FORT LAUDERDALE | Broward County Courthouse | 355 FT / 108 M | 20 fl

[mr jones]

This first post will be reserved for latest information about the Broward County Courthouse project.



Courthouse Tower


Projected Completion Timeline
• Courthouse tower = Summer 2015
• 500 space parking garage and plaza = 2017


Render














_______________________________________________

Off-site Parking Garage
6-level, 410,000 sf, 1,000-space, mixed-use parking garage to serve a planned 20-story Broward County Courthouse Tower. The $23 million project includes a 240-foot bridge connecting garage and courthouse and exterior restoration of the site's 12,000 sf historic "Coca Cola Building, 2,000 square foot ground floor office space for Guardian ad Litem, 1,500 square foot ground floor retail".


Projected Completion Timeline
• November 2013 = Completion


Render

[mr jones]

Broward could get two new courthouses in downtown Fort Lauderdale

By Scott Wyman and Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
9:36 p.m. EDT, March 25, 20


Broward County could get two new courthouses on the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale instead of just one — a potential government investment of at least $500 million.

A high-powered task force of federal judges, lawyers and politicians has revived a dormant proposal to build a new federal courthouse. They have their eyes on Broward County's waterfront land for a federal-county court campus next to the riverfront jail.

Broward County commissioners voted last year to build a $328 million county courthouse on the existing county court site, south of the river, just west of Third Avenue. The new federal courthouse would go somewhere nearby, on that same block of county land.

Its development cost is not yet known; but the final project would not include public parking, like the county court's will. A new federal courthouse going up in Salt Lake City is estimated to cost $211 million. A new courthouse in Buffalo, N.Y., had a $137 million price tag. San Diego's new courthouse ran $368 million.

Downtown boosters are eager to see a new federal courthouse remain in Fort Lauderdale's urban center. A placement south of the New River would bring a significant investment to an area where business owners long for a development renaissance.

"It's a superb idea if we get two courthouses, because then we could have one big judicial complex," attorney Skip Campbell said. Campbell, a former state senator, sits on the federal court task force that's searching downtown Fort Lauderdale for a suitable place to build.

Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority Director Chris Wren, another member of the federal courthouse task force, said the combined campus would boost downtown plans for the area, including more activity along the Riverwalk, as well as light rail for commuters. He also noted that federal courthouses tend to be iconic structures, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the area.

"It's an economic engine,'' agreed task force member Bill Scherer, an attorney who owns land nearby. "We're a second-rate town if we don't have a federal courthouse. I mean, we've got one, but it's outmoded.''

Federal officials decided years ago to replace the existing federal courthouse, which sits on Broward Boulevard, abutting Third Avenue.

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, federal buildings must have safety buffers at least 100 feet wide — a requirement the existing courthouse doesn't meet. It's also woefully small, officials complain, and was described by federal officials on a recent visit as "the worst that they have encountered,'' according to a March 15 task force memo written by Scherer.

Fort Lauderdale "has moved to the 8th position on a list of 100 communities needing a new federal courthouse,'' Scherer's memo said. That would put it in line for possible funding in the 2016-2018 timeframe, unless it can be bumped up, as the task force hopes. The group also believes building a joint project could reduce costs, with both courthouses benefiting from the same security and roadway work.

Broward County would have to alter its courthouse development plan to leave room for a new federal courthouse. The county would get the existing federal court site, as a land swap, or could offer the riverside land as a long-term lease to the federal government, Campbell said.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler said he doesn't want to delay the county's courthouse construction, but he wants to see if there is a way to dovetail the two.

"I've made it clear to the federal government and our congressional people that the city will do everything it can to ensure that there is a federal court facility in downtown Fort Lauderdale,'' said Seiler, an attorney, "because it is a critical component of downtown."

The DDA is hiring an architect to look at the land and suggest ways to combine the federal-county plans.

"I thought that was always going to be the plan,'' said Broward County Commissioner John Rodstrom, who represents downtown. "Why would it go anywhere else? It's a great location for it.''

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,1518982.story

[ftlauddude]

It says it went for bids on March 21, 2011...

