HARBOR BLUFFS, Fla — Delayed work on two bridge replacement projects in Pinellas County has leaders considering firing the contractor hired to do the job.
We first told you about the issues related to a project in Palm Harbor, where residents of Baywood Village voiced their frustration to 10 Tampa Bay’s Aaron Parseghian about the delays and piles of debris left near the unfinished Crosswinds Bridge.
They were hoping to get answers about what’s going on, and through some digging, 10 Tampa Bay found they aren’t the only people having issues with projects in their community.
At a Board of Commissioners meeting next week, Pinellas County Commissioners will look at terminating contracts with American Empire Builders for failing to complete work on the Crosswinds Bridge and on the Oakwood Drive Bridge in Harbor Bluffs.
“It’s horrible, it’s aggravating and wasting time,” said Margaret Carollo, expressing a shared feeling in her part of Harbor Bluffs. The bridge connecting their community has been under construction since a delayed start in July of 2022.
“I know it's going to take a long time because they have to work on the other side of the bridge,” she added.
The project was supposed to be done in 15 months, and according to the documents filed for the county meeting, it's only 30% of the way there.
“The Empire State Building was built a year and a half and this has taken like two years already,” Carollo laughed.
The recommendation to the board says AEB, the contractor who was awarded the bid for this $3.3 million job, is in default and has been non-responsive.
“Termination for cause is due to AEB’s non-performance and failure to provide and complete work under the contract terms. Numerous attempts have been made to work through the contractor and the surety company to complete the projects, but both have been non-responsive,” it reads.
Same with the more than $4.4 million job in Palm Harbor, where neighbors say the job site and debris piles have stood largely still for months.
“I mean, we really hope that we can get back to, you know, the beautiful neighborhood that we once had,” Graham Jankura said, pointing to the mess outside his home.
If the county chooses to terminate the contracts next week, they say the county staff will be able to complete the Crosswinds Project through a work order, as it is substantially complete. On the other hand, the Oakwood project will have to undergo an engineering reassessment and then go out for bid again.
If the board terminates the right for AEB to proceed, the county staff will pursue additional legal remedies.
10 Tampa Bay left a message for the owner of the contracting company and has not heard back. We will keep you updated on any new developments leading up to the Jan. 30 meeting.