Page "I. M. Pei" Paragraph 79

The convention center was plagued from the start by budget problems and construction blunders.

City regulations forbid a general contractor having final authority over the project, so architects and program manager Richard Kahan had to coordinate the wide array of builders, plumbers, electricians, and other workers.

The forged steel globes to be used in the space frame came to the site with hairline cracks and other defects ; 12, 000 were rejected.

These and other problems led to media comparisons with the disastrous Hancock Tower.

One New York City official blamed Kahan for the difficulties, indicating that the building's architectural flourishes were responsible for delays and financial crises.

The Javits Center opened on April 3, 1986, to a generally positive reception.

During the inauguration ceremonies, however, neither Freed nor Pei was recognized for their role in the project.