Supreme Court building on track for renovations

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Supreme Court building on track for renovations

Mark Hollis | Tallahassee Bureau

Posted April 4, 2006

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-

court0406apr04,0,2835440.story?track=rss

TALLAHASSEE -- Mold creeps along its cracked interior walls. Windows

leak and rattle. And a bullet has scarred the metal front door,

raising questions about security.

The Florida Supreme Court Building has stood since 1948 in the

shadows of the Florida Capitol in downtown Tallahassee as a sturdy

emblem of the state's judicial system.

While the marble-columned headquarters retains its scenic exterior,

the inside of the ornate structure that combines Greek Revival and

Egyptian Revival architecture is in dire need of a major renovation.

So legislators this year are proposing to spend millions of dollars

to give the courthouse a makeover.

" To me, it's embarrassing that a branch of our government has its

main building with water intrusion so bad that they've lost books,

that the window framing is deteriorating, and that it's got problems

with safety and security, " said state Rep. Kottkamp, R-Cape

Coral, who heads a budget committee that spearheaded efforts to get

Florida's No. 1 courthouse repaired.

The Legislature is on the verge of approving about $17 million on

maintenance and repairs -- about 10 times what it cost taxpayers to

construct the building 58 years ago.

It will be only the second time any significant work has been done

on the building that has been home to legal fights watched around

the nation, including the 2000 presidential recount.

Now, after quietly putting up with the buildings' quirks, Florida's

seven high-court justices and their 200 employees in Tallahassee are

thrilled about the potential renovation.

" It was built the year I was born. But I think I'm doing much better

than the building, " Chief Justice Barbara Pariente

said. " Unfortunately, the maintenance needs of the courts have just

not been addressed. "

Pariente said the building has fallen into disrepair because the

court didn't make it a priority.

" But what we have now is a multiple set of health and safety issues

that really have reached a critical point, " she said.

Mold in the lower two levels has become an annoyance and health

risk, employees say. Concrete walls are insulated with cork, which

retains water. Geckos scurry beneath lawyers' and justices' work

tables.

Carpeting and floors in the law library are stained by rusty metal

cabinets. Leaky windows and a large wall crack required documents to

be destroyed and prompted the removal of many of the court's most

important historical records.

" Pretty much since statehood, we have kept a continuous record of

what [the Supreme Court] did, " said Craig Waters, a court

spokesman. " We have lots of rare, old books, even Spanish books from

when Spanish law was important in interpreting land grants. "

Justices are asking that bulletproof glass be installed for security

and hurricane-wind resistance.

Historians say the building isn't as bad as it was in the late

1980s, before it was expanded. Then, also because of a lack of

adequate state funding, water intrusion was a problem.

" It's the state's highest court, and we should have a court the

people can be proud of, " Pariente said.

" It's certainly beautiful on the outside. We just want to bring the

inside up to par so we have a healthy work environment. "

Mark Hollis can be reached at mhollis@... or 850-224-

6214.