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

"...The project consists of a new approximately 741,000 square foot civil and family courthouse facility, with 45 full-size courtrooms, 12 smaller courtrooms, 18 hearing rooms, and staff the support spaces. The Project also includes the construction of a new pedestrian bridges and minor improvements to the existing east wing of the existing courthouse facility..."

http://dodgeprojects.construction.co...VVviewprod.htm

http://www.tcjrnl.com/project_view.a...nty+Courthouse

[ftlauddude]

Courthouse Funding Approved

- Commissioners Choose "Non-Voted" Debt Funding Option in 6-3 Vote -

DATE: February 2, 2010
CONTACT: Kimberly Maroe, Public Information Manager
Broward County Board of County Commissioners
PHONE: 954-357-8053

Plans will move forward to build a new Broward County Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale with $208 million in financing using non-voted debt and with Build America Bonds that are set to expire in December 2010. The total cost of the courthouse, including demolition, landscaping, connectors and 120 secured parking spaces, is $328 million. The County currently has $120 million in the budget for courthouse capital projects. Commissioners voted 6-3 to fund the project with non-voted debt financing.

Vice Mayor Sue Gunzburger, Commissioner Lois Wexler and Commissioner John Rodstrom voted against the use of non-voted debt to finance the new courthouse.

The Broward County Courthouse Task Force, created by Commissioner Stacy Ritter last year and approved by the Commission, recommended the non-voted financing method. This option allows the County to finance the project immediately, taking advantage of historically low financing rates and bond programs made available through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The impact of the estimated $7 to $9 million dollar annual debt service payment will cost the average homeowner about $8 per year. Financial analysts advised that the County will complete payment on bonds previously used to finance library and park projects, which will reduce the average homeowner's cost by $37 annually.

"Non-voted debt utilizing bonds provides the best opportunity for us to reduce overall costs," said Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, who chaired the Task Force. "We need a new courthouse and we need to rely on the advice of our financial analysts that this is the best option."

The current courthouse has been closed several times due to flooding associated with structural problems in the aging building. Consultants have concluded the building would not likely survive another hurricane.

"This needs to be done now. We have the opportunity with these bonds to finance the building and not add to the tax burden of this community. We have a constitutional obligation to provide for our judiciary. Our analysts say we can finance this courthouse without raising the overall tax rate. I won't raise property taxes," said Mayor Ken Keechl.

"I don't think we have the luxury of waiting. The unanimous decision of the Task Force was to move forward with a new building paid for with non-voted financing and the use of bonds. We can't use this available bond money to finance social service or other programs. We don't have the time to wait," said Commissioner Stacy Ritter.

"This is the people's court," said Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin. "This project has been reduced significantly in size and cost and we all agree that a new courthouse is needed. This is the best way to finance this building."

"It's irrefutable that we need a new building. This is a failing building. If we are forced to finance repairs after a hurricane destroys the building, that will be costly. It's time to make a decision. This is the time to take advantage of low interest rates, a soft construction market and the best financial terms we've had in a long time. We need to vote in favor of the Task Force recommendation," said Commissioner Kristin Jacobs.

"I think it's commendable that we do something. It is falling apart. But I don't see a lot of people from the public here. My community very much needs jobs. I don't know if those jobs will come to my district. I will remember this in the future," said Commissioner Albert Jones.

Commissioners also had the option of financing the $208 million with general obligation bonds that must first be approved by voters. Interest rates on these bonds are lower than non-voted bonds. Financial analysts concluded this was the low cost option, but risks included voters not approving the bonds, missing the ability to take advantage of historically low interest rates and soft construction market and the expiration of Build America Bond rebates from the Federal government.

"Balancing the budget in 2011 is going to be very difficult and we have people who are suffering financially," said Vice Mayor Sue Gunzburger. "I like to see people own the solution and the solution is voted debt. This will allow this to go to voters because people will then have a vested interest in the solution."

"Voters rejected a courthouse referendum on the ballot in 2006 and as a result this new courthouse proposal is reduced in size, cost and the amount needed to pay for debt service. I say good job voters. We can prepare the bond documents now and begin the project immediately following approval from the voters," said Commissioner John Rodstrom.

"We've cut hundreds of millions of dollars from our budget for the last number of years and I don't know how much more pain we can inflict on taxpayers," said Commissioner Lois Wexler. "If all of the stakeholders actually got out and campaigned for this, I think we have a shot for voter approval. If not we could still pursue the other option."

Broward voters turned down a $450-million bond issue that appeared on the November 2006 ballot.

In August 2009 the Commission approved task force recommendations to build a new 17-story, 719,000-square-foot courthouse on the site where the judicial parking garage is currently located, just west of the main courthouse building. The Commission also agreed to extend the work of the task force in order to monitor the progress of the new building which has a planned completion date in 2013.

