The 1895 Church of StuArt

Do Not Trust The Guardians Of Public Trust – Part 2.

The City of Stuart Community Development Block Grant Housing Rehabilitation Program.
Project Manager and Director of Construction – Antonio Jenkins of Guardian Community Resource Management, Inc. (a company contracted by the City of Stuart)
Contractor: Patriot Response Group, LLC ( one of two bidders reviewed, brought in, and supervised by Guardian CRM, Inc.)

Under the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant, we, Olga Hamilton and Robert W. Hamilton, Jr., applied for The City of Stuart CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program. Our house is registered with the FMSF as a historical structure significant on local level with ID number: MT0034. Under the CDBG HR program and the scope of work, the contractor Patriot Response Group (CGC-1526178 ) was solely responsible for the permit application, measurements of the windows frames, plans, drawings, ordering the replacements windows, and installation. The contractor negligently ordered the oversized replacement windows (31.5″x59.5″) which are 4″ bigger than our original windows. The replacement windows didn’t fit within our existing rough openings. Out of 20 replacement windows 3 couldn’t be installed at all due to their large size.

The first installation of the replacement windows took place on July 5th through July 7th, 2024. We expressed our concerns to the contractor regarding the oversized replacement windows, but were told not to worry, to trust the contractor’s “window crew,” and not to interfere with their work, that everything was according to the Florida Building Code and the contractor submitted all necessary documents and plans to the City of Stuart Building Department.

To fit the oversized windows, the contractor removed not only essential parts of the windows’ frames and the walls’ assembly but also altered our exterior load-bearing walls. The gaps between the installed replacement windows, destroyed frames and rough openings were up to 1” and even more. From July 5th through July 7th, we had to tape the gaps and holes around the windows with the painters tape to prevent the insects, water, and hot air coming from outside after.
Below are photos of the first installation of the replacement windows: July 5- July 7, 2024.

Replacement windows installation: July 5th – July 7th
The contractor cut out the original Dade County pine sill, part of the stud, and also altered the exterior load-bearing wall.

The contractor removed the original 1.5” thick protruding sills, parts of the framing, and altered the exterior load-bearing wall to fit the oversized replacement windows.

Photos of replacement windows installation: July 5th – July 7th. In one of the photos you can see the screw penetrating the windows corner.

All 17 replacement windows were installed incorrectly, the contractor taped them with clear visqueen on July 9th. The re-installation of the oversized replacement windows by the contractor took place on July 10th, 2024 through July 13th , and they inflicted more damage to our historical building. On July 10^th, the contractor’s construction manager Jim Nichols was rude and insulting, and threatened us to take his crew and leave when we were upset with the damages inflicted to our building and expressed our concern with the oversized windows reinstallation. We asked the contractor not to destroy our rough openings and not to cut into the exterior walls anymore.

On July 16th, we sent a message to Antonio Jenkins of Guardian Community Resource Management, Inc., asking if the contractor had plans and the Building Department permission to alter our exterior load bearing walls. Mr. Jenkins, the CDBG Project Manager and Director of Construction, responded “yes.”

After the inspection of the building permit file, we found out that it wasn’t true.

On July 19th, 2024, we sent an email with the photographs to Antonio Jenkins of Guardian Community Resource Management and Pinal Gandhi-Savdas, the City of Stuart Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Executive Director about our historical building being building damaged by the contractor Patriot Response Group, that our exterior walls were cutout. We also wrote that we even weren’t aware or notified by the contractor regarding such alteration to our building in advance, and we have never been provided any plans. But, we were ignored!

The contractor applied for the building permit electronically. Under the CDBG scope of work, the contractor was aware of the historical nature of our building as it is stated on the CDBG Scope of Work documents. The contractor deliberately did not submit the CDBG scope of work to the building department. The contractor submitted the wrong floor plan with an added extra room and altered the path of egress. The contractor did not submit any plans to alter our existing windows’ rough openings and exterior load-bearing walls. We notified the City of Stuart Government, including the Building Department and the CRA. You are welcome to read the correspondence with the City.

The City of Stuart CDBG HR Program- Correspondence with the City of Stuart

The current situation we are left in after the replacement windows re-installation by the contractor on July 10th through July 13th.

The picture below is our bedroom window’s rough opening facing north. The photo #1 was taken on November 6, 2022, when we finished insulating the wall, and the photo #2 was taken shortly after we covered and reinforced the wall with 3/4 in. plywood. Both photographs also show the 4.5″ exterior trim attached from the outside. Photo #3 was taken after the contractor cut out the critical parts of the rough framing and also 4 inches of the exterior load-bearing wall, inflicting cracks on the wall covering as well.
This part of the building was built in 1932 by the Stuart Episcopalians, as one of the building enlargements in the form of a cross to the former Methodist Church, also known as the Pioneer Church built in Stuart in 1895.

The oversized and much heavier replacement window that faces north doesn’t have any support underneath, except for 0.75″ inferior grade pressure-treated yellow pine board screwed to the top of the cut-off cripples and a completely cut-out jack stud. (Our current situation)

Our exterior load-bearing walls are left with cracks after the contractor altered them, enlarging the windows’ rough openings to fit their oversized replacement windows. (Our current situation)

Windows facing west The contractor altered the existing window frame and rough opening, and the exterior load-bearing wall to fit oversized replacement window.

The photographs show our original window vs. the oversized replacement windows and the destruction of our frames and rough openings.

