Chateau Pensmore owner battles contractors in $63M suit

Chateau Pensmore owner Steve Huff is embroiled in a $63 million lawsuit filed against contractors of his mansion in Christian County.

The suit filed in May 2015 alleges Humboldt, Kan.-based The Monarch Cement Co. and Ozark-based City Wide Construction Products Co. deliberately used less of the specialized Helix rebar product than they agreed to in constructing the 72,000-square-foot residence, according to court records. The Christian County Headliner News first reported on the suit yesterday.

The suit filed by Steven T. Huff Family LLC yesterday had four actions related to extending discovery deadlines, according to court documents. The motions, in part, ask the defendants to release to the court correspondence documents related to the project, including with Huff, Green Bay, Wis.-based TF Forming Systems and Ann Abor, Mich.-based Polytorx LLC.

TF Forming’s patented insulated concrete forms are central to Pensmore, which was designed to withstand EF5-level winds. Polytorx owns the Helix patent.

Last year’s original complaint alleges the misconduct occurred between Oct. 28, 2009, and Nov. 20, 2012.

According to the complaint, Monarch Cement and City Wide Construction allegedly moved a large amount of Helix products to a storage area, hidden from Pensmore representatives.

Steven T. Huff Family LLC claims a whistleblower came forward with firsthand knowledge of the “fraud, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference with business expectancy and other related causes of action.” The suit was filed months later, after samples of the walls and floors were scientifically tested.

In addition to the $63 million in damages, Huff also seeks exemplary damages to deter the defendants from committing further alleged fraud.

According to the suit, the deal with Monarch Cement and City Wide Construction was made via handshake.