Arthur Sullivan, leader of the management team at Brady Sullivan
The number of residents and former residents at mega New England developer Brady Sullivan’s Harris Mill Lofts in Coventry, RI who are alleging being adversely impacted by health impacts from environmental contaminants is exploding.
To date, Providence attorneys Daniel Calabro and Artin Coloian have already filed lawsuits on behalf of five different parties. The two attorneys told GoLocal in an interview on Thursday that more than forty additional individuals are now poised to file additional suits all tied to environmental contamination at the loft complex.
According to Coloian, both present and former tenants are suffering from similar adverse health problems tied to the condition of the property.
Patti Doyle, a spokeswoman for Brady Sullivan in Rhode Island, told GoLocal is a statement on Thursday evening, “Brady Sullivan takes all complaints very seriously and is only aware of 5 such complaints at this time. In response to all complaints, Brady Sullivan hires a qualified third party inspector and remediates any problems discovered through qualified contractors.”
“All residential units tested have generated results within acceptable levels suitable for living areas. Brady Sullivan denies all allegations of health and environmental issues. Brady Sullivan has repeatedly requested that the attorneys substantiate their allegations with evidence in support thereof. Coloian and Calabro have failed and refused to provide any such substantiating evidence,” said Doyle.
Remediation has taken place at the Coventry lofts in 2017
To date, Brady Sullivan has been sued by a number of former residents:
One family — Joseph and Jamie Rachiele and their child — claim that each member of the family was severely impacted by contamination. The Rachiele family is seeking $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $10 million in punitive damages.
Amongst the claims, “Approximately three months after moving in, on or about January 28, 2015, Mr. Rachiele awoke with a severe nosebleed from both nostrils and into his throat, causing him to spit up blood.”
The Rachieles claim Brady Sullivan "violated the lead laws and subjected Plaintiffs to hazardous lead dust and lead chipping paint.”
“No mold remediation was performed in response to repeated reports by Plaintiffs; mold spots on walls and pipes were simply covered up with paint," states the suit.
“Upon information and belief, improper cleanup or lack of cleanup of the building prior to Defendants’ renovation of the Mill has resulted in multiple hazardous waterborne and/or airborne pathogens remaining present in Plaintiffs’ former apartment," the suit continues. “As a result of Defendants’ negligence, Plaintiffs have suffered extreme and permanent bodily injuries.”
The Rachieles lived at Brady Sullivan’s Harris Mill Loft in Coventry.
— The second lawsuit was filed by William Calise and Krystal Dent who also rented at the Harris Mill Loft, the couple claims in a suit among other things, that the apartment was infested with “fungus gnats” that feed on mold.
They allege in their suit against Brady Sullivan, “Mr. Calise has also suffered a variety of respiratory symptoms including heart palpitations, night sweats, fatigue, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Mr. Calise has also suffered the appearances of rashes in various spots across his body. Both Plaintiffs have experienced repeated nosebleeds while in the apartment.”
The couple is seeking $12 million in punitive and compensatory damages.
In addition, Brady Sullivan has been hit by a lawsuit filed in 2017 by Jeffrey Mastrobuono. That suit is asking for a total of $60 million in damages -- $10 million in compensatory damages and $50 million of punitive damages.
According to the complaint, “Approximately two months after moving into the apartment [at the Harris Mill Lofts in Coventry], Mastrobuono began to feel ill. He experienced severe breathing difficulties as well as chronic pneumonia and sinus infections. Plaintiff’s mother, who spent countless hours at the apartment, has also experienced problems such as nosebleeds and severe rashes, both of which required medical attention,” states the lawsuit.
“As a result of his illnesses, Mastrobuono was required to seek medical attention on approximately fifty (50) different occasions during his tenancy at the apartment due to chronic pneumonia and chronic sinus infections. During the winter of 2017, He was diagnosed with irreversible and incurable interstitial lung disease as a result of the chronic pneumonia and hypersensitivity pneumonitis which he suffered due to extended exposure to airborne mold toxins. Plaintiff ultimately lost his job and was unable to find further gainful employment due to the airborne mold pathogens found in Plaintiff’s blood and resulting illnesses,” states the complaint against Brady Sullivan.
