Two years later, work remains at federal courthouse

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Two years later, work remains at federal courthouse

By Missy Stoddard

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted July 2 2006

West Palm Beach,Fl

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-

pfedcthousejul02,0,824799.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Jefferson once wrote that delay is preferable to error.

Federal authorities overseeing repairs and improvements to West Palm

Beach's federal courthouse appear to be operating under that premise.

Leaking windowsills during hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004

brought mold and mildew and led to the building's closure. After

more than a year of work -- including the replacement of all the

sheetrock as well as new paint, new carpet and a thorough cleaning --

the building appeared ready for re-occupancy in September 2005 when

a pipe burst, flooding two floors. By mid-December, it looked again

like the building might reopen, but a problem with the Clematis

Street building's air conditioning unit was discovered.

" The primary problem and obstacle for us to move back into the

building is that the air conditioning system won't maintain a

humidity level that is at or below industry standards, " said

Clarence Maddox, clerk of the U.S. District Court's Southern

District of Florida. " As a result, the indoor environment is still

very well suited for fungal growth, which is the reason we moved out

in the first place. We've had some testing done and some amplified

fungal activity remains in the building. "

The General Services Administration, which maintains federal

buildings, expects to complete its work on the heating, ventilation

and air conditioning system by late September, according to

Mote, an agency spokesman.

The total price tag for the work: $3.75 million, according to Mote.

But even after the air conditioning issue is corrected, work remains

to be done. The air conditioning system will need to run for two to

three weeks to dry out the building, followed by another thorough

cleaning. Finally, a plan to move all the furnishings back in must

be organized.

" We're anxious to get back in, " Maddox said. " We've been out now for

the better part of going on two years. Our employees are anxious to

get back, our judges are anxious to get back and conduct normal

business, but we're forced to wait until we're satisfied that all

the necessary work has been done and the building is a safe

environment to work in as well as for the public to visit. "

At the request of local officials, an outside agency conducted its

own evaluation of the building's repairs. That report, according to

Mote, is in the hands of local court officials, though the South

Florida Sun-Sentinel was unable to obtain a copy, despite a request.

In the interim, courthouse employees have been working in cramped

quarters in leased space in the Forum Building on Palm Beach Lakes

Boulevard. Federal judges, along with federal marshals, security

officers, attorneys, witnesses, prisoners and their family members,

have had to travel from Miami-Dade to Fort Pierce to conduct trials,

depending on wherever space is available. Jurors are chosen in

whichever county the trial is being held.

For a year, U.S. District Court Judge T.K. Hurley lived in a

Fort Lauderdale hotel.

" It becomes tiresome, but you want to make sure that trials go

forward, " he said. " The discombobulation has been extraordinary. I

think we all feel we're on the verge of getting back in. "

Since January, Hurley has been trying cases at the state courthouse

in West Palm Beach, though he hopes that with the federal courthouse

on the cusp of reopening, he will soon no longer be in need of the

space.

" I'm concerned that we're overstaying our welcome, " he said.