Delayed condo tower sidelined by lawsuits

The contractor building The Jewel condo tower in downtown Sarasota is suing the owner and the designer of the 18-story high rise, claiming numerous and unexpected changes have delayed the $50 million project's completion.

Suffolk Construction Co. maintains multiple changes by owner Main Street J Development Co. and Hoyt Architects have added millions of dollars to its original $23 million contract and sidelined workers at the tower.

“As a result of the owner's and architect's inability to provide Suffolk with sufficient design information in a timely manner, Suffolk and the project have been substantially impacted and delayed,” the construction company's lawsuit states.