Architects, NSP battling over $1m

A legal dispute between a Toronto architectural firm and Nova Scotia Power Inc. has led to accusations of negligence, missed payments and cost overruns for the utilitys new headquarters.

WZMH Architects filed a civil claim in Ontario Superior Court in September, accusing the utility of withholding slightly more than $1 million in payments for services rendered.

The failure to pay the indebtedness relates to the fact that NSPI has come under public scrutiny with respect to the project, the company says in a statement of claim filed with the court.

Criticism has been levelled at NSPI, that as a public authority, NSPI ought not to have constructed lavish office space for public servants.

The Toronto company was the lead architect to design the utilitys $53.4-million corporate headquarters at 1223 Lower Water St., completed in late 2011.

The building was designated with platinum certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in March 2013.

Calls and emails to Harrison Chan, a principal in the company and lead architect on the project, as well as WZMH legal counsel Craig Colraine, were not returned.

According to the statement of claim, the two parties entered into an architectural services agreement on July 30, 2008, in which the utility agreed to pay WZMH a fixed fee of slightly more than $4.3 million.

That agreement, which was effective retroactive to May 1, 2008, also included a provision for fees in excess of that amount for any additional services requested by the utility.

The utility did require additional services, which were agreed to in writing between the parties, work which WZMH states was completed on or about April 26, 2012.

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Architects, NSP battling over $1m