Contractors Accuse University Of Iowa Hospitals Of Avoiding Payments, Intending Harm

By fighting with contractors in the courts over work on its new children’s hospital, the University of Iowa is trying to avoid making payments — even at the cost of those companies’ demise, one attorney argued in court papers made public Friday.Quoting a document created by the project’s construction manager Gilbane Building Company, the attorney reported, “Legal counsel for (UI Health Care) said that as soon as the hospital is open, they can fight them for years if needed.”“The court must reject Iowa’s attempt to put local contractors out of business by litigating with the contractors for years,” Jeffrey Stone, attorney representing Cedar Rapids-based contractor Modern Piping, argued in a motion filed Thursday in Johnson County District Court.