Broward County Task Force members unanimously recommended using non-voted debt using Build America Bonds to finance the project. Broward County Courthouse Task Force Advisory members are Broward County Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, Chair; Peter Weinstein, Circuit Civil Court; Howard Forman, Clerk of the Courts; Howard Finkelstein, Broward County Public Defender; Chuck Morton, State Attorney's Office; Scott Chitoff, Brinkley, Morgan, Solomon, Tatum, Stanley and Lunny; Greg Durden, Greg Durden, P.A.; Jose Izquierdo, Izquierdo and Marin; Linda O'Neill, Judicial Assistant to Judge Robert Lee; Eugene Pettis, Haliczer Pettis and Schwamm; Margaret Bates, Broward League of Cities; Carol Lee Ortman, Broward County Court Administration; John P. "Jack" Seiler, Seiler, Sautter, Zaden, Rimes and Weihe; Jeffrey Ostrow, Kopelowitz Ostrow.

http://bcegov3.broward.org/newsrelea...MessageId=2491

[ftlauddude]

Broward Commission to discuss joint federal-state court campus

By Scott Wyman, Sun Sentinel
5:15 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2011


County commissioners will discuss Tuesday the renewed push to build a federal courthouse alongside their planned local courthouse.

County Commissioner John Rodstrom told his colleagues last week that he is adding the matter to their agenda. A high-powered task force of federal judges, lawyers and politicians caught the county off guard last week by reviving the long-dormant idea of a federal-county campus along the New River.

County staff have pulled out old notes about how the two projects could fit together. But County Administrator Bertha Henry has noted that the county's $328 million court tower is far along in the planning process.

The federal courthouse at Broward Boulevard and Third Avenue is considered one of the most dilapidated in the nation and was recently moved up on a national priority list for replacement. It also doesn't meet heightened security requirements set since the 2001 terrorist attacks and the Oklahoma City courthouse bombing.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...,4987656.story

[Dale]

The courthouse looks to be at least 300'.

[ftlauddude]

@ least now that this project could move forward without waiting for the federal courthouse...

Federal courthouse idea falls flat at Broward commission

By Brittany Wallman April 7, 2011 06:30 PM
A proposal to build a new federal courthouse on the riverfront in downtown Fort Lauderdale got a cold reception this week from the county. Commissioners said they don’t want to hold up construction of their own new courthouse to reserve space on county land for a federal building.

Commissioners didn’t formally vote Tuesday but talked about the idea, a resurrected proposal from years ago to add a new federal courthouse to the judicial “campus’’ that already includes the county’s main jail and the soon-to-be replaced county courthouse, on the southern bank of the New River, bordering Southeast Third Avenue, in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Supporters of the federal-county twin courthouse proposal, none of whom showed up Tuesday to attempt to persuade commissioners, said they’ll keep pushing for it.

“I didn’t know it was even on the agenda,’’ said Downtown Development Authority Director Chris Wren, a member of the task force of federal judges, lawyers and politicians who caught the county off guard last week by reviving the long-dormant idea. “At least we know it’s an issue they want to talk about.’’

The task force includes federal judges William Dimitrouleas, Patricia Seitz, James Cohn, Lurana Snow and Federico Moreno; magistrates Barry Seltzer and Robin Rosenbaum, court clerk Steven Larimore, representatives of some of Fort Lauderdale largest law firms, the mayors of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, a representative of the Downtown Development Authority and County Commissioner Ilene Lieberman.
“I’m not discouraged by that at all,’’ said attorney and task force member Bill Scherer, a head cheerleader for the double-court idea.

Wren said his agency will hire an architect immediately to map out how a federal courthouse might fit on the county’s land. Broward is building a $328 million replacement county courthouse, plus a waterfront office building.

The U.S. Federal Building and Courthouse, on Broward Boulevard just west of Third Avenue, is too small and doesn’t meet current security buffer requirements, federal officials say. Task force members said the federal General Services Administration -- which did not return a call for comment Thursday -- recently ranked a new Fort Lauderdale federal courthouse as No. 8 in priority in the country.

But a majority of county commissioners said they don’t see the money coming any time soon, and they don’t want to redesign plans for the county court buildings based on a federal courthouse that might not materialize.

Only commissioners Chip LaMarca and John Rodstrom spoke favorably. Commissioner Ilene Lieberman said she was willing to look at it, too, though she added that there's “not a lot of time to play around with’’ it.

