The contractor hired to raze the buildings on the upper end of Main Street is suing the city for a second time. Standard Demolition, of Trumbull, in a complaint filed in Milford Superior Court this week claims the city has prevented it from completing a demolition project started in 2003.

The dispute centers on 256 Main St., up the hill from where another contractor, C&L Demolition, began tearing down buildings last week on the lower end of Main Street.

Last November, Standard stopped dismantling 256 Main St. after discovering it shared a wall with Derby Billiards, a pool hall. Standard says in the suit that by not resolving the "common wall issue," the city has prevented it from finishing the job and receiving a final payment. Standard also accuses the city of misrepresentation for allegedly failing to disclose the existence of the shared wall.

Mayor Anthony Staffieri said Thursday that Standard was responsible for knowing about the wall and the work needed to shore it up to finish the demolition. "It was their duty to read the deeds and do the research required for them to start. It's part of their job. It was their job to find out and to do what it takes to complete the job."

Disputes have marred the city's relationship with Standard since the contractor was hired in 2003 to take down the connected block of buildings from 256-284 Main St. The contractor initially bid $529,450 to do the demolition. But it discovered asbestos midway through the project and sent the city a $466,173 bill for the abatement, according to court records.

The contractor walked off the job in April 2004 after receiving only $313,512 from the city for the demolition work, the records state. With three buildings left standing, Standard sued the city for breach of contract. In a settlement reached last September, the city agreed to pay Standard $350,000 and place in escrow $155,000 for when the three remaining buildings were taken down, according to the records. When it reached 256 Main St., the final building, Standard agreed to take down the top floors by hand so it would not disturb the pool hall. When it stopped, the city paid Standard $77,500 until the common-wall issue was resolved, according to the lawsuit. Standard also claims the city said it would hire another company to complete the project. Staffieri denied the claim.

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