CHESAPEAKE
The Chesapeake Board of Building Code Appeals on Tuesday ordered a developer to remove drywall made in China from a hotel that was on the verge of opening its doors.
After the panel announced its decision, developer Dilip Patel said he wonders why the city hadn't taken action against other builders when the drywall has been used in other projects in Chesapeake.
"I feel that I was singled out," Patel said. "Why haven't they gone after anyone else?"
Some homeowners claim the drywall emits a sulfur-based gas that causes minor respiratory problems and corrodes electrical systems.
Before he was issued a building code violation in May, Patel and his company had been working with a city task force to move along the building of the Comfort Inn & Suites near the corner of South Military Highway and North George Washington Highway.
He said the opening will be delayed by at least six months while the drywall is removed from the already completed second and third floors.
Patel's attorney, James T. Zelloe said the hotel only has about 100 or 200 sheets of the drywall. It came from Norfolk-based Venture Supply Inc., which sold the China-made drywall to Hampton Roads builders and installers between March 2006 and 2008.
At least 50 Chesapeake homes are suspected of having the drywall. Norfolk officials have made it illegal to use it in any new construction or renovations.
"He's the only one we've seen installing it," said Robert R. Smalley, the Chesapeake's code compliance manager. "We had no idea until we ran into this that it was still being used."
The city alleged that using the drywall violated building codes. Patel appealed. On Tuesday, a five-member board voted unanimously to deny the appeal.
"I don't think they gave us enough data or information to override the codes and our concern for public health," said the board's chairman, Stephens Johnson.
Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207, mike.saewitz@pilotonline.com
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Would be a dump anyway
Every hotel/motel Ive seen or been in that is owned by a Patel has been a dump. Im sure this one will be no different. Thats why he doesnt care about the quality of building materials in his building.
Venture Supply
If you do a search, Venture Supply destroyed all of the Chinese drywall that they had in their warehouse. It was purchased from them before all of the issues were identified. How about pinging on the drywall installation contractor that installed it in the hotel?
will we learn
is this the first time we as a NATION! have delt with poor chinese product?no, so when will we learn!
What's the PROBLEM????
follow the link to... http://consumerist.com/5307422/radioactive-chinese-drywall-is-stinking-up-us-homes and read what consumer's reports says about the drywall. Whether it's made with slightly radioactive waster or not, it is damaging the internal mechanisms of the homes and places it is used in. It ios corrosive to electrical items and wiring and it is harming the health of individuals.
The problem has been identified...now...go back...eat the profit you had hoped to make...and don't buy defective...chinease products. Take a look at how unreliable and poorly made the products are that are coming out of china. Forget the greed factor and build something with pride with products that have some degree of quality control.... History has proven over and over....chinese manufacturing is way below par or standard for much of the worlds engineering needs.
just a question
has anyone seen ANY credible scientific evidence of what the problem is? How can the city do this if the issue is just ancedotal?
The fact that he doesn't
The fact that he doesn't want to remove the defective product that makes people sick and creates a fire hazard when copper corrodes (resistance) goes to show the greed.
Ditto
I thought the same thing. Mr. Patel is worried about the fact that the hotel isn't going to open on time but he's not concerned with the health problems people might develop who use his facility. And then to add to it by saying he's the only one being singled out. Why doesn't he report the other law breakerss to the city? Wouldn't he be doing his civic duty? Mr. Patel is only interested in his own bank account and nothing else.
You could not have said that
You could not have said that better!!!
Test the drywall
It would be nice if the City gave the developer the chance to test the drywall for sulfur based compounds. Probably not all drywall made in China is bad just as not all Tylenol made in the USA was tainted some years ago. Scientific data should over rule emotions and knee jerk reactions.
The very fact that...
This developer thought he could go to the board of zoning appeals and get out of the order. Actions like this make make me wonder just how much goes on between City officials and developers behind closed doors. Actually...I don't wonder...I've seen enough after being involved with the so called Great Bridge Village Plan "guidelines". All the talk about creating a new look to match the historical importance of the Battle of Great Bridge, and what does the City allow? A giant red chilli pepper at the GB Shopping center! Give me a break! The City was just trying to develop the adjacent wetlands and reduce parking area size requirements to help out their developer buddies cram in even more buildings into an overburdened high traffic area. It's time to start calling a spade a spade!
The Zoning department is a
The Zoning department is a diffrent department from Building Codes. Zoning deals with things you are talking about and The Uniform Statewide Building Code deals with products and procedures having to do with construction. They may be in the same office, but they are diffrent.
andef
Sorry, but you either need to reread the article or comment on the right post.
The company was given a
The company was given a notice in May. Why did it continue to use the imported drywall? Why does Venture continue to sell it? Why is Venture allowed to continue to sell it, since it has been declared illegal? Is Norfolk the only locality to create a law against using the drywall? If so, why hasn't any other city followed suit? Are there some city officials making money from the sales and/or use of the illegal drywall? Makes ya wonder, don't it?
I don't think Evil Kinevil
I don't think Evil Kinevil could have made the jump you just made. When you build a multi-story building, it is built over time. So that drywall could have been sold to them before the problem came out. I am not sure how you think the world works, but just because someone complained about something doesn't mean the stuff just disappears. This whole thing has taken time to develop. But hey, it was a great jump, nice job!
Jump???
How long has this issue been out? I am in the commercial construction business and I would have checked every bundle of drywall that came from Venture, if it were my jobsite. I understand the concept of tryin to keep costs down, but there is also a responsibility that goes with the territory. I also don't allow illegals to work on my jobsites. I guess I am wrong in doing that too, eh?
I think they need to check
I think they need to check the new Hampton Inn in Smithfield. Did he purchase this from Venture supply after they knew the sheetrock was defective. Thats what this article leads you to believe.