The 32-story, 3,000-unit Atlantic Yards complex in Brooklyn, N.Y., was being touted as the world's tallest prefabricated structure. But construction on the high-rise tower, which was originally scheduled to open in June 2014, has stalled. Developer Forest City Ratner and its partner Skanska, the Swedish construction company that is construction manager for the building, are in a battle over tens of millions of dollars in cost overruns, according to The New York Times article.
Building construction was at the 10th of the 32 planned floors when Skanska stopped work and closed its Brooklyn Navy Yard factory where the steel-framed modules were being built and assembled. According to the article, Skanska had a $117 million contract to supply 930 modules for the tower as well as a contract to erect the tower.
Originally, Forest City said the modular high-rises would be built for 70 percent of the cost of a conventional apartment tower and completed in 18 months. The tower is not expected to be completed now until late 2015, three years after construction started.
Skanska is arguing that Forest City's modular design is flawed while Forest City is arguing there were problems training the facotry work force, fitting out the space and establishing the supply chain.
