Allen ISD Stadium Inspections Were Responsibility Of School & City
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - In Texas, there is no state agency that oversees general contractors like Pogue Construction. So, in cases like the one in Allen, it's up to the school district and city to make sure inspections are done and the contractor is following building codes.
The CBS 11 I-Team took a closer look at the two companies at the center of the stadium scandal, Pogue Construction and PBK Architects.
For nearly 14 years Pogue Construction has worked all over the metroplex on stadiums, stadiums, and other city buildings.
Just last month, Mesquite ISD voted to hire the company for their stadium work, despite news breaking of Allen's stadium issues.
"We have been pleased with their work," Elizabeth Fernandez, Mesquite ISD's Director of Communications, told us.
The contractor also designed and constructed Rockwall ISD's football stadium. District leaders said they aren't aware of any issues but continue to inspect all of their buildings regularly.
"Our stadium is a completely different design and uses different materials than the Allen Eagles Stadium," explained James VanDyke, Rockwall's director of marketing. "Our stadium uses structural steel rather than concrete. At this time we are not aware of any structural or other significant maintenance needs at our stadium. We will host the Rockwall High Spring Game at the stadium on Thursday and look forward to hosting many other games and events there in the fall."
The I-Team also spoke with officials with the Garland ISD, a district that has a current stadium renovation project with Pogue Construction. Chris Moore, the district's spokesman, says immediately after news broke about Allen's stadium the company reached out to Garland and is taking extra steps to inspect and test all the concrete materials being used in renovations there.
The CBS 11 I-Team also looked into PBK Architects, a Houston-based firm brought in to design the Allen stadium. While general contractors don't have a state agency that oversees the work they do in Texas, architects do.
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Investigative reports from the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) show, on May 15, 2014, three of PBK's partners agreed to fines between $10,000 and $15,000 and two hours of ethics training. The disciplinary action was handed down after TBAE says PBK Architects promised to save Corpus Christi ISD thousands of dollars on a project before they were awarded the bid, which is against the rules.
In an email statement, Donna Range, a Client Relations Director for PBK Architects, wrote:
"PBK is committed to serving the needs of our clients before, during and after the design and construction of a project, and the Allen ISD Eagle Stadium is no exception. We continue to work closely with the Allen Independent School District to reopen Eagle Stadium as soon as possible. In the coming weeks, findings will be presented and a repair solution jointly determined with the District. We will do whatever it takes to implement the repairs at absolutely no cost to the Allen ISD or taxpayers."
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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