In addition, Mastrobuono alleges that, "During the winter of 2017, Plaintiff was diagnosed with irreversible and incurable interstitial lung disease as a result of chronic pneumonia and hypersensitivity pneumonitis which he suffered due to extended exposure to airborne mold toxins."
Presently, in Rhode Island Brady Sullivan operates six major properties — all mill rehabs.
On January 4, 2016, GoLocal Worcester reported: "A developer who works throughout New England is under fire in New Hampshire — and workers unions and environmentalists are now asking the EPA to investigate all Brady Sullivan properties throughout the region, including Worcester.
Developer Brady Sullivan is currently the subject of a lead contamination lawsuit at Mill West in Manchester, NH, and Kevin Ksen with the Carpenters Local #107 in Worcester said a petition to the EPA with over 20,000 signatures is intended to monitor all of the developer’s properties, and cited examples of labor issues in Massachusetts that prompted the action.
“We had some experiences with labor issues at Brady Sullivan properties in Massachusetts,” said Ksen. “Our main concern is when property is developed, are they hiring quality workers, and doing legitimate work. What happened in [New Hampshire], another contractor wouldn’t get away with that. So when that lawsuit moved forward, that’s what moved us to do the petition with Clean Water Action and Public Citizen,” said Ksen.
More concerns are being raised by community organizers and New England labor leaders about the developer poised to redevelop the Old Courthouse in Worcester. But, business leaders and one member of the Worcester City Council defend the developer.
Brady Sullivan, a New Hampshire based company, purchased the building from the City of Worcester in April for $1.2 million. This project is not its only project in the Worcester-area. The company is also developing the Junction Shop Lofts in Worcester and the Lofts at Lancaster Mills in Clinton.
Now, new concerns are coming to light over the quality of the company’s work, issues of environmental exposure and allegation of failure to make timely payment to workers.
As GoLocalWorcester reported on Monday, Developer Brady Sullivan is currently the subject of a lead contamination lawsuit at Mill West in Manchester, NH, and Kevin Ksen with the Carpenters Local #107 in Worcester said a petition to the EPA with over 20,000 signatures is intended to monitor all of the developer’s properties, and cited examples of labor issues in Massachusetts that prompted the action.
“We had some experiences with labor issues at Brady Sullivan properties in Massachusetts,” said Ksen. “Our main concern is when property is developed, are they hiring quality workers, and doing legitimate work. What happened in [New Hampshire], another contractor wouldn’t get away with that. So when that lawsuit moved forward, that’s what moved us to do the petition with Clean Water Action and Public Citizen,” said Ksen.
Now, there are concerns about building quality and new documentation of mold in Brady Sullivan units.
“If Worcester cared about good jobs for local people, they wouldn’t have gone so willingly into this agreement. Brady Sullivan’s bad reputation is defined by their subcontractors’ track record of poor workmanship, health violations, safety violations, insurance fraud, and wage theft which just keeps getting longer,” Manny Gines, Organizer for the New England Carpenters. “Worcester already decided, so now it’s the City’s responsibility to guarantee that the problems that have been documented in Worcester and Clinton as well as Vermont, and New Hampshire don’t happen again.
"Three of the four workers at Brady Sullivan’s mill project in Clinton that were the victims of wage theft in July were Worcester residents," he said. "That should wake Worcester up enough to know they need to monitor Brady Sullivan and their subcontractors really closely in order to make sure this project doesn’t become a black-eye.”
In contrast, Tim Murray outlines the importance of the redevelopment of the Old Court House, “Brady Sullivan Properties’ multi-million dollar private sector investments in Worcester are significant. These investments are creating many jobs and spending locally where previously there were none as well as restoring dangerous and vacant buildings into needed, market rate, and workforce housing.”
