Eidos Architects of Denver, accused by Dolores schools of underestimating costs for campus construction, stands by its estimate of $5,799,686.<\/p>\n
\u201cEidos does not believe the cost estimates were too low, at least for the project the school district said it wanted at the time,\u201d said Eidos project manager Rick Nearman.<\/p>\n
According to the suit, the school district said it lost $1.5 million to $1.7 million because of cost overruns, missed grant funding, and project downsizing as a result of the estimate.<\/p>\n
\u201cEidos\u2019 opinion of probable construction costs was inaccurate and false by a substantial margin,\u201d states the lawsuit, signed by attorney Stephen G. Everall, who represents the district. \u201cAs a result, Dolores was deprived of additional funding from the BEST (grant) program, had to eliminate certain improvements, and (had) substantial cost overruns.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project is nearly complete and consists of new science and vocational trades buildings, an expanded elementary school, remodeled locker rooms, facility upgrades and landscaping.<\/p>\n
After a bond election to raise matching funds, the district hired a general contractor and dropped Eidos for a different architect. Eidos argues that is the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project the new architect designed turned out to be much different than what Eidos proposed,\u201d Nearman said. \u201cSo the district is comparing apples to oranges, which is unfair.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the complaint, the district claims they eliminated $1 million in improvements and had to pay an additional $200,000 to $400,000 to comply with flood regulations they say were not contemplated in the Eidos estimate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried to settle but they wanted the moon,\u201d Nearman stated.<\/p>\n
An eight-day trial is scheduled for fall 2015.<\/p>\n