Millennium Tower is still sinking, and those legal bills are still rising

Millenium Tower is seen from Mission Street on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 in San Francisco, Calif. Millenium Tower is seen from Mission Street on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Photo: Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Millennium Tower is still sinking, and those legal bills are still rising 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

As the Millennium Tower continues to sink, the legal costs continue to rise.

On Thursday, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority approved an additional $1.5 million in attorney fees to the firm of Jones Day to help fend off developer and homeowner claims that construction of the Transbay Transit Center next door contributed to the sinking and growing tilt of the 58-story residential downtown high-rise.

The added money brings Jones Day’s bill to $3.5 million since it was hired in December.

“It is anticipated that the maximum compensation may be increased in the future as the need arises,” according to a staff memo prepared for the Transbay authority’s Sept. 14 meeting.

The good news, Transbay officials tell us, is that they anticipate a large portion of the litigation costs involving the Millennium Tower will ultimately be paid or reimbursed by either the contractors who worked on the Transbay Center or the contractors’ insurers.

Separately, the Transbay board also approved a $1.1 million payment to the homeowners of the Millennium Tower to replace a decorative 20-foot wall that construction crews had to rip out while they were building the new Transbay Transit Center.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross