“Building” a Better Plan for Design Professional Expert Witnesses: Theater Patrons Trapped in Elevators After Architect’s Failure
Source: https://www.tysonmendes.com/, November 13, 2024
By: Scott Ruksakiati and Sam Manning
Background
A contract dispute arose between the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (“theater”) and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture LLP (“architect”), the architectural firm retained to design the theater’s “The Yard” at Navy Pier. The architect sued the theater over unpaid fees. The theater counterclaimed, arguing the architect failed to meet professional standards, breaching the contract by not ensuring the elevators could handle the venue’s operational demands. [i]
The dispute centered around alleged project inadequacies, particularly the architect’s specification of limited-use elevators. According to the theater, these elevators did not meet their functional requirements, resulting in patrons being trapped in the elevators on The Yard’s opening night. Read more.
