030410 LOCAL NEWS 1 Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Five subcontractors on the Pioneer Hotel renovation project say they’re owed more than $400,000 for work they’ve done so far, according to records on file in County Clerk Kelly Pinion’s office.
Subcontractors on old hotel renovation file liens to recoup unpaid bills
By Walt Nett | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Story last updated at 3/4/2010 - 12:42 am
Five subcontractors on the Pioneer Hotel renovation project say they’re owed more than $400,000 for work they’ve done so far, according to records on file in County Clerk Kelly Pinion’s office.
At the same time, there’s been no activity on the old hotel property at 1204 Broadway for several weeks.
Mike McDougal, president of the McDougal Cos.., said the liens are being worked out, and work on the hotel is on hold while he negotiates with a potential tenant for some of the retail space planned for the hotel’s first floor.
Working things out with that potential tenant would affect elements of how the lobby is ultimately laid out, McDougal said.
“Knowing who that tenant’s going to be will have a huge impact on marketing,” McDougal said, adding potential condominium buyers would probably be less interested in buying without knowing who will be on the ground floor.
The five have filed liens totalling $433,196 against Mc & Mc Properties, the McDougal Cos. subsidiary that bought the hotel in 2005, seeking payment for bills ranging from $27,376 to $189,162, according to documents reviewed by The Avalanche-Journal.
Under Texas law, unpaid subcontractors on commercial construction work must file liens against the property about four months after the billed amount is due.
According to the McDougal company’s Web site, plans call for a multi-use renovation, with condominium apartments on the third through 11th floors. The hotel’s two original second-floor ballrooms are also scheduled to be revived, along with offices.
McDougal said this week the company, which originally had planned to have offices on the third floor, will build condominium units on the two wings.
That change could add as many as four apartments to the 29 originally intended for the building.
The condominiums are almost ready for sale, McDougal said.
“We just need the sheetrock and carpeting,” he said. “The plumbing is in; the air conditioning is in. Most of the electrical work is done.”
The McDougal family bought the 81-year-old structure out of foreclosure in 2005 for about $6.1 million, then bought and razed the former Yellowhouse Masonic lodge to the north of the hotel for construction of a parking garage.
In previous Avalanche-Journal stories about the project, Mike McDougal said the cost of the project would run at least $10 million and could approach $15 million, partly because of unexpected costs.
For example, none of the 550 windows were framed identically. That meant the renovations required new custom windows of energy-efficient glass.
In addition, workers found more than twice as many holes in walls as they had expected.
The building was vacated in 1994 after two owners operated it for the previous 19 years as a retirement hotel and senior citizens’ residence.
To comment on this story:
walt.nett@lubbockonline.com l 766-8744
charles.reinken@lubbockonline.com l 766-8706
Reader Comments
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: aquaman at Mar. 4, 2010 at 6:32:34 am
Seems that McDougal needs to pay up, doesn't matter who the tenant is or if there is a tenant. Pay for the work contracted.
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: jeffross at Mar. 4, 2010 at 7:08:59 am
Will five liens for over 400Kbucks hurt Mc&Mc's credit rating, or are the liens just an expected cost of doing work for some of the richest folks in the region?
And four months over due? Wonder how things would be if somebody owed THE MCDs that much money and were over due by over four months. I guess the rules are different if you already have lots of money, than if you don't.
I wonder what the price of recycled bronze is. Maybe the lien holders can melt down a couple of statues and get part of their money.
Oops, I forgot, those are Idols to Lubbock's god of green and gold. Can't blaspheme against them.
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: RBRB1 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 7:59:10 am
Looks like Mayor Martin needs to come up with some way for the City of Lubbock to "help" the McDougals again .....
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: DidjaHear at Mar. 4, 2010 at 8:11:34 am
Hmm - the old Pioneer - Thin tires on red brick streets; hats on every head; common courtesy; a cooler breeze on the shadowed side.
Times change. Reckon $21 mil's gonna improve all that much?
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: herald at Mar. 4, 2010 at 8:45:28 am
Let's hope the interior decoration isn't as garish as the amazingly tasteless McDougal Hotel across from the football stadium. The old Pioneer was a classy place.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: 1stooge at Mar. 4, 2010 at 9:30:46 am
Might as well re-name the Pioneer to 'McDougal Hotel'.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: Mercaptan at Mar. 4, 2010 at 10:05:38 am
JeffRoss, the more you write, the more sarcastic you get. I think I'm starting to like you. I even find myself giving you some + ratings.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: Rojo59 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 10:43:02 am
How much is it going to cost to live in this McDougalville? Also, if the McD's are so fired up about renovating the downtown area, why did they build their Taj Mahal corporate office building on 50th and west loop 289? They should have put their money where their mouth is and built it downtown if it's such a great place to be living and doing business. A fool and his money are soon parted. Beware the new McDougalville.