Murray said, “Additionally, these investments expand the city’s tax base, which is critical in paying for needed municipal services. Also, Brady Sullivan’s commitment to work with the city to include local workers and contractors on these projects is fully supported by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.”
New Hampshire Public Radio reported on November 27, 2017, “A group of Manchester residents exposed to elevated levels of lead dust has reached a settlement with property developer Brady Sullivan. Several dozen residents of the Mill West apartment complex in Manchester sued Brady Sullivan, contending that the company’s construction project in 2015 in lower levels of the mill building kicked up dangerous levels of lead-dust into luxury apartments on higher floors.They also say Brady Sullivan, after making complaints about the lead exposure, would not let them out of their leases.” Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Brady Sullivan has also been tied to soil contamination issues on Londonberry, NH, asbestos dumping in Lawrence, MA and more than half a dozen other environment complaints around New England.
Related Slideshow: Some of the Most Interesting GoLocal LIVE Interviews—The First 1,000
Enda Kenny, former Prime Minister - the Taoiseach - of Ireland, joined GoLocal LIVE to discuss the growing trade opportunities sparked by the new direct air travel between Rhode Island's T.F. Green via Norwegian Air.
Kenny has been instrumental with his support for the Ireland West International Trade Center in Rhode Island and the RI Trade Center in Mayo.
At the time of the interview, a Rhode Island trade mission was visiting Ireland led in part by Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, who also appeared on LIVE.
Kenny served as Prime Minister from 2011 until earlier 2017.
Johnston native Amanda Clayton was almost ready to give up on her acting dreams when she got the call to travel to Atlanta to meet Tyler Perry and test-read with other actors for the then-new show “If Loving You Is Wrong," an opportunity that has been life and career changing for Clayton.
Having moved to New York at 19, five days before 9/11, she studied on-camera acting at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and TV opportunities in Hollywood.
She appeared in Disney’s “John Carter," multiple TV appearances like NCIS: New Orleans, Major Crimes, and The Mentalist, and as Vinny Pazienza’s sister in “Bleed for This” filmed and based right here in Rhode Island.
Clayton just finished a Lifetime Movie “Mommy’s Little Angel”, coming out next year, and finished a role behind-the-scenes as a producer for “Dirty Dead Con Men.”
“If Loving You Is Wrong” airs Tuesday nights on OWN.
When your career begins at age 11 as the youngest artist to reach #1 on the Billboard charts and continues on through adulthood, it’s almost difficult to believe one could still have professional firsts, but RI native and “The Voice” Alum, Billy Gilman, did just that with his first ever arena concert at the Dunkin Donuts Center.
Johanne Killeen of Al Forno shared both the story on GoLocal LIVE's "The Taste," of how grilled pizza began -- as well as the announcement on her new cookbook highlighting pizza.
She told the story of how one of America's greatest restaurants was started and where it is going in the future.
Mystic Aquarium’s Penguin Trainers Eric Fox and Josh Davis visited GoLocal LIVE with Blue-Purple and Blue-Red penguins, talking about how you can help the Endangered South African species.
They also discussed trips to South Africa, what it’s like working with penguins, and what’s on the penguin’s lunch menu.
Mystic Aquarium’s mission is to inspire people to care for and protect the ocean planet through education, conservation and research. To help accomplish that mission, Mystic Aquarium offers educational opportunities and fundraising events to continue their conservation work and teach the public about the ocean’s creatures.
“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” alum, Jai Rodriguez, joined GoLocal LIVE to talk about his new show “Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man’’ currently running in Vegas until January of 2018.
Rodriguez co-stars in the audience-participation heavy live show with reality TV personality, Kendra Wilkinson, and says the subject matter of the show is perfect for the crowd in Vegas.
Lincoln Chafee, former Mayor, U.S. Senator and Governor, took Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo’s administration to task for promoting economic growth by funneling tax dollars to some of America’s richest corporations, in one of a number of appearances on GoLocal LIVE.
