Legal News

Change of DGS Guard Won't Affect Family Court Project

By Brian Harris

By Amaris Elliott-Engel
Of the Legal Staff

Despite the announcement today that state Department of General Services Secretary James P. Creedon will step down Sept. 3, a DGS spokesman said that the Philadelphia family court project will not be affected.

Elizabeth "Liz" O'Reilly, who has been appointed by Gov. Edward G. Rendell to fill Creedon's post and is the department's deputy secretary for public works, "will carefully manage the project and provide a seamless transition," spokesman Edward Myslewicz said.

According to past interviews with The Legal, O'Reilly already has been involved in the project.

Despite the fact that DGS cannot proceed to work as the developer of the family court until litigation over the property rights to 15th and Arch streets, Center City, and to the proposed courthouse plans is settled, DGS has begun some work on the project, including reviewing whether plans commissioned by private developer Donald W. Pulver could be used by the state.

Creedon is leaving to start a management consulting and project management practice based in the Lehigh Valley, according to a news release. Creedon also will continue his state work on a contract basis as the commonwealth's chief implementation officer for the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the release said.

Among other projects, Creedon has overseen the design and construction of the Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia Convention Center expansion.

Full post as published by The Legal Intelligencer Blog on August 03, 2010 (boomark / email).