Work Starts on New $213M Fla. Courthouse; 'Good Riddance' to 'Sick Building,' Says Chief Judge
There was little or no nostalgia for Broward County’s soon-to-be-former 52-year-old courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as work began on a new $213 million building that will be constructed on the parking lot footprint for the current facility.
Clad in attire ranging from hard hats to business suits and high heels, some 200 attendees at a ground-breaking ceremony all seemingly agreed on one thing: A new courthouse is much-needed and can hardly help but be an improvement, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Plagued by mold, plumbing and electrical problems and elevators of dubious reliability, the current facility also lacks security features that the new courthouse will deploy. While dust and detours may make the construction process a bit daunting, the end result will be worth it, multiple officials told the newspaper.
“It’s a sick building,” said Chief Judge Peter Weinstein of the current courthouse. “Good riddance. It can’t happen soon enough for us.”
Additional coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “19 Current and Former Employees Sue, Calling Broward County Courthouse a ‘Sick’ Building”