Appearing on GoLocal LIVE with GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle, Chafee said the Raimondo’s transfer of taxpayers dollars to billion dollar companies such as General Electric and Johnson & Johnson was flawed.
“I have never liked corporate welfare. It's unfair to existing businesses…some out of state business comes in and you give them the candy store. I just don’t like it," said Chafee.
As only the 10th person to serve as the Archivist of the United States, David Ferriero said it’s been amazing to learn responsibilities of the position and get to know the staff at the National Archives. He appeared on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O'Brien at GoLocal's downtown Providence studio.
“The most exciting thing is getting to know the records and getting to know the richness of the documentation that tells our country’s history, starting with the oaths of allegiance signed at Valley Forge by George Washington and the troops, all the way up to the tweets that are being created as I am speaking, in the White House,” Ferriero said.
Governor Gina Raimondo joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on LIVE where she discussed the UHIP technology failure, economic development, the status of 38 Studios, and how she works to build a lasting legacy for Rhode Island.
Who are five of the most influential people to change personal technology? The most important journalist gave his insight on personal tech to date and outlined where we are going.
Super tech journalist and Rhode Island native Walt Mossberg appeared on GoLocal LIVE with GoLocal's News Editor Kate Nagle.
"Well, it was a combination of really important people - and really important technology," said Mossberg. "It took too long for the computer industry to get the memo that these things had to be usable without reading manuals."
Mossberg, who served as the principal technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal from 1991 to 2013, founded AllThingsD, Recode, and the D and Code Conferences, and from 2015 to 2017, was Executive Editor of The Verge.
Gretchen Morgenson, a top financial writer for the New York Times [now the Wall Street Journal], joined GoLocal LIVE just hours after her newspaper published her investigative piece that unveiled that claims that financial giant TIAA was involved in improper financial practices took on new momentum.
Rhode Island’s Treasurer Seth Magaziner has nearly $700 million invested with TIAA.
Morgenson was first to report that, “New York’s attorney general has subpoenaed TIAA, the giant insurance company, and investment firm, seeking documents and information relating to its sales practices…”
In October, she wrote a sweeping investigative piece that raised questions about TIAA’s selling strategies. “The subpoena to TIAA, which handles retirement accounts for over four million workers at 15,000 nonprofit institutions across the country, followed an article last month in The New York Times that raised questions about the firm’s selling techniques,” wrote Morgenson.
On GoLocal LIVE, Morgenson told News Editor Kate Nagle in a Skype interview, “I think clients in all states should be worried -- Mr. [Seth] Magaziner should do a little more investigation into this to assure himself and the people in Rhode Island in these plans - that what TIAA is [telling them] is correct.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Ron Powers said his recent book, “No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America” is one he promised himself he would never write.
The book is based on the true story of his two sons' struggles with mental illness. Both were diagnosed with Schizophrenia as young men.
While deeply personal, Powers gave insight on the battles his sons’ fought and details into their family life. He also looked at the history of mental illness, including incarceration, medication and more.
"I was determined to give the mentally ill, invisible to much of society and often denied the very basic acknowledgment of their own humanity, a voice,” Powers said.
Powers is the author or co-author of 14 previous books, including New York Times bestselling “Flags of our Fathers” and “True Compass."
Bastianich explained how she was inspired by family traditions and how she first got into the culinary world. She has since carried on her passion and it now has involved to include her whole family in all her endeavors.
Big news -- Bastianich announced that Eataly could be opening in Toronto, Canada in 2018.
Magician and comedian Piff the Magic Dragon appeared on LIVE before he performed five shows at the Comedy Connection in East Providence over Labor Day Weekend.
“New show, all new jokes, all new tricks, same dog,” Piff said. “Mr. Piffles will be doing a lot of mind reading. He’s got his whole new act with The Dog Who Knows and he’ll be attempting to see all and know all. Ask him anything and he’ll tell you.”
Known for his dry sense of humor and rescue K-9 sidekick Mr. Piffles, Piff gained worldwide attention after his success on season 10 of America’s Got Talent.
