A racial discrimination lawsuit has been filed against a prominent engineering firm involved in the construction of the Obama Presidential Center.
Specifically, the lawsuit, filed by II in One, a Black American-owned subcontractor, accuses Thornton Tomasetti of discriminatory practices that have caused delays and financial losses, Newsweek reported.
Furthermore, on January 17, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division received the lawsuit from Robert McGee Jr., owner of the subcontractor company, II in One. Located in Chicago's South Side, II in One has provided specialized construction services such as concrete and rebar for the Obama Presidential Center since 2021.
According to the case, Thornton Tomasetti imposed rebar requirements not consistent with industry standards, leading to financial harm.
The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti's inspection and information requests resulted in significant losses for II in One and its partners, collectively known as Concrete Collective. Specifically, the collective includes Trice Construction Company and W.E. O'Neil Construction Co., which have joined the lawsuit. As outlined in the claims, these inspections led to inefficiencies, impacting the project’s productivity.
Meanwhile, developers designed the Obama Presidential Center as a landmark dedicated to former President Barack Obama and began construction in 2021. Initially, planners budgeted the project at $500 million when they announced it in 2017, but costs rose to approximately $830 million by 2022. As it stands, officials expect the center to open in 2026, though delays have impacted its completion.
In response, Emily Bitter, speaking on behalf of the Obama Center, expressed skepticism about the claim that Thornton Tomasetti acted with racist intentions. She emphasized there was "no reason to believe" in such intent, reinforcing that any confirmed racist actions would prompt an immediate response from the Foundation.
The lawsuit accuses Thornton Tomasetti of spreading defamatory statements regarding II in One's competence, contributing to the rejection of a contract adjustment request. McGee claims this rejection illustrates a broader issue of racial bias affecting minority contractors.
The Obama Foundation allegedly relied on these contentious evaluations when deciding dismissively on Concrete Collective’s adjustments. McGee’s legal representation, led by attorney John Sebastian from Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, expressed hope for a fair trial, though declined further public comment.
"In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company on the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by the structural engineer of record (Thornton Tomasetti) for the construction of The Obama Presidential Center," the case reads. "Moreover, Bob McGee was aware and supportive of the Obama Foundation's diversity and inclusion goals for the Project and never imagined that the Obama Foundation's structural engineer would single out a minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism and falsely accuse II in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its Work, while, in the same letter, stating that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified," the lawsuit states.
Judge Jeffrey Cummings will oversee the civil case. With four attorneys representing McGee and his company, the legal team is preparing for what could become a landmark case in construction law vis-à-vis minority subcontractor rights.
Meanwhile, authorities have served a summons to Scott Schneider, a senior principal at Thornton Tomasetti, requiring a response by mid-February. As legal proceedings begin, they expose significant challenges that minority-owned businesses face in major construction projects.
The lawsuit raises concerns about the sufficient representation and fair treatment of minority-owned enterprises within large-scale civic projects. As the court date nears, both sides actively prepare to address the intricate issues involved.
Robert McGee Jr., along with Trice Construction Company and W.E. O'Neil Construction Co., have filed a discrimination case against Thornton Tomasetti. The lawsuit alleges that racial bias and onerous inspection protocols led to construction inefficiencies in the Obama Presidential Center project. Emily Bitter of the Obama Center denies knowing of any discriminatory intent by the accused engineering firm.
