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News
Miami-Dade Mayor Picks Front-Runner to Build New Civil Courthouse
Mayor Carlos Gimenez's selection is a major step forward in a yearslong process of replacing the historic downtown Miami courthouse.
By Lidia Dinkova | November 11, 2019 at 04:50 PM
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez recommended top-ranked Plenary Justice Miami LLC to build a new civil courthouse, a major step in a yearslong effort to replace the existing downtown Miami building.
The County Commission has the final say and is tentatively scheduled to make its decision Dec. 3.
Gimenez accepted the top ranking by a selection committee comprising county staff members and judicial representatives. The committee in August unanimously picked Plenary after a two-step competitive evaluation process.
Miami-Dade wants a new courthouse on a half-acre it owns on Flagler Street between the existing courthouse and the Metromover tracks.
The historic courthouse at 73 W. Flagler St. constructed in 1928 is too small and has other issues such as mold, insufficient bathrooms and obstructed views in many courtrooms. Of the 27 floors, 23 are currently in use.
Plenary, which is the concessionaire that put together the development group that includes an architect and builder, would do the project as a public-private partnership with the county. Plenary would front the cost, build the courthouse and maintain it over 30 years while the county repays Plenary. The county would own the building throughout.
The total cost to the county would be $849 million, which breaks down to $810 million paid over 30 years to Plenary, a $13.3 million contingency fund and up to $25 million in furnishings, according to Gimenez’s memo to commissioners.
The $810 million breaks down to $21.3 million paid each year for capital charges and annual facility management payments that will be adjusted for the consumer price index. The first year facility management payment will be $4 million.
This means the county’s total first year payment would be $25.4 million.
If the commission agrees with the mayor, construction would start next July and the building would open in 2024.
Miami-Dade has vowed to use no property tax revenue for the courthouse but is counting on $50 million from a voter-approved bond and the sale of the historic courthouse.
The new 640,000-square-foot facility would have 46 courtrooms, four shells for future courtrooms and 59 parking places.
Gimenez is asking commissioners to allow him to enter a contract with Plenary for 34 years and two months, which breaks down to two months to close on financing, four years construction and 30 years for Plenary to operate and maintain the facility.
Planary’s members are Plenary Group USA Concessions, St. Louis, Missouri-based architectural firm HOK and Los Angeles-based builder Tutor Perini Corp.
Miami-Dade issued a solicitation for developers more than a year ago. Four groups responded, and the county also considered an unsolicited proposal from a partnership of Florida East Coast Industries LLC, the parent company of Virgin Trains USA, and El Paso, Texas-based Hunt Cos. Inc.
The selection committee ranked the groups based on qualifications and experience. Two groups were eliminated, although fourth-ranked FECI-Hunt stayed on as an alternate. It was eliminated later after the top three ranked bidders submitted qualifying plans.
A second round of review was based on building designs, financing feasibility and project costs.
M-S-E Judicial Partners LLC was the runner-up, and Miami-Dade Courthouse Partnership LLC ranked third.
M-S-E comprises Paris-based asset manager Meridiam, DLR Group and Suffolk Construction. Miami-Dade Courthouse Partnership includes Sacyr Infrastructure USA LLC, AECOM Technical Services Inc. and Plaza Construction Group of Florida LLC.
M-S-E in September raised issue with the selection committee’s final ranking and Plenary’s proposal, saying Plenary lowballed its project costs and is proposing an inferior building, which Plenary denied.
M-S-E also disagreed with the selection committee’s decision to skip presentations in the second round, which is when M-S-E was bumped down a spot and Plenary came out first.
The five-member selection committee included retired Miami-Dade Chief Circuit Judge Joseph Farina and a staff member from the aviation, internal services, finance and seaport departments.