Opinion ID: 3035921
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 15th Street Station and Courtyard

Text: The bustling 15th Street Station is located underground near 15th and Market Streets in downtown Philadelphia. Passengers can access the station in two ways. First, using the stairway at the southwest side of 15th and Market Streets, passengers can descend directly to the platform for the MarketFrankford subway line. Second, using the stairway or escalator at the northwest side of the same block, passengers can descend to the “15th Street Courtyard.” From there, they can turn northward toward the Suburban Regional Rail Line Station (Suburban Station), or southward, toward the Market-Frankford 4 platform. SEPTA’s renovations to this latter entrance gave rise to the present dispute.1 Prior to SEPTA’s renovations, the 15th Street Courtyard included a set of stairs and two escalators enclosed within a headhouse. On September 27, 1999, SEPTA received a $700,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration of the United States Department of Commerce for a project entitled “Renovation of 15th and Market Streets Headhouse at Suburban Station.” According to the grant, the project was to involve “various renovations to the 15th and Market Streets entrances and related areas” including “renovation of entrances to the underground train station concourse; demolition of 1 The parties dispute whether the 15th Street Courtyard is an “entrance” to the Market-Frankford Station or to the Suburban Station. According to SEPTA, “in order to reach the 15th Street Market-Frankford Station, an individual” must first enter “the Suburban Station Transit Facility at the 15th Street Courtyard” and then “travel south in the 15th Street corridor, exit Suburban Station, and travel over underground transit lines before entering the 15th Street Market-Frankford Station.” Regardless whether it is technically labeled an “entrance,” the 15th Street Courtyard undisputedly provides access to the Market-Frankford Station. Accordingly, at this stage of the litigation, we accept DIA’s characterization of the 15th Street Courtyard as an “entrance” to the Market-Frankford Station. Michael Foods, 498 F.3d at 208, 212. The District Court may take up this nuance and determine its relevance to § 12147(a) liability on remand. 5 existing facilities; the construction/installation of new stairs, landscaping, lighting, signage, finishes, canopies; and all appurtenances.” In accepting the Commerce Department funding, SEPTA agreed to “pursue diligently the development of the Project so as to ensure completion . . . within [the] time schedule.” Specifically, the grant required SEPTA to begin construction within 18 months of its receipt of the funds and to limit the total construction period to 29 months. In addition, the grant was to expire “five (5) years from the fiscal year of the Grant Award,” requiring that the project be “physically and financially completed by September 30, 2004.” Having secured funding, SEPTA applied to the City of Philadelphia for a variance from certain provisions of the Building Code. Among the provisions from which SEPTA sought a variance was Section B-1110.2.2(9), which requires that “[w]here building entrances are altered, or when plans are presented to relocate and provide a new primary entrance, the entrance shall be made accessible.” For obvious reasons, SEPTA’s variance application caught the attention of DIA’s legal counsel, Stephen F. Gold. Fearful that SEPTA’s renovations would not include an elevator, Gold wrote to Edward McLaughlin, City Commissioner for the Department of Licenses and Inspections. In his letter of August 3, 2000, Gold expressed concern “that the City would allow SEPTA to apply for such a variance on its behalf for such a major public access point.” Gold insisted that “[i]n addition to ensuring that renovations . . . are carried out in 6 compliance with the Building Code, the City also has an obligation to ensure that such renovations are . . . carried out in compliance with the [Americans With Disabilities Act].” He asked McLaughlin to keep him informed “as to how the City plans to proceed with [SEPTA’s] variance request.” Gold received no response from McLaughlin and consequently discussed his concerns with Pete Winebrake, an attorney in the City Solicitor’s Office. Gold summarized the discussion in a letter dated September 28, 2000: “As I stated on the phone yesterday, this problem should be resolved before construction commences, or you leave me with very few options. I am very concerned that the City’s train has already left the station and I must act sooner than later [sic]. I am available to meet with you at your earliest convenience.” (Emphasis in original.) Gold heard nothing more from Winebrake, but received a letter dated November 14, 2000 from Assistant City Solicitor Fredrick K. Pasour regarding the “15th Street Courtyard Portion of the Suburban Station Project.” In pertinent part, Pasour’s letter stated: I represent the City of Philadelphia with respect to the above-referenced project. I understand that you believe that the ADA, its regulations and the Accessibility Guidelines require an elevator in the 15th Street courtyard. I also understand that you are considering bringing a lawsuit to enjoin the 15th Street courtyard portion of the project if the City issues a building permit based on plans that 7 do not include an elevator in the 15th Street courtyard. This letter is to advise you that the City doe [sic] not share your view that an elevator is required in the 15th Street courtyard and has issued a building permit for the project.2 Please remember that the 15th Street courtyard will be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. As you are aware, elevators are planned for other locations near the 15th Street courtyard. The current bids for the portion of the project that includes the 15th Street courtyard renovations are only good through December 30, 2000. If, therefore, you plan to bring an action challenging the 15th Street courtyard portion of the project, please do so in an expeditious manner. I understand that you had one meeting with representatives of the City and SEPTA at the 15th Street courtyard to discuss the project. I believe that another meeting this week may be useful in order to discuss the project in more detail and to determine if we can reach an agreement that is 2 It is unclear to what building permit this statement refers as the City did not issue a permit for the 15th Street Courtyard project until mid-February 2001. App’x 216. 