Battle with developer may slow new Miami-Dade Courthouse
Money issues may strangle a planned October completion of the new county Civil and Probate Courthouse on Flagler Street downtown as Miami-Dade and the builder trade claims.
Mediation Feb. 7 “resulted in an impasse,” said Kathy Labrada, chief efficiency and compliance officer for the Internal Services Department. The matter is slated for review in late April.
Builder Plenary Justice Miami has “submitted claims for additional compensation” totaling $19.5 million and time extensions, according to a February report by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
Plenary blamed its more-time, more-money claim on the need to move a redundant FPL line “serving the Metrorail,” the mayor’s report says, and the “connection/relocation of the chilled water pipe system.”
Her report calls Plenary’s claims “purported.” The company seeks a 266-day extension to finish work. The building will replace the current courthouse next door, built in 1924.
“It is important to note” the mayor’s report says, “that these claims precede all construction activities on the site.”
Plenary also seeks an added $868,000 for wages. The county rejects that, as it does all of Plenary’s claims, noting that the contract “specifies that labor wage rates would be reviewed annually and increased, if appropriate.”
Plenary also wants $2.6 million for “delayed profits … because the county will not begin making payments until the building is made ready for occupancy.”
Miami-Dade has counterclaims. Plenary failed “to adhere to design and construction requirements stipulated in the contract,” the mayor asserts, and also failed “to identify the existence of the power line.”
The county has accused Plenary of “failure to fulfill contractual responsibilities,” particularly “the permitting and the relocation of utilities, which were explicitly designated as the developer’s responsibility.” The county’s counterclaim is about $16 million.
DC
April 3, 2024 at 9:01 am
Sad to hear this because this has the possibility of only getting worse. And becoming another sad joke about Miami-Dade public projects where more likely than not, someone (or an agency) missed something that will delay the project and increase its costs.
Gerwyn Flax
April 3, 2024 at 3:40 pm
This non descript building posing as a courthouse will eventually cost the county (and thus the taxpayers) over one billion dollars. We should not be surprised given this county’s track record. Maybe Holiday Inn would be interested.
MIAMI Strong
April 3, 2024 at 11:29 pm
A competent Miami Dade should hold the Developer accountable to the design and requirements. The old courthouse can withstand until the developer engages or meets the county half way. It is more concerning when developers make promises only to rely on deep pockets to solve their poor planning issues. It would be disappointing if we surrendered like NYC and succumbed to developer whims. Let’s stand firm, Miami-Dade County!”
Elliot
April 4, 2024 at 4:41 pm
It has become more apparent these days that County Hall and those that run it are beginning to show more than a few “hairline cracks” in the way our county is governed.
William
April 5, 2024 at 10:26 am
This sounds like a money grab by Plenary. Hopefully they can come to a speedy resolution.
Kristian Toimil
April 10, 2024 at 1:36 pm
I don’t get it. Didn’t voters firmly reject this courthouse? But it somehow got built anyways? Well it would seem that the voters were once again proven correct in not supporting this boondoggle. If only our enlightened commissioners could understand that.
Xavier Guerra
May 1, 2024 at 4:56 pm
That building is so ugly. It overshadows the old courthouse and the area around it. The nice view from when you walk outside the library is gone with this tall ugly looking building. You can also see it from little havana on flagler st. Ugly eyesore.
VG
June 15, 2024 at 3:58 pm
So we are left with an ugly cement eyesore that makes a joke out of the revitalization of Downtown Miami and the Flagler Street renovation (that seems to be taking longer than the Pyramids to complete ! )