WECCO Development LLC, a company owned by Charleston Mayor William Cogswell and now managed by his wife, in November settled a lawsuit filed in 2019 by the One Cool Blow Condominium Association following negligence, breach of contract and other allegations.
After dozens of motions and hundreds of pages of legal documents over five years, the parties agreed to a summary judgment that was filed in November 2024, effectively ending the case before it went to trial. But little is known about the judgment after all parties signed confidentiality agreements, according to an attorney, who wouldn’t comment on the record.
“All litigation regarding One Cool Blow was recently dismissed with mutually agreeable terms and a final settlement between the parties,” the One Cool Blow HOA Board said in a Tuesday statement. “This resolution provides One Cool Blow HOA the funds necessary to embark on repairs to the property and to improve the living environment for all residents and owners.
“We are eager to complete this work so that One Cool Blow can continue to be one of the most innovative and desirable condominium communities on the Charleston peninsula.”
Cogswell did not respond to several requests for comment made through his spokesperson at the city. Cogswell is listed on WECCO Development LLC’s website as a principal.
Construction litigation
The lawsuit, which specifically named Cogswell as one of the defendants, alleged problems with the design, manufacture, installation, materials, goods and services provided by WECCO Development LLC for the development of the 15-year-old One Cool Blow residential and commercial complex.
“[These] failures … as well as the defendants’ gross negligence, willfulness and reckless disregard for the rights of the plaintiff and others, have … caused damages to the plaintiff, and the defendants are liable to the plaintiff in the amount of actual, incidental, consequential, special and punitive damages in an amount to be determined,” the 2019 complaint said.
The lawsuit also alleged WECCO Development LLC was among defendants that failed to comply with building codes and safety measures put in place by the city and state, adding up to “gross negligence” and a “reckless disregard” for the safety and well-being of the owners and residents of One Cool Blow Condominiums.
The complaint also alleged “negligence, professional negligence, gross negligence, breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranties and strict liability” against the named defendants, listing at least 23 areas of complaint. The complaint said several construction components were alleged to be “defective and dangerous,” including the condo’s mechanical systems, especially its elevators, as well as its dry wall, insulation and waterproofing systems, substrate, windows, roofing and finishes.
The condos have been prone to flooding after their construction, frequently resulting in dangerous conditions, especially around the elevators, according to those who have frequented the buildings.
A legal response by WECCO Development LLC filed in August 2024, more than five years after the initial complaint, contended that the HOA brought action against several “WECCO” entities, but “the distinctions between these entities are important,” and “one in particular has never had any involvement with the development, construction or repair” of the project. The response further asserted that WECCO Construction LLC should be dismissed as a defendant for that reason. The lawsuit settled in November.
The lawsuit originally sought payment for actual, incidental, consequential, special and punitive damages, as well as awarding costs and attorneys’ fees for the plaintiff. But due to apparent confidentiality agreements, it is unknown how much money WECCO Development LLC or its insurance companies apparently paid to the One Cool Blow HOA as a result of the settlement or whether Cogswell paid anything himself.
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