As of July 2020, 11 mechanics lien claims have been filed against the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation, FL, totaling $8.8M in unpaid construction work. Including the general contractor, at least 11 different contractors have filed the liens, with the lasted claim filed on July 16, 2020.
The property owner behind these $8.8M lien claims is Seritage SRC Finance, LLC, which is based in New York, NY. According to the lien affidavits, each mechanics lien claim was processed and affirmed with the Broward County clerk’s office. Seritage SRC Finance is also facing $23 million in lien claims over unpaid construction work at the Esplanade at Aventura shopping center development in Miami, Florida.
In San Diego, CA, a Westfield shopping mall construction project is also faced with mechanics lien claims. As of June 2020, the Westfield UTC project has been associated with eight lien claims.
11 Contractors Owed $8.8M on Plantation Mall Project
The 11 contractors are owed a total of $8,837,338.21 for work taking place at the Broward Mall, which is located at 8000 W Broward Blvd, Plantation, FL.
According to the lien affidavits, the largest mechanics lien filed against project owner Seritage SRC Finance, LLC is from general contractor Rycon Construction, Inc. On June 17, 2020, Rycon Construction filed a lien claiming they are owed $5,161,119.56, which accounts for 58% of the total funds still withheld from the 11 contractors.
Because of Rycon Construction’s non-payment from Seritage SRC Finance, the general contractor is now faced with five mechanics lien claims of their own from the Westfield Broward Mall project.
The five liens filed against Rycon Construction total $3,427,951.62.
Subcontractor Hollywood Iron Works, Inc. filed the largest mechanics lien against Rycon Construction back on April 30, 2020, claiming they are owed $1,256,053.55 in unpaid work. Hollywood Iron Works is now tied to two liens themselves from the same project, with two contractors filing liens that total a combined $113,844.04 as of June 3, 2020.
The second-largest lien filed against general contractor Rycon Construction was filed on April 22, 2020, from Air South Mechanical, Inc. The subcontractor claims they are owed $980,051.34.
Palmetto Plumbing Co. of Hialeah, Inc. filed their mechanics lien against Rycon Construction on June 5, 2020, for a total of $652,585.
Five days later on June 10th, Valmar Construction Crop. filed a $287,646.41 lien against the general contractor, followed by Bryant Electric, LLC on July 14th with a lien that states they are owed $251,615.32. Bryant Electric is also faced with a mechanics lien claim from this job site, as Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc. claims they are owed $27,062.95 as of July 7th.
San Diego Westfield Shopping Mall Faces $1.7M in Lien Claims
Westfield shopping malls have now housed at least two construction projects along both coasts that have caused non-payment troubles for a combined 18 contractors.
By June 29, 2020, 7 contractors in San Diego, CA filed mechanics lien claims that totaled $1.7M in unpaid construction work taking place at the Westfield UTC shopping mall. Between both malls, the two projects owe a combined $10,573,467.81 to the 18 contractors.
While both projects involve Westfield shopping malls, the San Diego location operates under a different property owner in SI UTC Property Owner, LLC.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the retail industry is facing lien claims of late with bankruptcy proceedings underway for several clothing retailers.