L.A. community college district ends contract with builder
The Los Angeles Community College District has ended its contract with a construction-management company that oversaw the rebuilding of West Los Angeles College, where tens of millions of dollars went to waste on abandoned projects.
In a settlement with the district, Turner Construction Co. agreed to leave its post of managing projects on the Culver City campus Feb. 1. Turner, which the district was preparing to fire, also said it would not seek further work from the district before July 2015.
The New York-based company has been paid $24 million since January 2002 to manage $406 million of construction work at West Los Angeles College. The district had accused Turner of allowing contractors to work without submitting bids or signing contracts, and said it failed to disclose a $123-million budget overrun that forced the college to abandon construction of four major buildings.
The Times, in a six-part series on widespread waste and abuse in the building program earlier this year, reported that as much as $39 million was squandered on design and initial construction of the canceled projects.
In the settlement, Turner denied wrongdoing but agreed to part ways with the district.
Two other contractors, FTR International and Gateway Science and Engineering, still face firing proceedings for alleged mismanagement. Both deny wrongdoing.
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