The others expressed doubts. They also had little information about it; Lieberman sits on the task force but hasn’t attended recent meetings. County staffer Pete Corwin had limited details. And no one on the task force had briefed commissioners or county staff, or sent someone to the meeting to explain, though it was listed on the County Commission agenda days before the meeting.

“Show me the money,’’ Commissioner Stacy Ritter said. “… For us to put ourselves on the hook for something when they’re not willing to put themselves on the hook for something, I just think is premature. I’m not willing to go out on that limb.’’

Commissioner Lois Wexler said she agreed.

"I'm not sure I'm willing to say I'm willing to even continue to explore,'' Wexler said. "I'm kind of with Commissioner Ritter. You know what? This is our campus, and parking I believe would wind up even being more of a challenge for all of us since they don't provide that.''

"At this point in time,'' Commissioner Barbara Sharief said, "I'm not prepared to entertain putting a federal courthouse on our campus. I think that they should actually find a place for themselves that they can harden, and utilize their own funding for. So that's where I'm at.''

Commissioner Kristin Jacobs said that while it “may not be suitable on this site, and I don’t believe that it is, I would like to encourage the federal government to locate their building downtown and not to look away from Fort Lauderdale and go somewhere else.’’

Commissioners Dale Holness said he agreed with Jacobs.

Mayor Sue Gunzburger said Broward's representatives in Congress told her recently when she was in Washington, D.C., that the funding would come in "five to 10 years at best.''

"It is not around the corner,'' she said. "It may be as many as 15, because of the fact that earmarks are going the way of 78 RPMs. If anybody knows what I'm talking about.''

Some commissioners were concerned the federal courthouse is proposed on the spot where the county plans to build an office tower for the public defender and state attorney. That's not the case, according to task force members.

Broward Chief Judge Victor Tobin told commissioners it’s important that a new federal courthouse be built in Fort Lauderdale, but he stressed, “please don’t permit it to hold up what we’re in the process of doing. That’s the important thing.’’

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news...dea_falls.html

[mr jones]

Historic activists fight to save Lauderdale Coke plant
By Scott Wyman May 15, 2011 09:00 AM



FORT LAUDERDALE

Kids once watched Coca-Cola being bottled through the windows of the building. Soon, people with business at the courthouse will be parking there.

Plans to redevelop the old Coke bottling plant on South Andrews Avenue near downtown has historical activists aghast and once again fighting to preserve part of the city’s past. In light of the uproar, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation plans to name the building as one of the state’s most endangered historic structures later this month.

The preservationists love the plant’s 1938 architecture. They say it represents a revival of Spanish Mission style with its battlement-like tower and Moorish motifs. Still, anyone walking down South Andrews today might not realize the building’s past. The sole sign that it was a Coke plant is a medieval crest three stories up the side of a wall.

“This was Coca-Cola,” said Susan McClellan, a local architect who leads the city’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board. “This was a big deal — Coca-Cola coming to our city. And people could come and see the process of the Coke being made and bottled and put on the trucks outside.”
The activists failed to persuade city commissioners last week to name the building immediately as an official landmark and impose a buffer zone around it. That would have limited redevelopment and given the city and preservationists a strong say in what happens next.

But developers objected.

They said they never planned to demolish the building and will respect its character while constructing the parking garage around it. But they wanted commissioners to consider landmark status at the same time as reviewing final construction plans later this year.

They say they are working on revisions to their original drawings in hopes of addressing concerns.

It’s the latest fight to play out in Fort Lauderdale over what buildings should be preserved and how property in historic neighborhoods can develop. Preservationists have lost recent attempts to save the Kennedy Homes public housing project and a 1910-era home of an early judge. They are frustrated and accuse City Hall of being less than sympathetic to their cause.

City commissioners said they also see the building as an iconic part of Fort Lauderdale’s past. They said they want to find a way to save it and add parking needed for the soon-to-be-constructed courthouse addition.

“I don’t think anyone has a doubt this is a historic building and needs to be preserved,” said Commissioner Romney Rogers, who represents the South Andrews area. “The owner has said it will be preserved, and I take them at their word.”

The Coke plant was designed by noted local architect Courtney Stewart Jr., and its sister facility in Ocala has been on the National Register of Historic Places for more than 30 years. It is part of an intersection replete with city history, with neighbors including a historic fire station and the old Southside School.

Still, the interior was gutted after the bottling operations ended in the early 1970s, and later owners renovated the exterior with the removal of huge display windows where passers-by once could view the soft drinks being bottled.

