Simi Fires Contractor for Cultural Arts Center : Construction: City says the firm has poorly managed the project and has fallen months behind in payments to some subcontractors.

Two months before the planned opening of Simi Valley’s long-awaited Cultural Arts Center, the city has fired the general contractor on the $2.6-million job, saying the project has been poorly managed and subcontractors have not been paid.

TriCon, the Van Nuys-based contractor hired by the city in May, has produced poor-quality work and is several months behind in payments to some of its subcontractors, said Bob Heitzman, deputy city manager.

TriCon had agreed to complete the renovation of a 70-year-old church on Los Angeles Avenue by the end of February.

But the project stalled when work had to be redone and subcontractors refused to complete their assignments until overdue payments were made, Heitzman said.

“There has been a high level of concern in the last 60 days about progress and over the fact that the subcontractors have not been paid,” Heitzman said.

Mike Pope, a spokesman for TriCon, acknowledged that some work had to be repeated and that some contractors have not received pay.

But Pope blamed the city for the late payments to the subcontractors, saying TriCon has not been paid since September.

“We were unfairly treated” by the city, Pope said. “We are the contractor and we are responsible for getting the job done. It is our job to determine how that happens. I think (the city was) overly picky.”

The city has paid TriCon $630,000 and is withholding an additional $200,000 for October and November until the subcontractors are paid, Heitzman said. TriCon owes the subcontractors an estimated $90,000, he said.

The city is not responsible for any increase in cost on the project, Heitzman said. Instead, an insurance company that bonded the contractor will cover additional expenses incurred in completing the job.

The insurance company could choose to hire a new contractor, rehire the existing company and monitor its work closely or ask the city to choose a new contractor.

Work should resume on the project within two weeks, Heitzman said, though it is unclear when the project will be completed.

Mayor Greg Stratton called the delay “unfortunate” but said he is pleased with the way the city is handling the problem.

“I think what we had here was a management problem, and I think we’re taking care of it,” Stratton said. “Fortunately it’s not going to increase the cost of the project to the city.”

When completed, the center, which is funded with city redevelopment money, will house a 300-seat hall, a smaller theater, an art gallery and a community room.

The city became aware of problems with the project during routine inspections in recent months.

One of the columns in front of the building was crooked, and the concrete had to be repoured. Also a concrete slab at the back of the property was made the wrong size.

In addition, a fire sprinkler system was installed too soon and became a nuisance during subsequent work, while steel supports for the balcony were not installed early enough, so framing had to be redone to accommodate it later in the construction process, Heitzman said.

“All these things slowed down the work on the project,” Heitzman said. “But we’re hoping to have things back on track very soon.”