Just-opened Monaco Could Face Auction Sale

Lumber Supplier's Suit Says New Hotel's Owner Owes It $184,000

Owner Plans To Appeal

The Hotel Monaco Baltimore is the most expensive of half a dozen hotels opening in Baltimore this year. Its completion resulted in the creation of 135 to 140 jobs. Todd Unger, director of sales and marketing, said neither the hotel nor Kimpton are parties to Johnson's suit. He said the hotel has had a strong first month and the suit has not adversely affected business.

John Voneiff, a partner with ARC Wheeler, said the case "doesn't really have an effect" on the building's operation. He said the case involves a dispute over the price of materials and that he expects the owners to prevail in the Court of Special Appeals.

Darrow, Johnson's attorney, said the lumber company was founded in 1921 and has worked for a wide range of prestigious commercial and residential clients. "Johnson Lumber has been around for 88 years," he said. "They have work in the U.S. Capitol. They don't rip people off."

The lumber company's president, Robert W. Johnson, said his firm has had a difficult year as a result of the recession and Baltimore and Charles Associates was one of its biggest accounts in 2009.

A representative for a painting subcontractor, NLP Enterprises of Owings Mills, said he calculates his firm is owed $235,000 for work it completed at the Hotel Monaco. Mark McDaniel, NLP's vice president, said his company so far has refrained from taking legal action because it has always had a good working relationship with the general contractor, Jost, and found it to be a highly reputable company At the same time, he said, his company hasn't received any payment since July 14.

"We did a good job" on the hotel, he said. "We want to get paid. It's just frustrating."