County commissioners chose the Coke plant for a 1,000-space garage that will service the new court tower that is to be built nearby. The project developer, Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles Corp., overcame two other bidders after promising it could stay within the county’s $29.5 million budget for the garage and a covered walkway to the courthouse.

The county’s Historical Commission and the city’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board have both weighed in with concerns. The county board charged it had been cut out of the process and said it had “serious historic preservation concerns” about the proposal.

Preservationists say the garage proposal overwhelms the Coke plant in height and size. They complain the garage designs “mimicked” the Coke plant rather than complementing its architecture and would hurt the historic fabric of South Andrews.

“It is part of the very early days of Fort Lauderdale,” said Diane Smart of the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation. “It’s part of the history because of its architecture, which is very whimsical and symptomatic of the times.”

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news...ght_to_sa.html

[ftlauddude]

$610,000 public art for Broward courthouse - do you like it?

By Brittany Wallman

Despite all the controversy lately about public art, Broward County commissioners sent through on Tuesday this $610,000 public art project called "Flow.''

I happened to run into the artist, Margi Nothard-Glavovic, at County Hall that day carrying this model of her art project, which will be built at the coming new Broward County Courthouse downtown in Fort Lauderdale.

Voting against spending the money were Commissioners Barbara Sharief, Chip LaMarca (who said he voted that way because the courthouse project is too expensive), and John Rodstrom. Together they form a sort of conservative-spending alliance, if you watch their votes and arguments on the dais. Noteworthy: LaMarca is a Republican, Sharief is a Demo but was a Republican at one time in her past, and Rodstrom is a ... Democrat ... but also was a Republican in the past.

I'll tell you more about the public art projects, but in this video you'll see the plan for this one, for the courthouse. She cites a figure lower than $610,000 in the video -- the $610,000 is the total cost for her art project, which was approved by commissioners Tuesday.

"People need beauty,'' the artist said.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news...d_courtho.html

[mr jones]

Broward delays vote to hire builder for courthouse

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
6:27 p.m. EST, December 13, 2011


It's one of the biggest jobs on the Broward County agenda for 2012: the construction of a courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The work is expected to cost the county $273 million and employ 800 people. But the vote to hire a contractor was postponed Tuesday.

A $178.8 million contract is slated to be awarded to James A. Cummings Inc. Another company, a joint venture of Hunt Construction Group and Moss and Associates, filed a bid protest Friday, arguing it was the low bidder by $2.7 million but its bid was thrown out as non-responsive.

A new date for the contract vote has not been set.

Broward voters in 2006 rejected a property tax for a courthouse, but county commissioners voted in 2010 to devote a portion of the local-option sales tax to the cause.

Broward assistant to the county administrator Pete Corwin said the project begins in earnest with demolition of a parking garage, likely in January. That's where the 20-story, 700,000-square foot courthouse will be built. Construction will include a 500-car secure garage for judges and a separate, 1,000-car garage for employees. When it's complete three years later, the existing courthouse will be torn down. The complex is on the northwest corner of Southeast Sixth Street and Southeast Third Avenue.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,2446844.story

[mr jones]

Facade removal of a portion of the courthouse. Not sure if this is related or not as I thought they would begin by removing the parking garage first. ???

[mr jones]

Originally Posted by Miami High Rise

Why does it need 1000 non public parking spaces? That's more than almost any building has.

Towards the bottom http://www.broward.org/courthousetas...s/Default.aspx

[mr jones]

New Broward courthouse still not off the ground

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
7:20 p.m. EST, February 14, 2012


Broward County's new courthouse is snarled in legal disputes before it can get off the ground, causing yet more delays for the long-sought new judicial complex.

Two major contractors are warring over which will be selected for the $178.8 million construction job, a coveted contract in a tight economy. And Broward County officials say the firm that designed the building made a mistake and underestimated the cost by about $8 million, an error they believe justifies throwing out the bids and starting over.

Broward Mayor John Rodstrom said the new delays couldn't be helped. But every month, the price of concrete, steel and labor goes up, construction and county officials said. And court employees say they've been ready for a replacement courthouse for themselves and the tens of thousands of Broward residents who use it, for a long time.

"You still have the same sick, sad old building,'' Clerk of Courts Howard Forman said Tuesday. "Yesterday, my employees in the Traffic and Misdemeanor Division, right next door to me, they saw large rats emerge from the coffee machine areas. At night we see some of our plants are attacked.''


