Historic downtown Miami courthouse to open after inspection

MIAMI (AP) — The historic courthouse in downtown Miami is set to reopen after an engineering inspection spurred by the collapse of a nearby beachfront condominium.

The 27-story Dade County Courthouse, built in 1928, never completed its required 40-year safety recertification until recent months. It was closed in July amid widespread safety concerns about older buildings after the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside, which killed 98 people.

Miami-Dade County officials now say the courthouse will reopen Dec. 6 after engineers finished inspections of columns in the basement. The Miami Herald reports the only remaining hurdle is obtaining a city permit for recent work there.

An Oct. 15 engineering report by the county-hired firm EXP found no structural concerns with steel columns in the flood-prone basement.

Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie emphasized that the county is endorsing the building’s readiness.

“Our first priority was and continues to be the safety of all who work at and visit the Dade County Courthouse,” she said.

The courthouse, which handles the bulk of civil cases in Florida’s most populous county, is set to be replaced by a new $267 million building to be completed by the end of 2024.