51黑料

ST. LOUIS COUNTY 鈥� A Chesterfield contractor has agreed to drop its lawsuits against McBride Homes in which the homebuilder was accused of filing fraudulent deed records across the region.

Builder鈥檚 Bloc and McBride Homes said in a joint statement Tuesday that they had reached a settlement that resolved 鈥渁ll outstanding matters鈥� between the two companies.

Details of the settlement were not disclosed, and both companies declined to comment further.

鈥淲e deeply value our 75-year relationship with Builder鈥檚 Bloc and we are proud of the homes we鈥檝e built together for the people of 51黑料,鈥� McBride CEO Jake Eilermann said in the statement. 鈥淲e are optimistic about the future for both Builder鈥檚 Bloc and McBride Homes, and look forward to seeing the positive impact each will continue to make in our community.鈥�

The settlement between McBride and Builder鈥檚 Bloc comes one day before the companies were to finish their trial in St. Charles County in which the contractor alleged the homebuilder fraudulently filed dozens of false real estate records over the past year. Builder鈥檚 Bloc had filed similar lawsuits in two other counties.

The judge in that case had not yet made a determination about the real estate records.

Online court records did not show the suits鈥� dismissals as of Tuesday afternoon.

Builder鈥檚 Bloc alleged the filings were part of an effort by McBride to stiff the contractor of over $10 million for unpaid work. But McBride has long said that it followed the law and that it would take 鈥渁ll necessary steps鈥� to protect homeowners.

Builder鈥檚 Bloc claimed in court documents that McBride filed the sale notices with closing sale dates that the builder either didn鈥檛 share with the contractor or were different than the dates McBride provided to Builder鈥檚 Bloc. Notices of sale affect the amount of time Builder鈥檚 Bloc would legally have to file liens to seek payment of unpaid work.

Last month, McBride paid more than $10 million to Builder鈥檚 Bloc to settle mechanic鈥檚 liens the contractor filed against the company and homeowners related to the real estate records.

The homebuilder had alleged that the liens and claims of fraudulent records were retaliation by Builder鈥檚 Bloc after McBride fired the contractor early this year.

McBride sued Builder鈥檚 Bloc for $13 million over allegations the contractor caused numerous delays at its job sites. That lawsuit was later moved to arbitration.

Builder鈥檚 Bloc and McBride, one of the largest homebuilders in the region, built subdivisions across the region together for years and were once part of the same company.

鈥淏uilder鈥檚 Bloc is excited about our future and the opportunities ahead,鈥� Kevin Deptula, president of Builder鈥檚 Bloc, said in the statement. 鈥淲e appreciate the history we鈥檝e shared with McBride and are proud of the work our teams have done together for nearly eight decades.鈥