After removing the original frames’ parts, protruding 1.5″ thick sills, and altering the exterior load-bearing wall, the contractor Patriot Response Group filled the holes in the exterior walls with silicone sealant.

Instead of addressing the issue with the damaged stud first, the contractor installed the replacement windows anyway.

Our original Dade County pine and Cypress 4.5″ wide trims were replaced with 3.5″ wide inferior-grade pressure-treated boards, altering our building’s exterior historical aesthetics. When we mentioned it to the contractor’s construction manager Jim Nichols, he responded with a smirk, “I can fix it, but you will not like it.”

The replacement windows are installed off-center and therefor have different trim width: one side is 2″ and another side is 4″. It will require further destruction of our wall to center the windows, and more damage will be inflicted to the wall.

Windows’ wrapping was damaged when the contractor was jamming the oversized windows in during the first installation that failed, taking the windows out, and after reinstalling and jamming the windows in again.

The pressure-treated trim boards are cracking and moving and the non-paintable silicone sealant and stucco patches the contractor put around the windows to cover the holes they created are separating. In wind-driven rains windows are leaking.

Due to the shoddy and incomplete work by the contractor, our house is less safe and in much worse condition. We are also in a financial burden to repair the damages. 

The Engineer.

As we mentioned earlier, after the re-installation of the replacement windows that took place from July 10th through July 13th, we messaged Mr. Jenkins of Guardian CRM, Inc. on July 16th, asking if the contractor had plans and/or permission from the Stuart Building Department to do the structural alteration and Mr. Jenkins responded “yes” 

The windows re-installation didn’t pass the Building Department inspection due to the shims. We have mentioned to the Building Department officials that the contractor altered our exterior load-bearing walls and removed certain structural elements. The Building Department officials responded they couldn’t inspect or comment on the work that wasn’t on the permit. The contractor also attached two windows to the studs with obvious damage. The Building Department also couldn’t comment on that and said that, optionally, we can hire engineer, and per the engineer report to replace the studs if necessary.

On July 19th, 2024, at 10:17AM, we sent an email to Mr. Jenkins with the photographs of our historical building walls’ alteration and destruction of existing frames and rough openings. Mr. Jenkins didn’t respond. At that time we hadn’t found out that the contractor “faked” the roof ridge vent system instead of installing it.

On July 23, 2024, at 3:24PM, Dawn Cobb, Guardian CRM, Inc. Admin, brought the change order #2. We did not sign it right away. The CO#2 stated “In accordance with the Building Department recommendation: The services -Dwelling of an engineer shall be procured and assigned. The engineer shall complete  the following site review services:…” Guardian CRM, Inc. charged $1000 to our CDBG account. We haven’t been provided with any official notes or recommendations after the inspection by the Building Department.

On July 24, 2024, at 10AM, we sent an email to Mr. Jenkins, asking him to respond to our email we sent on July 19, before signing the CO#2. The same day at 10:40AM, Mr. Jenkins called us and the first thing he said if he had to respond to the email in writing it would hurt us badly. He was talking over us, convincing us that he hired the engineer personally for us and it would be the best option we had. Mr. Jenkins didn’t provide us with the engineer’s name. At 11:02AM we sent to Mr. Jenkins the signed CO#2 and the PDF with the photographs for the engineer. 

On July 25th, 2024, at 7:36AM, we called Mr. Jenkins, again expressing our concerns with the damages to our building with the oversized windows installation. During 35 mins. of our conversation, Mr. Jenkins was assuring us that everything was done according to the Florida Building Code, the plans were provided to the building department, and his email responses would not do any good for us. He didn’t provide us with the engineer’s name per our request, stating that the engineer was independent. He confirmed the engineer and Dawn Cobb, Guardian CRM, Inc. Admin, were coming on July 26, 2024 at 10AM. Mr. Jenkins didn’t mention that the contractor would be coming as well. 

On July 26, 2024, Vance Olvey, the contractor, came earlier to meet and greet the engineer. The contractor was chatting with the engineer who was looking through the papers brought by the contractor when Mr. Hamilton, Jr. saw and approached them. Mr. Hamilton, Jr. was concerned that the engineer’s independence was tainted by the contractor. When Mr. Hamilton, Jr. stated that Antonio Jenkins hired the independent engineer, paying from our account, Vance Olvey stated it was the contractor who hired and paid the engineer. The engineer stated that he doesn’t feel “independent” anymore and therefor could not perform the inspection. Mrs. Dawn Cobb arrived 8 minutes late. Vance Olvey said he was calling Mr. Jenkins, while Mrs. Cobb, Mr. and Mrs Hamilton, Jr. were talking to the engineer. The engineer left at 10:13AM. Vance Olvey was still talking on the phone. Vance Olvey took the contractor’s trailer and left at 10:28AM , and Mrs. Cobb left after. Mrs Cobb came back at 11:12AM telling us that she had a conversation with the CRA executive director and Patriot Response Group was removed from our project.

Mr. Jenkins didn’t call us that day. After July 26, 2024, we haven’t heard from Guardian CRM, Inc. until his short response on August 6th, after our email on August 4th. After August 6th, we haven’t heard from Mr. Jenkins until his email on August 15th in response to our email.
We still don’t know the engineer’s name. On August 26, 2024, during the video-recorded CRA meeting, Mr. Jenkins couldn’t remember the engineer’s name either when the City Commissioner asked him.

Follow our correspondence with the City.

The City of Stuart CDBG HR Program – The Roof