Beverly Hills : Civic Center Mediation

Attorneys for the city and the J.A. Jones Construction Co. are meeting to try to resolve their multimillion-dollar dispute over the cost of the recently completed Beverly Hills Civic Center.

Although the city filed a lawsuit last month seeking $8 million in damages for fraud, negligence and breach of contract, an earlier mediation meeting went ahead as planned Monday, sources said.

The lawsuit may take as long as five years before it goes to court, but non-binding mediation can also be protracted, and a quick resolution is not expected from either process, the sources noted.

Jones says the city owes it between $13 million and $14 million because of cost overruns on the final phase of the Civic Center, which includes a police station, library and outdoor courtyards.

The total cost of the Civic Center, including construction of a fire station, a parking structure and the renovation of the 59-year-old City Hall, was about $120 million.