Although Piff didn’t win that season, he’s made guest appearances on America’s Got Talent, racked up 50 million YouTube views, and recently extended his show at the Flamingo in Las Vegas until the end of 2018.
“He is the symptom and agent of the emerging nationalism. And, nationalism should not be considered patriotism. Patriotism is the love of your own. Nationalism is the hatred of others,” said Lesieur at the Hope Club.
In a sweeping discussion with GoLocal, he spoke about Europe in the Brexit, the Trump relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the wild French election campaign.
Former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy spoke with GoLocal LIVE about efforts in Rhode Island in 2017 to legalize marijuana - and what he said is the country’s crisis of addiction, and why he is opposed to marijuana legalization.
“We’re going through an epidemic of addiction and depression…and we’re in the midst of the rollback the biggest expansion of healthcare coverage that benefits people with mental illness [and] addiction, and this was the first time the ever got coverage,” Kennedy told GoLocal’s Kate Nagle on Wednesday.
“We ought to think do we want to throw gasoline on the fire,” said Kennedy, of legalizing marijuana in Rhode Island. “We know what’s happened with other addictive substances where’s basically there’s no perception of ‘risk’ — alcohol is ubiquitous; tobacco, until the settlements, there was no appetite for addressing [the impact of that].”
“Going down this road of adding a new intoxicant is not a good thing,” said Kennedy.
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Former Spelman College President
Former president of Spelman College, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., is one of the nation’s leading experts on race, and the psychology of race.
Tatum recently released a fully revised and updated edition of her bestselling book “Why Are the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race.”
In an interview with LIVE, Tatum said it’s important to have conversations about race and listen for opportunities to have natural discussions.
“We can’t solve a problem if we can’t talk about it,” the Brock International Prize in Education winner said.
To make a change, she said, we all have a role to play and each of us has an opportunity.
“We all have a sphere of influence. Everybody influences someone, and we should not be afraid to use that influence to bring about the changes we hope to see,” she said.
Terrorism and international relations expert Mark Baillie of King's College in London's War Studies Department spoke with GoLocal's Kate Nagle regarding the post-Manchester landscape in England - and the world.
"The young guy...did it in his mother's basement. Any lone actor can make a powerful bomb," said Baillie following the terrorism incident. "We're in the midst of a general election where politicians talk about there being no political or cultural backlash."
"And estimated 300 people are 'ready to go' - 400 who have been fighting with Isis in Syria -- and in a group of about 20,000 supporters," noted Baillie of the UK landscape, calling Manchester and acts like it the "terrorism of the mundane" -- and much more frightening than "spectacular" acts of terrorism.
Baillie, who runs seminars on a wide range of security matters at King's and at the UK Joint Staff College, has lived or worked in more than 14 countries in the fields of news, security, finance, economics, business and politics and appears widely in international news media on terrorism and international security.
Geragos is one of Hollywood's biggest celebrity lawyers having represented rapper Chris Brown and Michael Jackson over the years. When asked about his relationship with the often legal troubled Brown, Geragos said that the rapper is "like a son and an annuity" to him.
In reference to a lawsuit that he is representing Alex and Ani over, Geragos said, "For lack of a better word, we've got a couple of knuckleheads, [and] it's not at the forefront of anything we're worried about."
"Unfortunately when you become successful people want to take an elevator to the penthouse and that won't happen here, trust me," said Geragos.
Geragos explained how he met Alex and Ani CEO Carolyn Rafaelian - and spoke to how the "company culture" brought him in.
"I was at a charity event at Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyard -- she was doing a fundraiser for an Armenian orphanage," said Geragos. "They have a unique blend of doing humanitarian work...Carolyn was the hit in New York this week."
Model, entrepreneur and activist Gisele Bündchen, co-anchor of Good Morning America Robin Roberts; and Rafaelian were among the women recognized Tuesday in New York City by the David Lynch Foundation (DLF), a global charitable organization that addresses the epidemic of trauma and toxic stress amongst at-risk populations.