EXCLUSIVE: RI Fire Marshal Slaps Brady Sullivan with 21 Code Violations
Friday, May 25, 2018
GoLocal has secured a copy of a 41-page report issued on Thursday outlining 21 separate violations at the controversial Harris Mill Lofts in Coventry. Some of the violations cited effect multiple buildings in the complex.
The mega-New England developer Brady Sullivan who owns and operates the project has been slapped by Rhode Island officials for a sweeping array of violations from lacking documents to emergency light to no lighting and faulty exit access corridors. Other violations include a lack of smoke protection in certain areas and improperly installed smoke detectors.
In the letter to Brady Sullivan at its New Hampshire headquarters, the Fire Marshall has ordered that the violations be corrected before June 29, 2018. The letter by the Fire Marshall office states that if the violations are not appealed or corrected by the date, then the company could face legal proceeding including criminal prosecution.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe spokesperson for Brady Sullivan has claimed the inspections — that took more than a week onsite and included more than half a dozen inspectors, was nothing more than an annual fire alarm inspection. “We know and understand from the Fire Marshall’s Office that this was nothing more than an annual inspection and that there is no ‘investigation,’” she told GoLocal.
The Rhode Island State Fire Marshal in coordination with Coventry town officials conducted the examination.
Town Manager Lived in the Building
Questions are merging about how the property was given the green light to open with so many deficiencies. The Coventry Town Manager who had been a tenant at the property recently resigned and moved out of state. The resignation timed with a GoLocal review of his missing RI Ethics Financial Disclosure documents being unveiled.
In March, GoLocal learned that the Rhode Island Department of Health had contacted the Town Administrator in Coventry, Graham Waters, with questions about the Harris Mill Lofts property and the number of complaints about mold and other pathogens.
At the time GoLocal reported that more than 100 tenants are complaining about adverse health issues which they believe are tied to living at the Coventry mill complex as well as two other Rhode Island-based properties rehabbed and operated by New Hampshire developer Brady Sullivan.
The Coventry Town Administrator defended the lack of enforcement action.
Waters told GoLocal that he has read the articles about the growing number of claims against Brady Sullivan, but that the town has only received one complaint and that complaint was inspected and did find mold and remediation did take place at the Mill Lofts property.
Waters said despite the press about the number of complaints the town by policy does not do inspections without a formal complaint. “We only have two inspectors and we have 36,000 residents,” he said.
Waters also confirmed that he lives at the controversial Mill complex and said he said he does pay fair market rent. He since has moved out of the building.
Brady Sullivan has received tens of millions in federal and state historic tax credits.
This story is developing . NOTE: This story was first published: 5/24/18 2:57 PM
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