STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Work has been delayed at Lighthouse Point -- a $250 million luxury apartment building to be equipped with retail, office space and a Westin Hotel in St. George -- after the developer’s contractor filed for bankruptcy protection, the Advance has learned.

In addition, a partial stop work order has been issued by the city Department of Buildings (DOB) for “inadequate guardrails” and housekeeping at the site, according to the agency’s records.

However, the project’s developer, Triangle Equities, said the company is close to hiring a new contractor to finish the mixed-use project. Triangle Equities declined comment on the DOB partial stop work order.

Residents of the 115-unit apartment complex, located directly across from the Staten Island Ferry entrance, were supposed to have been moving in by early 2020.

“Unfortunately, the construction manager for the Lighthouse Point project, Hollister Construction Services, filed for bankruptcy in September 2019," said Evan Petracca, chief operating officer, Triangle Equities, referring to the Hollister filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

"While this has slowed the project’s progression over the course of the last few months, we are working to put a new construction team in place by the end of this year to resume construction activity at full capacity. The development team is well capitalized and remains committed to complete the project in 2020,” he added.

A significant portion of the 16-story apartment building appears to have been erected. In fact, in August 2018, the Advance reported that the residential tower was rapidly rising on the North Shore. And in June, the Advance reported that 80% of the work on Phase I of the project was complete.

Work has been delayed at Lighthouse Point -- a $250 million luxury apartment building to be equipped with retail, office space and a Westin Hotel in St. George -- after the developer’s contractor filed for bankruptcy protection, the Advance has learned. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)

A spokesperson for the company said once a new contractor is hired, the company will be able to provide a timeframe for when the project will be complete.

Hollister Construction Services, LLC released the following statement on its website “...the company voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of New Jersey. This difficult decision was made after careful consideration, but one that the company’s leadership is confident will allow Hollister to continue its operations through reorganization.”

Hollister Construction Services didn’t return several Advance phone calls for comment regarding the bankruptcy protection or the partial stop work order issued by the DOB.

The project has been fueled with a $15 million in state funding via a New York Works Capital Fund convertible loan.

Work has been delayed at Lighthouse Point -- a $250 million luxury apartment building to be equipped with retail, office space and a Westin Hotel in St. George -- after the developer’s contractor filed for bankruptcy protection, the Advance has learned. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)

PARTIAL STOP WORK ORDER

Inspectors from DOB’s Construction Safety Compliance conducted an unannounced safety-compliance inspection of 35A Bay St., Lighthouse Point, on Nov. 1, and found that the guardrails installed throughout the site are inadequate and do not meet code requirements, agency records on Dec. 9 indicated.

In addition, the DOB found “inadequate housekeeping” on site, and the required Site Safety Training information panels were missing at the entrance and the loading dock, DOB records said.

DOB inspectors issued three violations for the code-noncompliant conditions, and a partial stop work order preventing any work from being conducted within 10 feet of the buildings edge.

As of Dec. 12, the partial stop work order remained in effect, but allows for work to correct the inadequate guardrails to be conducted, DOB records showed.

A partial stop work order has been issued by the city Department of Buildings (DOB) for “inadequate guardrails” and housekeeping at the site, according to DOB records as of Dec. 12. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)

NY WHEEL DEMISE

Lighthouse Point isn’t the first North Shore waterfront project to have its contractor file for bankruptcy.

The NY Wheel contractor Mammoet-Starneth, walked off the job after a dispute with Wheel investors. The company subsequently filed for bankruptcy in the middle of the project.

While the NY Wheel initially intended to hire a new contractor, it never came to fruition. But that appeared to be the result of a cost overrun and need for more money for the privately-funded project. Eventually, NY Wheel investors killed the plan to build a 630-foot observation wheel in St. George. This has left behind four pedestals, and a concrete shell of a terminal building. However, there has been a buzz about the Wheel investors trying to hash out a plan for a smaller wheel.

Unlike the Wheel debacle, a Lighthouse Point spokesperson insisted the mixed-use project will be finished, and a new contractor will be hired very soon.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT PROJECT SPECS

The Lighthouse Point project calls for more than 23,000 square feet of restaurant, office and hospitality space, including a new 145,000-square-foot, 175-room hotel tower with approximately 15,000 square feet of event space.

Twenty percent of the apartment units will be set aside for affordable housing, which will be rented through a lottery system via the city Department of Housing, Preservation and Development.

PHASE I

The first phase of the project includes residential, commercial space and a 300-space public parking garage.

Businesses coming to Lighthouse Point include a fresh food market; The Learning Experience, an early education academy for children 6 weeks to 6 years old; and Spaces, a co-working space.

Work has been delayed at Lighthouse Point -- a $250 million luxury apartment building to be equipped with retail, office space and a Westin Hotel in St. George -- after the developer’s contractor filed for bankruptcy protection, the Advance has learned. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)

PHASE II

The second phase of the project, which will include the Westin New York Staten Island and 15,000 square feet of event space, will begin in 2020, according to Triangle Equities.

This part of the project will also include rehabilitation of four historic structures on the site. One of the historic buildings will serve as the base of a Westin Hotel, which will house a restaurant.

The complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one of the buildings is also a New York City landmark.

FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER