Arena contractor Hunt Construction confident about arena enclosure, but still looking for new fabricators

Engineering News-Record reports, in a 3/5/12 article headlined Arena Subcontractor's 'Untimely' Default Delays Winter Enclosure:

The default and temporary shutdown just before New Year's Day of ASI Ltd., a principal subcontractor on the $825-million Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., has delayed completion of the arena's enclosure and forced extra effort by the project's prime contractor, Hunt Construction Group, to keep on track for scheduled completion later this year.

Forest City Ratner's Bob Sanna has previously acknowledged delays caused by the temporary closure of ASI Limited. On 1/26/12, he said, "It’s not quite back on schedule yet, but we are about to turn the corner and have that work in place.”

Confidence re schedule, but still looking for help

The article quotes Mark Gladden of Hunt Construction regarding the role of Ohio Farmers Insurance, which is now operating the Whitestown, IN, facility:

Ohio Farmers/ASI have leased and put in place at the ASI facility an extra CNC [Computer Numerical Control] machine for the cutting and fabrication of aluminum extrusions, says Gladden.

"Hunt has asked and Ohio Farmers/ASI has reached out to three separate additional fabricators to determine if these shops have the technical means and available time to assist in fabrication," Gladden says.

The sequencing remains the same, says Gladden. The enclosure will be completed later than scheduled. Rather than stalling work until the walls have been installed, additional temporary enclosures, required to protect some interior spaces, will be used, he says.

"Hunt remains confident that we will complete the project as scheduled," Gladden says.

However, they're still concerned enough to try to find an alternate source of the materials.

Unmentioned: a class action suit has been filed against the company for not alerting workers to the shutdown.