(This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: frogdodgeitcom at Mar. 4, 2010 at 10:46:35 am
The macdaddyDoug's have never run a clean organization. Not a good outfit to contract for. The used to get money under the table back from the contractors doing work for their real estate sellers without the buyers or sellers knowing the back door payment arrangement, or the board of realtors knowing either.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: RalphBauer at Mar. 4, 2010 at 11:23:01 am
Whew!!! Thank goodness there's finally some McDougal news. What with all of those pesky elections last week, there was a great deal of McDougal withdrawal going 'round.
-2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: RalphBauer at Mar. 4, 2010 at 11:53:30 am
BTW Mercaptan, I agree with your statement about old Jeff 100%.
(This comment was rated -1.) Posted by: melmcree at Mar. 4, 2010 at 11:57:30 am
The city government takes a lot longer to pay bills than 4 months and it's nice to see someone taking a risk in revitalizing the downtown area rather than building a new shopping center or housing development in a cotton field in SW Lubbock. Kudos to anyone trying to keep downtown Lubbock from cratering.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: jeffross at Mar. 4, 2010 at 2:04:12 pm
Ah. The McDougalites are starting to come out.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: snowjack59 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 2:11:02 pm
well they made the city buy exel, now they will be applying for goverment assistance to finish and get the mayor to help them!!!! once again city will be paying thier bills. watch out election candidates, they may have written ya a bad check!
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: area61 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 3:02:54 pm
The subcontractors should send their bills to City of Lubbock, in care of Mayor Tom Martin. That way they will get paid.
Who the hell wants downtown revitalized? Nothing but bad memories down there. Let that dog die.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: area61 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 3:13:11 pm
BTW
You notice that the McDougals never say if and when they're gonna pay up? They're waitin for a tenant to pop up! Jeff Ross, I agree with your statement.
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: prtzel at Mar. 4, 2010 at 3:43:29 pm
Not the first time the McD's have done this and it won't be the last.
+ 2 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: RBRB1 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 4:45:24 pm
Maybe Mayor Martin can just buy out the sub-contractors like he did with xcel. Then he could go on TV and tell everybody that buying the subs will be good for the "infrastructure" and the citizens in the long run.....
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: burritojoe66 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 5:43:28 pm
the mcds are the biggest crooks in the town ,thats wy they got what they got
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: paperboy66 at Mar. 4, 2010 at 6:07:58 pm
We pay this much to the MC McDougals every month in Pipeline land finders fees. And the total floor rental in the wells Fargo bldg $150,00 per year and who know what else will finally come to light.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: ROGERSETTLER at Mar. 4, 2010 at 7:29:24 pm
GREAT POSTS, EVERYONE!
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: arizonabay at Mar. 4, 2010 at 9:41:21 pm
ahhh....the smell of dissent. I love it!!! (fans the flames)
-2 Rating (This comment was rated -1.) Posted by: Beastherc at Mar. 4, 2010 at 10:10:19 pm
Roger Settler is still alive... I thought he died in a homeless shelter in Austin years ago.
(This comment was flagged as inappropriate.) Posted by: Beastherc at Mar. 4, 2010 at 10:15:24 pm
Oh, and the McDougals told Glenn Beck that Debra Medina is a truther, thus fixing the election for Perry, who's campaign they also financed. Mark Griffin still won't forgive them.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: RalphBauer at Mar. 5, 2010 at 9:11:16 am
Deep sighs of relief are being heard throughout the City...ah, finally McD news. Man, those withdrawal pains must be SOMETHING!
Posted by: feaco at Mar. 5, 2010 at 9:47:36 am
Let's be fair, other cities have had a great success revitalizing downtown. Look at Houston, they built a new basketball arena and a new baseball stadium and billions redeveloping downtown. Maybe the McDougals need to see if they can move the Houston Rockets to Lubbock along with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers could be renamed the Lubbock Duhs after its former owner and the Houston Rockets could become the Lubbock Prairie Dogs. Some things are not meant to be.
+ 1 Rating (This comment was rated +1.) Posted by: ROGERSETTLER at Mar. 5, 2010 at 10:30:53 am
"The rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated." -MARK TWAIN
