The Flora apartment building at 3500 Chestnut Place on Oct. 1, 2023. (BusinessDen file)
A local architectural firm that is being sued for allegedly botching work on an apartment building in RiNo said that lawsuit is “groundless and frivolous” and it is now countersuing.
Flora, at 3500 Chestnut Place, will have 92 apartments and 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Developers initially imagined it as a condo complex but they pivoted to apartments before breaking ground in 2021 when faced with pandemic-era delays and uncertainty.
Flora’s development team is Edee Anesi, her father Greg Anesi, Brock Fleming and food hall creator Brad Arguello. On Nov. 27, they sued Flora’s architect: Studio Completiva, a Denver firm whose other projects include the Great Hall at Denver International Airport.
The developers say that Studio Completiva failed to provide basic services at Flora, such as managing permits or ensuring Flora is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All the while, Studio Completiva demanded payments beyond what their contract called for, according to the development group, which calls itself Chestnut Island LLC.
“To avoid disruption to the project, Chestnut Island made a number of payments to Studio Completiva under protest,” states the lawsuit, which doesn’t include dollar amounts.
Responding to that lawsuit on Dec. 22, Studio Completiva had a different story to tell.
The architecture firm denies making any mistakes in its design of Flora, denies charging more than the two sides had agreed to, denies that Chestnut Island made any payments under protest, and denies quitting the project due to nonpayment from Chestnut Island.
“The damages alleged in the complaint were caused by the errors and omissions, negligent or otherwise, of the plaintiff and its agents and employees,” Studio Completiva said.
“Plaintiff’s claims are groundless and frivolous,” it went on to allege last month.
In addition to denying wrongdoing, Studio Completiva is now countersuing Chestnut Island, which it said breached their contract and broke a promise to pay the architects.
“Studio C performed its services in conformance with the terms of the contract,” that firm wrote Dec. 22. “Chestnut has refused to pay…in full for the work performed.”
The countersuit does not state how much money Studio Completiva believes it is owed. Its owners and its lawyer did not answer questions about that Wednesday.
The Flora apartment building at 3500 Chestnut Place on Oct. 1, 2023. (BusinessDen file)
According to the contract between Flora’s developers and its architects, a copy of which was obtained by BusinessDen from Denver District Court in a records request, Studio Completiva was to be paid $1.6 million for its work at Flora. It’s not known how much it was paid.
“We vehemently disagree with Studio C,” Flora developer Edee Anesi said Wednesday.
She reiterated Chestnut Island’s position that Studio Completiva made mistakes, demanded too much money, and then quit working on Flora and terminated their contract.
“Therefore we had no choice but to hold Studio C accountable and file a complaint. We are not surprised that they have brought the counterclaims they did.
“We have paid all contracted work and approved add-service invoices.”
Chestnut Island’s attorneys are Jonathan Pray and Chloe Mickel with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Studio Completiva’s lawyer is Timothy Schulte with Cardi & Schulte.
Meanwhile, Flora is scheduled to open next month, according to Anesi.
The Flora apartment building at 3500 Chestnut Place on Oct. 1, 2023. (BusinessDen file)
A local architectural firm that is being sued for allegedly botching work on an apartment building in RiNo said that lawsuit is “groundless and frivolous” and it is now countersuing.
Flora, at 3500 Chestnut Place, will have 92 apartments and 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Developers initially imagined it as a condo complex but they pivoted to apartments before breaking ground in 2021 when faced with pandemic-era delays and uncertainty.
Flora’s development team is Edee Anesi, her father Greg Anesi, Brock Fleming and food hall creator Brad Arguello. On Nov. 27, they sued Flora’s architect: Studio Completiva, a Denver firm whose other projects include the Great Hall at Denver International Airport.
The developers say that Studio Completiva failed to provide basic services at Flora, such as managing permits or ensuring Flora is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All the while, Studio Completiva demanded payments beyond what their contract called for, according to the development group, which calls itself Chestnut Island LLC.
“To avoid disruption to the project, Chestnut Island made a number of payments to Studio Completiva under protest,” states the lawsuit, which doesn’t include dollar amounts.
Responding to that lawsuit on Dec. 22, Studio Completiva had a different story to tell.
The architecture firm denies making any mistakes in its design of Flora, denies charging more than the two sides had agreed to, denies that Chestnut Island made any payments under protest, and denies quitting the project due to nonpayment from Chestnut Island.
“The damages alleged in the complaint were caused by the errors and omissions, negligent or otherwise, of the plaintiff and its agents and employees,” Studio Completiva said.
“Plaintiff’s claims are groundless and frivolous,” it went on to allege last month.
In addition to denying wrongdoing, Studio Completiva is now countersuing Chestnut Island, which it said breached their contract and broke a promise to pay the architects.
“Studio C performed its services in conformance with the terms of the contract,” that firm wrote Dec. 22. “Chestnut has refused to pay…in full for the work performed.”
The countersuit does not state how much money Studio Completiva believes it is owed. Its owners and its lawyer did not answer questions about that Wednesday.
The Flora apartment building at 3500 Chestnut Place on Oct. 1, 2023. (BusinessDen file)
According to the contract between Flora’s developers and its architects, a copy of which was obtained by BusinessDen from Denver District Court in a records request, Studio Completiva was to be paid $1.6 million for its work at Flora. It’s not known how much it was paid.
“We vehemently disagree with Studio C,” Flora developer Edee Anesi said Wednesday.
She reiterated Chestnut Island’s position that Studio Completiva made mistakes, demanded too much money, and then quit working on Flora and terminated their contract.
“Therefore we had no choice but to hold Studio C accountable and file a complaint. We are not surprised that they have brought the counterclaims they did.
“We have paid all contracted work and approved add-service invoices.”
Chestnut Island’s attorneys are Jonathan Pray and Chloe Mickel with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Studio Completiva’s lawyer is Timothy Schulte with Cardi & Schulte.
Meanwhile, Flora is scheduled to open next month, according to Anesi.
