Source: http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com, January 22, 2015
By: Nick Glunt

The Medina County District Library will receive $640,000 in an out-of-court settlement ending a lawsuit over defects in the construction of the Lodi Library.

The library was closed in November 2011 for 2 1/2 years after officials said the wooden beams in the cathedral ceiling of the new library’s main room were weak because they dried out and began to twist.

Because of the danger of a collapse, the library’s materials — books, DVDs and computers — were moved to a cramped space in another part of the library. The library was not reopened to the public until May, after repairs were completed.

The library district filed a lawsuit in July 2013 against the architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers involved in the construction of the $3 million Lodi Library in 2005.

The settlement covered less than half the $1.5 million the library district spent on the renovations. But library officials said they were satisfied with the outcome because the work went beyond fixing the structural problems with the roof.

“The engineering and architectural solution involved removing the defective wood structural timbers and replacing those timbers with steel beams wrapped in oak,” said Kelly Kroll, the library district’s business manager and fiscal officer. “This solution provided a much more stable structural system while at the same time preserving the original wood timber appearance.”

In addition to fixing the roof, several new features were added to the library, including laptop rentals, self-checkout counters, a recording studio, an electronics table, sitting areas, a teen section, free lockers and study rooms.

The renovation was done by Prime Engineering & Architecture and Simmons Brothers Construction.

Kroll said the cost of the $640,000 settlement will be shared by the six defendants in the lawsuit:

• $250,000 from Cavanaugh Building Corp.;
• $250,000 by David Milling & Associates/Architects;
• $50,000 by Koehlinger Engineering;
• $50,000 by Amish Timber Framers Inc.;
• $25,000 by Thorson Baker & Associates;
• $15,000 by Ruhlin Co.

Attorneys for the library district, which operates the Lodi Library and five other branches throughout the county, filed a notice of dismissal of the lawsuit Jan. 15.

“The Medina County District Library is pleased to announce it has resolved its dispute with the architects, engineers, and contractors involved in the original construction of the Lodi Library,” library spokesperson Heather Coontz said in a news release. “The Library Board of Trustees unanimously voted to accept the combined settlement offer made by the defendants and put the litigation to rest.”

Coontz said roof repairs provided “substantial improvements over the old design in terms of safety and stability.”

“With the additional interior improvements, the Lodi Library is a beautiful relaxing space for patrons to use and enjoy now and for many years to come,” she said.