Hilton architect sues contractor, says blueprints were kept

The architect who drew up plans for the renovation and expansion of the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel, Downtown, has filed a lawsuit against the project’s prime contractor, alleging copyright infringement of drawings related to the long-dormant project.
In a filing last week in federal court in Youngstown, Ohio, architect Steve Berry alleged that after he withdrew his drawings for the Hilton project in July from the city of Pittsburgh — which pulled the project’s building permit — P.J. Dick Inc. continued to use its copies of his drawings to solicit estimates for Hilton work.
Berry at the time was owed more than $308,000 by hotel owner Shubh Hotels LLC and its CEO, Atul Bisaria.
“I’m not at liberty to say anything right now about the lawsuit,” Berry said Monday.
Berry’s attorney, Roger D. Emerson of Akron, Ohio, said Dick uses a Web site portal where subcontractors can enter, examine and bid on projects. The portal had been closed concerning the Hilton but had been re-opened, certainly during mid-October.
The Berry lawsuit includes an exhibit that is an e-mail sent Oct. 19 by a Dick employee to Niles Mirror & Glass of Niles, Ohio, asking for a work estimate for the Hilton project.
“I really don’t know what’s going on, I personally haven’t seen the suit,” said Greg Rollage, a Dick project manager who was copied on the e-mail in question.
Dick suspended work on the Hilton more than seven months ago after its bill for $317,000 to Shubh remained unpaid. Dick last week filed a suit against Shubh, alleging it’s owed more than $1 million for two unpaid contracts with the Hilton.
Shubh and Bisaria, are defendants in numerous Hilton-related mechanic’s liens and lawsuits that total millions of dollars in unpaid bills. They could not be reached for comment.
For weeks, the hotel has been expected to be sold to a trio of out-of-state buyers, but no deal has been consummated.
Rollage added the status hasn’t changed concerning P.J. Dick and the Hilton work stoppage.
Local attorney Jonathan Kamin, who represents the potential buyers, said he’s hopeful a sale can be announced this week.

The architect who drew up plans for the renovation and expansion of the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel, Downtown, has filed a lawsuit against the project’s prime contractor, alleging copyright infringement of drawings related to the long-dormant project.

In a filing last week in federal court in Youngstown, Ohio, architect Steve Berry alleged that after he withdrew his drawings for the Hilton project in July from the city of Pittsburgh — which pulled the project’s building permit — P.J. Dick Inc. continued to use its copies of his drawings to solicit estimates for Hilton work.

Berry at the time was owed more than $308,000 by hotel owner Shubh Hotels LLC and its CEO, Atul Bisaria.

“I’m not at liberty to say anything right now about the lawsuit,” Berry said Monday.

Berry’s attorney, Roger D. Emerson of Akron, Ohio, said Dick uses a Web site portal where subcontractors can enter, examine and bid on projects. The portal had been closed concerning the Hilton but had been re-opened, certainly during mid-October.

The Berry lawsuit includes an exhibit that is an e-mail sent Oct. 19 by a Dick employee to Niles Mirror & Glass of Niles, Ohio, asking for a work estimate for the Hilton project.

“I really don’t know what’s going on, I personally haven’t seen the suit,” said Greg Rollage, a Dick project manager who was copied on the e-mail in question.

Dick suspended work on the Hilton more than seven months ago after its bill for $317,000 to Shubh remained unpaid. Dick last week filed a suit against Shubh, alleging it’s owed more than $1 million for two unpaid contracts with the Hilton.

Shubh and Bisaria, are defendants in numerous Hilton-related mechanic’s liens and lawsuits that total millions of dollars in unpaid bills. They could not be reached for comment.

For weeks, the hotel has been expected to be sold to a trio of out-of-state buyers, but no deal has been consummated.

Rollage added the status hasn’t changed concerning P.J. Dick and the Hilton work stoppage.

Local attorney Jonathan Kamin, who represents the potential buyers, said he’s hopeful a sale can be announced this week.

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Posted by admin on Dec 29th, 2009 and filed under Hotelnews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site

1 Response for “Hilton architect sues contractor, says blueprints were kept”

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