Commissioners voted in 2010 to use sales tax revenue to replace the aging, riverfront judicial complex in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Voters rejected a more expensive rebuilding plan in 2006.

But Tuesday, county commissioners again delayed a vote to hire a construction contractor to build the new high-rise on the south side of the New River between Andrews and Third avenues.

James A. Cummings Inc. had been in line to get the contract. But one of the runner-up bidders, a joint proposal from Moss Associates and The Hunt Construction Group, is protesting the bidding process.

County staff had suggested putting the project back out for bids anyway after learning that Spillis Candela & Partners underestimated air conditioning system costs. The firm now believes the job will cost between $7.9 million and $8.4 million more.

"In consideration of the situation,'' county Purchasing Director Brenda Billingsley wrote in a memo, "we believe that a construction contract award at this time is not in the county's best interest.''

The county notified Spillis last month that "we have initiated a potential claim'' for damages for the delays.

Despite such legal entanglements, Cummings President William Derrer urged county commissioners to start building.

The project will be a "much needed shot in the arm to the local construction industry,'' Derrer wrote in a Feb. 9 letter to the county. "In the end, a rebid will only end up costing the county more money.''

He estimated the design changes needed for the air conditioning alteration will cost far less than Spillis Candela & Partners believe – more like an additional $2 million to $3 million, and "minor in the overall scope of the project'' in Derrer's view. It can be dealt with by altering Cummings' contract, he suggested.

A construction contractors' organization, the South Florida Chapter of Associated General Contractors of America, also pleaded for work to start, and suggested contractors will become skittish in dealing with Broward County if Cummings isn't awarded the job after winning the bid.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,2582515.story

[mr jones]

Decision Tuesday on delayed Broward courthouse

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
5:29 p.m. EDT, June 11, 2012


Broward commissioners are poised to hire a contractor for the new Broward County Courthouse, and might walk away from the company that's offered a lower price.

One of the largest public works projects in Broward County in recent years, the approximately $180 million replacement of the county's courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale isn't a job any builder is going to let go easily.

Broward commissioners are scheduled to decide Tuesday which of the construction titans in Broward will get the huge job, the building of which is expected to bring hundreds of jobs. Fights over who will win the contract already have delayed the project for six months, while employees in the courthouse clamor for a better workplace.

At least 19 curent or former employees are suing the county over the courthouse, an alleged "sick building'' with flooding and mold problems.

The original low bidder, a team-up of Hunt Construction Group and Moss Associates, argues taxpayers could save $3 million to $5 million if it does the job.

"It is a price competition,'' Hunt-Moss Executive Vice President Mike Little said, accusing the county of doing "gymnastics'' to disqualify his bid.

Hunt-Moss offered to build the courthouse for $175.9 million. Cummings Construction Inc.'s offer was $178.7 million. The gap is wider if additional pieces to the project are added.

When the job's done, the judicial complex on the New River's south side, just west of Third Avenue, will be largely replaced with new facilities, including a 20-story tower. The courthouse job includes construction of two new parking garages, one on-site for the judges, and another nearby for employees.

Total project cost, including garages: an estimated $273 million.

The work was approved in 2010 by the county, using sales taxes, after voters in 2006 said no to a more expensive version that would have been built using property taxes.

County staff suggest the job go to Cummings.

The county's purchasing director, Brenda Billingsley, disqualified Hunt-Moss because she said the team didn't offer to hire the required 29 percent of small businesses by the day of the bid, and didn't show a "good faith effort'' that it planned to.

Invited by county staff, Hunt-Moss adjusted its bid, and reached the 29 percent. But county staff said their offer to let Hunt-Moss try again was a mistake and shouldn't have occurred.

Another switcheroo: The county had issued a memo on Dec. 1 saying Hunt-Moss met the small business goal and was the low bidder.

Then, six days later, following an internal email from Billingsley that questioned the staff conclusion, a new memo was released that reversed the decision, throwing Hunt-Moss out and declaring Cummings the only company that responded to the bid properly.

For those and other reasons, Little said the county's conclusions were unfair and didn't follow the county's own rules and laws. He appealed.

Billingsley's decision was upheld by a hearing officer.

"There was no evidence presented that the [decision] … was arbitrary, capricious, illegal or an abuse of discretion,'' hearing officer Janet Shepherd concluded on May 25. "There is no evidence of fraud or misconduct on the part of the county.''