8 satisfactory to you, the disabled community, the City and SEPTA. App’x 477. Despite Pasour’s letter, Gold did not immediately file a lawsuit, and the City issued SEPTA a building permit on or about February 14, 2001, describing the 15th Street Courtyard project as follows: Demolition incorporates head house, stair, railings, limited wall, veneer, pavement, and lighting systems. Also to be removed are planters, fountain and ceilings. Construction scope consists of glass head house, stair, (2) retail spaces, railings, storefront sys., planters, lighting and paving installed, as well as new ceiling. App’x 216. SEPTA commenced construction a few days later. The record suggests several explanations for DIA’s decision not to file suit prior to this juncture. First, Gold testified that in 2000, he met with representatives of SEPTA and the City because “they were really anxious to get a commitment from [him] that there would not be a lawsuit regarding 15th Street.” See also App’x 477 (referring to a meeting between Gold and “representatives of the City and SEPTA” to determine if the parties could “reach an agreement”). According to Gold, Frances Egan, Assistant to SEPTA’s General Manager for Government and Public Affairs, and Deborah Russo, a representative of the City, assured him that in lieu of an elevator 9 at 15th Street, SEPTA “would put in the elevator at City Hall and begin construction in ‘02 with the completion date of ‘04.” 3 See also App’x 477 (noting that “elevators are planned for other locations near the 15th Street courtyard”). Gold discussed the proposed compromise with DIA, and DIA agreed that it was acceptable. Gold informed Egan of his client’s assent, but neither party memorialized the deal.4 Assuaged nonetheless, 5 DIA took no further action until late 3 The City Hall project is discussed in Part I.B, infra. 4 Although the parties stipulated DIA’s allegations of the DIA-SEPTA-City agreement out of the litigation, the stipulation only precludes DIA “from presenting any claim that Defendant SEPTA allegedly agreed to construct elevators at City Hall in lieu of construction of an elevator at the northwest corner of 15th and Market Streets.” App’x 136 (emphasis added). Here, DIA raises no “claim” based on the alleged agreement. See Disabled in Action of Pa. v. Southeastern Pa. Transp. Auth., No. 03-CV-1577, 2006 WL 3392733, at  (E.D. Pa. Nov. 17, 2006) (hereinafter DIA). Rather, DIA proffers the agreement as an explanation for its decision not to file suit before construction began on the 15th Street Station entrance. 5 Gold was confident that he could rely on the assurances of Egan and Russo because of their long professional relationship, and DIA Executive Director Nancy Salandra was content to wait and see if “[SEPTA] would do the right thing.” 10 2002 when it appeared that SEPTA was not installing an elevator at City Hall.6 Gold’s explanation for DIA’s decision not to file a preconstruction lawsuit is supported by a Settlement Agreement in which DIA voluntarily dismissed its claims against the City, and the City affirmed that it “only granted permits for [the 15th Street Courtyard] renovation because [it] believed SEPTA had agreed to construct elevators in the City Hall Courtyard in lieu of the required elevator at 15th and Market.” Alternatively, the record suggests that at some point, DIA’s strategy shifted from obtaining a pre-construction injunction to pursuing post-construction remedies based on Gold’s belief that even though “[SEPTA] had started 6 The foregoing account parallels the allegations in DIA’s Second and Third Amended Complaints with one exception. The Complaints state that the negotiations among Gold, SEPTA, and the City occurred “[i]n 2000 while the 15th and Market Street entrance was in construction.” App’x 111, 119. Construction on the entrance did not commence until February 2001, however. App’x 212 (SEPTA’s Capital Project Progress Report noting that a “[p]re-construction meeting” regarding the “15th Street Entrance” was held on February 5, 2001) (emphases added); App’x 216. Because we must resolve such factual discrepancies in the light most favorable to DIA, we assume that construction had not commenced when the alleged deal among DIA, SEPTA, and the City was brokered. Michael Foods, 498 F.3d at 208, 212. 11 construction or even completed [construction],” the ADA enabled DIA to force SEPTA to install an elevator. Gold admitted that he gave Pasour’s admonition to file suit in an expeditious manner “[v]ery, very, very much consideration” but determined that he could “optimize representing [DIA] [by] letting [SEPTA] move the stairs and begin[] the construction because [DIA] could always get the elevator and make [SEPTA] put it [in] if necessary along 15th Street.” For reasons that are not clear from the record, Gold concluded that if construction did not proceed, “there would be no elevator.” Accordingly, he “decided . . . to let [SEPTA and the City] sit in their own petard [sic].” 7 Whatever the reasons for waiting, DIA filed its initial Complaint on March 14, 2003, approximately eight months after the newly renovated 15th Street Courtyard entrance was opened on August 8, 2002 without an elevator. DIA requested “permanent injunctive relief to enjoin [SEPTA] to begin construction immediately of a[n] elevator at the 15th and Market 7 In the pantheon of misused metaphors, “hoist with his own petard” may be preeminent. A “petard” is a small bomb used to break down doors, but the word was derived from the Middle French “peter,” meaning “to break wind.” See W EBSTER’S T HIRD N EW INTERNATIONAL D ICTIONARY 1689 (1993). It is no wonder the word found favor with the master of the double entendre. See W ILLIAM S HAKESPEARE, H AMLET, Act III, Scene 4 (“For ‘tis the sport to have the enginer / Hoist with his own petard”). 12 Street entrance . . . to assure access for persons with disabilities.”