A legal battle is brewing in West Seneca over the Charles E. Burchfield Arts and Nature Center.
Structural concerns prompted the closure of the building in January 2017, and now, a forensic architect’s findings have the town seeking damages.
The West Seneca Town Board hired the forensic architect and he presented his findings at a meeting on Monday. He says the walls were not built directly on the foundation, and the ground surrounding the building was two feet higher than the blue prints called for, so moisture was leaking in.
“It's just this festering problem that is leeching up the walls and creating over time a deterioration,” said Ken Pearl, the forensic architect.
The building can be repaired, but initial estimates indicate it could cost anywhere from $900,000 to $1.7 million dollars.
The Town of West Seneca is preparing to take legal action. They've filed claims against the two companies that constructed the building.
With a potential civil suit, a fix to this building is not in the immediate future.
According to the architect, the building could technically be used, but the Town of West Seneca says they're considering it as evidence and say it will be off limits until the legal matter is finished.
