Two years after it was closed due to structural flaws, the National Academy for Performing Arts (Napa) remains closed and is not likely to reopen anytime soon.
GML Enterprise Desk obtained an inspection report on the facility commissioned by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism which reveals several structural flaws that could present public danger and which must be corrected urgently before the facility is reopened.
The facility cost taxpayers half a billion dollars and remedial work will cost taxpayers millions more.
The report identified structural deficiencies in almost the entire building, including the UTT facility, catwalk, stage area, roof and ceiling.
They include incomplete welding, braces for key beams are only tack welded, some beams are welded on one side only, screws and bolts embedded in some welds, fabrication cuts on the webs of beams, main beams joined using reinforcing plates and were not butt welded, and plates were used to fill spaces between some beams.
In December 2014, BBFL Caribbean Limited was contracted by the Ministry of Arts and Multi Culturalism in December to conduct a condition survey on the building and found “several defects” which required further investigation by a certified welding inspector.
The company retained the services of Certified Welding Inspector-Non Destructive Testers Limited (NDT) to so the necessary tests.
NDT concluded that none of the welds inspected were acceptable to code due to weld profiles, undercut and the porosity beyond allowable limits.
With specific reference to the UTT attic, it was found that bolted connections between primary members were connected by single bolts per joint and the bolts were not tightened.
In the catwalk area, the ceiling above the audience area was said to be suspended from the structure by quarter-inch threaded diameter steel bars. The steel bars, according to the report, were connected to the structure by tack welds.
The structure at the proscenium—the arch from which the stage curtain comes down—consists of beams, pipe braces, which are connected by welding but “none were acceptable to AWS D1-1 visual inspection criteria due to unacceptable weld profile, porosity and undercut.”
In the catwalk stage area the fire curtain is tack welded in position.
No welding bolts were observed at connection points of the four-inch diameter beam to support the brace.
The report also pointed to “incomplete welds on various components” and stated that “of all welds inspected, all are unacceptable” in keeping with internationally accepted criteria.
Sources said joints were not properly welded and over a period of time this could present a danger to the public, as there could be a partial collapse of the structure in the event of a strong earthquake.
Full joint penetration welds should have been used to ensure the safety of the structure, but instead fillet welds were used which is inadequate in a structure of that size.
$10 million repair bill
Well-placed sources told the GML Enterprise Desk that the inspector recommended that all the welds be replaced, but the contractor, Shanghai Construction, was seeking to reduce the scope of remedial work because of the cost.
The GML Enterprise Desk was told by a well-placed source that only 20 per cent of the recommended remedial work has been done and that has already cost close to $10 million.
However, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to correct the structural deficiencies identified in the report.
Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly admitted that the corrective work “will cost millions of dollars,” but she could not give an exact figure.
“The final cost has not yet been tabulated,” she said.
The minister said taxpayers will not have to foot the entire repair bill since “some of the cost is being borne by Shanghai Construction, who is correcting the defects which was as a result of their work.”
Shanghai would not bear all the costs because there were two issues, she said, including “structural deficiencies where some of the welds did not stand up to inspection and lack of maintenance.”
“In order to ensure the safety of everyone” it was agreed “that the welds be redone.” The minister said substantial work has already been done on defects identified on the roof.
She said corrective work started late last year involving both Shanghai and some local contractors.
Gadsby-Dolly said while she had been assured that the work will be completed this year, she could not give a time frame for completion.
JCC: It’s a shame
President of the Joint Consultative Council James Armstrong said: “Napa is a relatively new building and should not have had so many deficiencies. It is clear that something went wrong somewhere.”
He said that the situation with the structure “is a concern that we have raised in the past, which is why we are stressing that the State should not bypass the experience which we have and enter into government to government arrangements.”
Armstrong said he was not aware that “any local contractor had been approached to rectify the problem, since no member had indicated that were had been approached.”
Shanghai Construction was given the contract to build Napa by Udecott. There was no tender for the project. Armstrong said projects of that magnitude “should be out for tender and allow local contractors to submit bids.”
He said industry stakeholders have the expertise and wherewithal and “we are aware of what capacity we have, so if it is beyond our capacity then we can say let’s find a joint venture partner who we can engage. But what is happening is that the way these request for proposals are issued, they lock out local contractors on technical issues.”
Armstrong said it is not the intention to “lock out anyone” but they believe “the local industry can perform and make contributions to these mega-projects.”
He added that there needs to be a “conscious policy of the Government to engage local companies and give them the opportunity, so they can generate employment.”
Efforts to contact Michael Zhang of Shanghai Construction Limited for comment were unsuccessful.
ABOUT NAPA
Napa was built under an undisclosed government to government arrangement with China. There was no competitive tender for the project and the contract was given to the Shanghai Construction Group by Udecott.
The facility was opened with much fanfare in 2009 and was expected to play a significant role in the development of arts and culture. Prime Minister Patrick Manning had praised the facility as being "world class."
However, The Artists Coalition of T&T (ACTT) was not impressed. President Rubadiri Victor said the facility was woefully inadequate. Among the short comings he identified were no loading area for the main stage, poor construct of the stage floor, flawed dance studios, no costume rooms, a defective orchestra pit and hundreds of problems with lighting and sound fixtures and equipment, no showers, no dressing rooms, and two rooms which were said to be smaller theatres had no seats.
Victor estimated it would cost $80 million to fix the problems.
By 2014 the building’s flaws were coming to the surface and the facility was closed after several problems with air quality and structural issues were uncovered. It was subsequently closed for non-compliance with OSHA Regulations.
Then Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas said it would have cost an additional $100 million to fix the building. Among other things, he said screws and bolts used on the facility were unique to China and had to be imported, in addition he said tiles were falling off the building, there were plumbing failures and the foundation began failing, in terms of its design and filtration system, the moving stage showed major defects and the support stands for the stage were crumbling.
The facility was closed and the UTT classes were relocated. Caution tape was placed across the building. However part of the facility was used as recent as July 8 for the public viewing of the body of former prime minister Patrick Manning.