Adamson Plumbing Shuts Down, Lays Off 25 Over $4 Million Obama Center Payment Dispute
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 23
Adamson Plumbing Shuts Down, Lays Off 25 Over $4 Million Obama Center Payment Dispute
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 23
Summary
Adamson Plumbing suspended operations on June 25 and laid off 25 union workers after a promised $100,000 payment tied to last-minute Obama Presidential Center work did not arrive on time, owner Mike Owen said.
Owen says the missed payment was the breaking point in a broader dispute he values at about $3.9 million, covering delays, rework, labor overruns and change orders that he says pushed the company near collapse.
Marsh-Adamson has now filed a $1.72 million mechanic’s lien against the center property, with Owen saying the claim covers the amounts he can most readily document and that he may still pursue the larger loss figure.
Lakeside Alliance said contractual closeout often continues after major projects open and that it is working through outstanding matters, while the Obama Foundation said subcontractor payments were Lakeside’s responsibility and it had no disputed charges with the alliance.
The dispute adds to wider scrutiny of the center, where other subcontractors have also reported unpaid balances and losses, even as the project’s cost has risen from about $350 million to more than $1 billion.