Nantucket Cottage Hospital is suing CannonDesign, the architectural company responsible for designing the new hospital facility, and is seeking $8 million in damages for an alleged breach of contract, negligence, and malpractice.
According to a complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts, Cannon’s plans for the new hospital, which opened in early 2019, violated a series of state regulations, costing NCH millions.
Among the many violations outlined in the complaint, NCH claims that to appease the Historic District Commission, Cannon designed non-load-bearing exterior walls with flammable cedar shingles—a clear violation of fire safety codes. This violation has prevented NCH from receiving full Medicare and Medicaid licensure, forcing them to apply for temporary waivers as they work to fix the problem. Ultimately, they claim, redesigning and rebuilding the walls will cost millions, the Nantucket Current reports.
With a final price tag of the new hospital at $89 million, the damages sought in the lawsuit would equal roughly 9 percent of the total project cost. Read more.