According to case law, the hearing officer wrote, a public agency has wide latitude in awarding bids, and if it's based on an "honest exercise of discretion,'' it won't be overturned "even if it may appear erroneous and even if reasonable persons may disagree.''

The internal war has added months of delay, while construction industry experts say prices are rising.

Cummings' attorney-lobbyist, Bernie Friedman, said the county reached the right conclusion.

"After a month-long trial with dozens of witnesses, evidence, arguments [and] cross examinations, the Hearing Officer applied the law and upheld the award to James A. Cummings, the low responsible bidder. We concur in that legal ruling.''

Commissioners Tuesday can hire Cummings, or they could re-do the bidding process with the four firms that originally applied and were short-listed: Cummings, Hunt-Moss, Turner Construction and Stiles Construction.

Commissioners also have to decide whether to sue Spillis Candela & Partners/Heery/Cartaya Joint Venture over a design mistake made in the courthouse architectural drawings that caused the project's cost to be underestimated by $8.5 million.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,2987242.story

[mr jones]

Broward courthouse construction approved

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
9:03 p.m. EDT, June 12, 2012

It's where thousands of people go each day, seeking justice — or trying to escape it. It's where rats occasionally roam and employees have had to open umbrellas indoors to keep leaks from wetting their workclothes. And now, it's where the new Broward County Courthouse will finally be built in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Construction workers are hurting for jobs, the cost to build is going up, and the poor condition of the 50-year-old courthouse has been dubbed a disgrace, Broward commissioners said. Those dire facts motivated them Tuesday to end the delays and hire a construction company to do the job the legal community has long sought.

"It's about time,'' said Broward Clerk of Courts Howard Forman. "The people of Broward County deserve it, and right now, the building's unhealthy to work in, and everybody knows it.''

For the past six months, two competing construction teams have fought over the gigantic contract.

Hunt Construction and Moss and Associates, who formed a team for the project, offered to build the courthouse for several million dollars cheaper than the front-runner and ultimate victor, Cummings Construction Inc.

Several workers in construction implored commissioners Tuesday not to re-do the bids, as Hunt-Moss had hoped. They said workers are ready to hit the site; the job will employ an estimated 800 people.

"It's now time to start rebuilding,'' said Joe Heelan of the Professional Flooring Contractors. "And not rebidding.''

Cummings won the job Tuesday in a unanimous vote by the commission.

Ground will break later this year, transforming Broward's block of law and order into a bustling construction site for two to three years. There'll be no subtlety about it.

"Definitely, it's going to be a construction project,'' said Alphonso Jefferson, assistant to the county administrator. "And it's a large construction project.''

First to be demolished will be a 400-car parking garage where judges park. That's where the new, vertical courthouse will be — a 20-story tower.

After court operations are moved into the tower, the older portion of the judicial complex will be demolished. A new, 500-space secure parking garage will be built to replace the judge's garage. The newer portion of the courthouse on the east end of the block nearest Third Avenue will remain.

Jefferson said the county plans no closures of offices or court operations. A plan to force jurors to park elsewhere downtown and ride a shuttle to the courthouse is still in play, but Jefferson said the county might not have to resort to that.

Thousands of people each day visit the waterfront complex on the south side of the New River between Andrews and Third avenues. Some are reporting to jury duty, some filing restraining orders or suing someone, some visiting the State Attorney's Office.

But Broward's courthouse has been plagued with water-related problems since it was walloped by Hurricane Wilma in October 2005.

Forman said the building has "problems with flooding, vermin, rats, asbestos, mildew. ... You name it, we've had it.''

After voters in 2006 rejected a more costly version and accompanying tax increase, the county voted two years ago to build a replacement courthouse using sales taxes.

Since then, the project's been tangled in delay.

In the meantime, at least 19 lawsuits have been filed against the county by employees or former employees who say the building made them ill.

It's not getting any better.

Employees just recently returned to the ninth floor — site of the courtroom for Circuit Judge Cheryl Aleman, who died a year ago of an aggressive form of lung cancer. The county stripped the floor to bare concrete and ripped out the ceiling tiles, renovating it all.

"We're maintaining what we need to maintain,'' Jefferson said.

Tuesday's contract was for $178.8 million, but an error in the architectural drawings by Spillis Candela & Partners/Heery/Cartaya Joint Venture caused the county to underestimate the cost by about $8.5 million. So the true tab could be $187 million.

The new 500-car, on-site garage and a second 1,000-space employee garage a block away are in separate contracts.

