OGDEN, Utah — The owners of an unfinished apartment complex in Ogden, Utah, have filed a lawsuit against Salt Lake City-based contractor Makers Line, accusing the company of cutting corners and causing the project to fail. This is the 19th lawsuit filed against Makers Line in the past year, but it is the largest, with the plaintiffs seeking damages of at least $9.7 million.
The lawsuit, filed in 2nd District Court in Weber County, claims that Makers Line used untreated lumber that did not meet fire code standards in both the Union Walk project and a second project called Hunter’s Landing. The owners also allege that Makers Line had a history of similar shortcuts in other projects.
According to the complaint, Makers Line and its executives knew about structural deficiencies in both Union Walk and Hunter’s Landing but continued with the projects anyway, while publicly stating that everything was going according to plan.
Union Station LLC and Summa Terra Ventures LLC, the owners of the properties, have filed 22 claims against Makers Line and its associates, seeking damages ranging from $150,000 to $9.7 million per claim.
Demolition of the Union Walk building began recently, while the Hunter’s Landing site remains unfinished and will likely require significant repairs or replacement.
Makers Line has not responded to requests for comment.
The lawsuit provides a timeline of the Union Walk project, which started in February 2021 when Union Station LLC purchased the parcel of land. The project was supposed to be a five-story luxury apartment complex with commercial space on the ground floor. Construction began in December 2021, but the lawsuit alleges that problems emerged early on, including the use of untreated lumber in violation of fire code. The city of Ogden discovered the issue in March 2023 and issued a stop order.
The Hunter’s Landing project followed a similar trajectory, with construction starting in early 2022 and problems arising, including the use of untreated lumber. Work on that project was also halted by the city in March.
The lawsuit accuses Makers Line of intentionally and knowingly engaging in faulty construction and using untreated lumber, in violation of city codes. The plaintiffs also suggest that Makers Line has done the same thing on other projects in other jurisdictions, although they do not provide evidence to support this claim.
This lawsuit is part of a series of legal and financial battles faced by Makers Line in recent months. While most of the previous lawsuits are from subcontractors seeking payment, this case is different in its scale and the allegations made by the property owners.
In summary, the owners of an unfinished apartment complex in Ogden, Utah, have filed a lawsuit against contractor Makers Line, accusing the company of cutting corners and using untreated lumber. The plaintiffs are seeking damages of at least $9.7 million. This is one of several legal battles faced by Makers Line in recent months.