Winter Park has a Long List of Complaints over Library and Events Center Construction
City officials and the contractor are meeting to try to resolve the problems
July 11, 2025
By Beth Kassab
Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from the contractor received on Saturday.
During the nearly four years since the more than $42 million Library and Events Center opened, Winter Park officials have compiled a list of what they say are construction concerns such as fracturing glass in some of the large panoramic windows, roof leaks, problems with the elevator and even the port-cochere, the grand covered entrance to the structure.
City Manager Randy Knight recently told the City Commission that the city is frequently meeting with representatives from contractor Brasfield & Gorrie to resolve the problems.
“Right now, we think they are going to resolve these issues,” Knight said. “But we’re going to go ahead and preserve our rights” before the statute of limitations runs out on filing a lawsuit over the claims.
This week the city notified the construction company and insurers of what it considers to be a “default” on the job to preserve the city’s right to sue if the problems aren’t fixed.
A spokeswoman for Brasfield & Gorrie, a national construction firm with offices in eight states that reported $6.4 billion in revenues last year, confirmed on Saturday that the firm is in talks with the city.
“We are discussing the city’s concerns and seeking resolution,” said a statement from the company.
Voters narrowly approved a bond referendum for $30 million in 2016 to pay for the project designed by British architect David Adjaye. Then, in 2020, the City Commission approved spending $41.7 million on the project. But, so far, the final tally is even higher at $42.3 million after the city added another $300,000 in 2022 from the American Rescue Plan Act, the federal stimulus package spurred by the pandemic.
The letter to the contractor lists 12 items that “has not been performed per plans and specifications” from the doors, lighting, air-conditioning and even the bathroom faucets along with the doors, windows, roof leaks and other concerns.
City spokeswoman Clarissa Howard said on Friday the contractor is continuing to meet with the city and working to resolve the matter.
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The acoustics in the Event Center are terrible !
If you sit at a round table, you can barely hear the person sitting next to you.
Also, what about the cracks in the floor?
To be clear, some of these items are design and engineering issues, some are installation issues, some are construction related and some are as a result of value engineering where decisions were made to eliminate some things or take a less costly material. All parties are trying to make things right.
Two important points:
One: The total project cost paid for by Winter Park taxpayers by the time of completion was limited to the $30,000,000 bond approved by the voters. The balance of the total cost of the project was paid for primarily with Orange County Tourist Tax and private donations.
Two: I was the only member of the architect selection committee and the city commission who voted NOT to approve Adjaye as the architect for the library and event center project.
But why Pete? Because he gave us the high rent version of Casselberry’s Kane’s furniture store or because he’s knighted (like Scott Disick)?
Seems like windows spontaneously cracking, ceiling falling down, and floors cracking are very serious. Was it bad design or building flaws or is the ground unstable? Can someone explain why this happens? Also, why are we notified now rather than when problems first appeared? Thank you!
Yes—that statement came out of the lips of our then mayor (2017) Steve Leary. It’s also the most expensive public works project in our city’s history—-and may go down as the biggest boondoggle vanity project misfire in our city’s history. So a word to the elected officials on the dais in 2017–and you know who you are (Hint: SL, SS, GS, PW, CC): Clean up your mess.
-C J Williams
Hey Charlie, how exactly would you suggest the former Commissioners “ Clean up your mess “?
With so many issues involving design, engineering, installation, and construction, it make one wonder what, if any, project oversight occurred. Based on the Mayor’s email, the extent of the problems is mind-boggling. The City should pursue reimbursement of all costs and full correction of all the issues with extended warranties.
If anyone has pulled up their flooring to replace, you’ll see settlement cracks all over your slab. This is part of living in Florida with sandy soil, and over an aquifer. A local architect might have taken this into account when choosing floor materials.
Hasn’t the City paid for problems to date such as sinking pavers in the parking areas, film on the windows to lessen the amount of heat and sunlight coming into both buildings, and electrical upgrades? Were those costs covered by Orange County tourist tax and private donations?
Speaking of private donations, is there a list of who donated to the library/events center? Did all the commissioners who voted to approve the project make donations?
For some of us, the glass is half full and we are trying to fill that glass, others just seem to want to pour it down the drain (CW).
Peter Weldon voted yes on the conditional use approval to move forward with library/event center construction without knowing the proposed final $$$ numbers. Carolyn Cooper was the ONLY no. Weldon voted yes on conditional use knowing Adjaye was the architect.
This was clearly a vanity project from day one and Winter Park will be living with the appeal and the defects that’s the inevitable baggage of a unique project. The city built the YMCA, which is close to the same size, as a more conventional design at a much lower cost with greater functionality. But without the cachet of a fancy architect.
Why not have the Mayor and Commission appoint an emergency Task Force to gather information and ask tough questions regarding the construction defects and failures with the Library and Event Center?
Smart design and construction professionals in our city could help with the task.
Time is short to file a lawsuit.
A task force could come up with questions and concerns and present them to the commission for further investigation.
Here might be a few:
1. Why did the city make final payments without receiving the required “close-out documents”? No engineered signed and sealed As-Built drawings were given to the city on a $42MM project before full payment was made. Why???
2. Were proper soil borings done by a licensed Geotechnical firm after the building was to be built at a different location on the site? Were the borings deep enough with landfill/sink hole prone soil?
3. Was the building properly grounded or why is it that electrical equipment, computers, and the elevator fry when lightening strikes nearby? Who has paid to repair or replace any damaged electrical equipment and/or the elevator?
4. Was this project ever audited? If not, why not?
5. Is there still a contingency fund on the project? How much and how far will this go with all of the issues?
6. Have other Adjaye designed projects had construction issues and failures?
Residents should not fund these construction defects. The city should not lose their legal right to require corrections.
Thank you Mayor and Commissioners for demanding answers.