FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The new $262 million Broward County Courthouse looks finished both outside and, on first glance of the lobby, inside. It even has a certificate of occupancy, but right now it is occupied only by a few construction workers while the public is locked out.
"A year overdue is unacceptable," Broward County Mayor Marty Kiar said. "It's not fair to our taxpayers and it's just not right."
More than a year has passed since the new high-rise courthouse was supposed to replace the old one next door, and for Kiar, it's one of the most exasperating issues he faces.
The problems stem in large part from disputes between the county and politically-connected contractor, Jim Cummings Inc. Now, after hundreds of change orders on the project, there is $11 million in disputed charges between Cummings and the contractor, Kiar confirmed.
A phone message left for the contractor has not been returned.
"There are a number of disputes," Kiar said. "But I do think the county and developer contractor are working together to get this done."
Many of the changes stemmed from those demanded by judges after the construction began.
"Judges were upset (that) there were tiny little courtrooms, and there were issues with the way the jurors were to be led in and out," attorney and courthouse watcher Bill Gelin said.
Gelin, who administers the courthouse blog, JAABlog, said, "They were complaining about not having dedicated bathrooms. Apparently they wanted to be higher up in their chairs so they could look down at everybody."
There were plenty of other unforeseen problems, including myriad problems that arose in building a pedestrian walkway from the jail to the courthouse, Kiar said.
Even though the city of Fort Lauderdale issued a certificate of occupancy earlier this month, the building still isn't ready to be opened to the public.
"If you go inside the courthouse, there is still a lot of work to be done, and right now the environment in the courthouse isn't in a manner that it is safe for the public to utilize," Kiar said. "So the county hasn't yet accepted the courthouse from the developer."
Kiar said the contractor and county officials met Friday to try to iron out the remaining issues. As for the $11 million the contractor alleges the county owes it for the changes that have been made, Kiar said that could be resolved after the building is opened, something he said the county is intent to do before the end of the year.
Gelin said he and many attorneys and judges are skeptical that will happen, considering the problems that have plagued it so far.
When asked who was to blame, Kiar replied, "That's something that will be determined later on, after this is done. I can't tell you who is at fault."