, did not return phone calls seeking comment on the case.

Debbie Roman, office manager for the Milford office of Sordoni Skanska, said on the advice of counsel, she could not comment on the dispute.

Sordoni Skanska's case to foreclose the lien is one of more than a dozen actions related to the facility that are currently pending on Waterbury Superior Court's complex litigation docket. Part of the dispute is also pending in arbitration.

Reis said Redding Life Care is counter suing Sordoni Skanska for damages in excess of $40 million.

"We expect in due course that all of these lawsuits will wind themselves through the court system. I don't see a settlement here. We are confident we will collect on our claim," he added.

The project incorporates a full span of continuing-care options. It includes 228 apartments, a 50-bed nursing facility and 20 assisted living units on a 136-acre campus.

Reis would not comment on the total cost of the project.

The first phase opened in September and subsequent. phases are scheduled to open in October and November.

Construction on the complex at 100 Redding Road started in 1995.

The work site was also the subject of a state Department of Labor investigation which concluded that dry wall contractor P&B Partitions Inc. of West Berlin, N.J., failed to pay proper overtime to a large group of Latin American workers.