The University will not take legal action against the company that supplied building contractors with faulty cement during the construction of Charles Commons, according to officials.
"There is no question at all" concerning the safety and quality of Charles Commons, Dennis O'Shea, University Spokesman, said.
During the earlier phase of the Charles Commons project, cement and chemical products manufacturer Essroc Italcementi Group was the main supplier of cement to Metro Ready Mix Inc., the now-defunct university-approved building contractor.
However, it was quickly discovered that certain cement defects persisted, and Essroc was soon replaced by another cement supplier.
University officials insisted that they had promptly taken the necessary precautions and investigations to guarantee the quality of cement.
"Charles Commons is a safe structure. Students should not be concerned. The issues with concrete poured at a very early point in the project were detected in the quality control process, as they should have been. The contractor gave the concrete supplier an opportunity to correct the problem. Eventually, the concrete supplier was removed, and a new supplier was brought in for the rest of the project," O'Shea said.
Furthermore, the university took immediate remedial action to fix the cement pours that were previously problematic.
The university also brought in a structural engineer to "retest" and "certify" the concrete after it met the required strength levels.
In December 2007, the jury at the United States District decided Essroc should take full responsibility for its sub-standard cement, which ultimately caused the bankruptcy of Metro Ready Mix.
Essroc was also required to make $1.7 million in compensation to the Baltimore-based contractor.
At the moment, the University has no plans to take legal action against Essroc.
Stephen Dunham, director of the office of general counsel at Hopkins, declined to comment.
Officials at Metro Ready Mix Inc. announced huge losses at their previous Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center project because the concrete turned out to be so weak that it needed to be ripped off and removed completely.
Company officials at Metro Ready Mix blamed these problems on the sub-standard cement provided by Essroc.
After the incident at Bayview, the fragile Metro Ready Mix Inc sustained further losses as they had lost rights to several multi-million dollar contracts because of damaged reputation at Bayview.
As a result of the court verdict in December 2007, Essroc will take full responsibility for causing the losses of Metro Ready Mix Inc., including the losses at the Johns Hopkins Bayview project.
Officials at Bayview were unavailable for comment.
Cement is one of the most vital ingredients in the making of concrete. It that glues together the rock or gravel with the sand, water, and other additives.
Concrete can also have varying strengths, depending on the quality of the cement and other materials used.
The concrete used in building bridges, highways, and high-rises is stronger and made with higher-quality cement than the materials used in sidewalks and garage-driveways.
According to building contractor Metro Ready Mix Inc's claim in the month long civil case, Essroc falsely supplied them with weaker, substandard cement that may induce serious safety hazards in a large-scale structure.
According to the company website, Essroc Italcementi Group is a "leading manufacturer of cement and chemical mixtures serving North America...and driven to deliver superior value by providing quality and innovative products and services, and being a long-time business partner."
The company also featured a list of its "premier projects," including the D.C. Major League Ball Park, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and the Toronto General Hospital.
Meanwhile, in the brightly-lit halls of Charles Commons, student residents generally seem to be content about the conditions in the dormitory.
When asked about their opinion on the recent court verdict on Essroc's substandard cement, most are not aware and are not concerned about the situation.
"I mean, it's not like my room is constantly sinking," Hopkins senior Sarah H. said.