After losing the contract, Executive Vice President Mike Little of Hunt-Moss shrugged. He said he wouldn't go to the courts to continue his fight. His bid was disqualified because county staff said he didn't make a "good faith effort" to hire the required percentage of small businesses.

"It's over," he said. "You go on to the next one."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,6696326.story

[UrbanImpact]

Hopefully the streetcar comes next

[South Florida]

A while back their was news about a bunch of condos being planned for the south shore of the new river, it seems that this area around the courthouse will be ripe for development.

[ftlauddude]

Broward courthouse construction approved

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel

9:03 p.m. EDT, June 12, 2012

It's where thousands of people go each day, seeking justice — or trying to escape it. It's where rats occasionally roam and employees have had to open umbrellas indoors to keep leaks from wetting their workclothes. And now, it's where the new Broward County Courthouse will finally be built in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Construction workers are hurting for jobs, the cost to build is going up, and the poor condition of the 50-year-old courthouse has been dubbed a disgrace, Broward commissioners said. Those dire facts motivated them Tuesday to end the delays and hire a construction company to do the job the legal community has long sought.

"It's about time,'' said Broward Clerk of Courts Howard Forman. "The people of Broward County deserve it, and right now, the building's unhealthy to work in, and everybody knows it.''

For the past six months, two competing construction teams have fought over the gigantic contract.

Hunt Construction and Moss and Associates, who formed a team for the project, offered to build the courthouse for several million dollars cheaper than the front-runner and ultimate victor, Cummings Construction Inc.

Several workers in construction implored commissioners Tuesday not to re-do the bids, as Hunt-Moss had hoped. They said workers are ready to hit the site; the job will employ an estimated 800 people.

"It's now time to start rebuilding,'' said Joe Heelan of the Professional Flooring Contractors. "And not rebidding.''

Cummings won the job Tuesday in a unanimous vote by the commission.

Ground will break later this year, transforming Broward's block of law and order into a bustling construction site for two to three years. There'll be no subtlety about it.

"Definitely, it's going to be a construction project,'' said Alphonso Jefferson, assistant to the county administrator. "And it's a large construction project.''

First to be demolished will be a 400-car parking garage where judges park. That's where the new, vertical courthouse will be — a 20-story tower.

After court operations are moved into the tower, the older portion of the judicial complex will be demolished. A new, 500-space secure parking garage will be built to replace the judge's garage. The newer portion of the courthouse on the east end of the block nearest Third Avenue will remain.

Jefferson said the county plans no closures of offices or court operations. A plan to force jurors to park elsewhere downtown and ride a shuttle to the courthouse is still in play, but Jefferson said the county might not have to resort to that.

Thousands of people each day visit the waterfront complex on the south side of the New River between Andrews and Third avenues. Some are reporting to jury duty, some filing restraining orders or suing someone, some visiting the State Attorney's Office.

But Broward's courthouse has been plagued with water-related problems since it was walloped by Hurricane Wilma in October 2005.

Forman said the building has "problems with flooding, vermin, rats, asbestos, mildew. ... You name it, we've had it.''

After voters in 2006 rejected a more costly version and accompanying tax increase, the county voted two years ago to build a replacement courthouse using sales taxes.

Since then, the project's been tangled in delay.

In the meantime, at least 19 lawsuits have been filed against the county by employees or former employees who say the building made them ill.

It's not getting any better.

Employees just recently returned to the ninth floor — site of the courtroom for Circuit Judge Cheryl Aleman, who died a year ago of an aggressive form of lung cancer. The county stripped the floor to bare concrete and ripped out the ceiling tiles, renovating it all.

"We're maintaining what we need to maintain,'' Jefferson said.

Tuesday's contract was for $178.8 million, but an error in the architectural drawings by Spillis Candela & Partners/Heery/Cartaya Joint Venture caused the county to underestimate the cost by about $8.5 million. So the true tab could be $187 million.

The new 500-car, on-site garage and a second 1,000-space employee garage a block away are in separate contracts.

After losing the contract, Executive Vice President Mike Little of Hunt-Moss shrugged. He said he wouldn't go to the courts to continue his fight. His bid was disqualified because county staff said he didn't make a "good faith effort" to hire the required percentage of small businesses.

"It's over," he said. "You go on to the next one."

bwallman@tribune.com or 954-356-4541.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/bro...,6696326.story

[Dale]

This should be well over 300'.

[ftlauddude]

More renders...

Notice that "the Wave" tracks are shown

http://exmiami.org/threads/broward-c...-approved.214/