NEW YORK BUILDING CONGRESS
ARCHITECTS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
at
Skidmore Owings & Merrill, LLP
14 Wall Street, 24th Floor
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
12:00 noon

Summary of Discussion

Attendance:
Joseph J. Aliotta and Mary-Jean Eastman Co-Chairs; Richard T. Anderson, Rick Bell, Chris Eisenberg, Carl Galioto, George Gianakopoulos, Michael Greene, Jordan L. Gruzen, David Hammond, Walter A. Hunt, Denis Glen Kuhn, Jill N. Lerner, Tim Milam, Richard Southwick, Gerard Vasisko, Richard Viktora.

Co-Chairman Joseph Aliotta welcomed Council members and thanked Carl Galioto and Skidmore Owings & Merill for hosting the luncheon. Mr. Aliotta asked for and received approval of the minutes of the ALC meeting held on October 29, 2003.

Design-Build Task Force
Mr. Aliotta said the Council Task Force is being set up to explore design-build issues and ways for the Council to address them. He said the task force findings would be discussed with the Council before a session is held with the contracting community.

AIA Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect
Mr. Galioto introduced a discussion of the current standard form of agreement between owner and architect, which is being revised by the AIA large firm roundtable. He said there are several critical issues for Council members to consider.

Richard Viktora, SOM General Counsel, distributed several handouts and reviewed proposals of the large firm roundtable. A copy of Mr. Viktora’s memorandum summarizing these changes is attached together with the 1997 abbreviated standard form of agreement.

Mr. Viktora reviewed the specific reviewed the large firms roundtable changes. He said the large firms clearly preferred mediation over arbitration to settle disputes, although arbitration is still in the AIA Standard Form. He said the AIA form is not being used by large firms, because it is not workable. The AIA needs to understand why.

In discussion, the Council suggested that this subject be discussed with Building Congress General Counsel Michael Zetlin’s legal advisory group. Messrs. Anderson and Viktora said that they would make the arrangements.

Mr. Galiota thanked the Council for the opportunity to review the standard form and suggested that the Council continue to monitor the situation.

Retirement
George Gianakoupolous said that he would be retired from Wank Adams Slavin Associates at the end of the year.

Future Meetings
Co-Chairman Eastman said that future meetings were being scheduled with Porie Sakia-Eapen, Chief Architect at the Metropolitan Transit Authority, New York Times columnist David Dunlap, and others.

Adjournment
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.

Prepared by,

Richard T. Anderson
President
RTA/rc