The blocky mass of gray concrete that serves as the federal courthouse has been a landmark in downtown Fort Lauderdale since 1979, but its days as a place where cases of national importance are decided are numbered.
With a modern new federal courthouse expected to open early next year, its vintage counterpart at 299 E. Broward Blvd. will soon be powered down by the U.S. government, sold off to whatever government entity wants it.
That entity could very well be the city of Fort Lauderdale.
For decades, the concrete building known for its Brutalist design has served as a trusty backdrop for public rallies, political protests and spirited demonstrations.
But now there is talk of using the building for affordable housing or a charter school for artificial intelligence.
President Donald Trump’s administration has launched a major effort to sell hundreds of federal buildings to reduce the real estate footprint of the U.S. government and cut maintenance costs.
The feds have the option of transferring the land and building for free or at a low cost.
“It’s a treasure I don’t think we should allow to be demolished,” Mayor Dean Trantalis said during a recent commission discussion.
It’s too soon to say what it might cost to renovate and maintain the building, which has reportedly been plagued by leaks and mold.
The answer depends partly on what new purpose it would serve.
An aerial view of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. Fort Lauderdale is interested in using the building for a new charter school when a new federal courthouse opens next year. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Local developer Charlie Ladd says he can’t see it being used for affordable housing.
“It’s a subterranean fort,” Ladd told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, referring to the building’s underground garage.
Renovating the entire building to current standards might cost a fortune, he added.
“That’s the big question,” Ladd said. “What does it really cost? And is it worth it? Are you getting something that makes sense?”
The five-story building, a living example of Brutalism, does have architectural significance, but it has few if no windows, Ladd noted.
A man walks up the steps of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
“I don’t think you can have a bedroom without a window under the code,” he said. “And you may not be able to change it because it has architectural significance. The cost to upgrade office buildings has gone absolutely bonkers. To retrofit these buildings costs a fortune.”
Ladd also questioned whether a building without windows can be transformed into a school.
“The property is worth about $36 million,” he said. “But it depends on whether you can tear it down or not. If you can’t, that’s like getting a booby prize. A lot of analysis needs to be done. If you have to spend a massive amount of money, then it’s not a good thing to do. Right now, it’s pure guessing.”
The mayor says he would prefer to see the building used for education.
“A developer might go in and do market-rate housing, but we need to focus on commercial uses or educational uses,” Trantalis said. “The city needs to bring more academic presence downtown. We need to begin the conversation. We need to start meeting with educators in the area and start drawing from their knowledge as to next steps.”
The long-defunct fountain steps at the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale are shown on Tuesday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The courthouse sits on a 2-acre site in the heart of downtown.
The General Services Administration, an independent agency that manages federal buildings, has reached out to Fort Lauderdale to see if there’s any interest in purchasing the property, city officials say.
The building is 257,000 square feet but only 169,000 square feet is interior usable space, Assistant City Manager Ben Rogers told the commission during a recent goal-setting meeting.
The building is not currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places but that could change.
“There is a review process going on right now,” Rogers told the commission.
An aerial view of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The land is valued at just under $10 million, according to the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office. The building value is estimated at $27 million for a total property value of $36 million.
But there’s a good chance the city could take over the building at a 100% discount, Rogers said.
During the meeting, Trantalis said he would like to see the building transformed into a charter school focused on artificial-intelligence education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“We all know that artificial intelligence is here to stay,” he said. “It’s only going to get more and more exciting. And I think Fort Lauderdale should be ahead of the game and provide an educational locus that can be supported by the other colleges and high schools in the area that would feed into the educational system.”
Commissioner Steve Glassman touted the building’s architecture.
“I know a lot of people don’t like Brutalism,” he said. “I happen to be a fan. That corner has always been a place of public comment, public gathering where people weigh in on a whole variety of issues. There is great interest in this structure. People that are tuned into historic preservation know of this building. I just think it would be a loss if we let it go.”
A pedestrian walks past the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Commissioner Ben Sorensen suggested the building be used for workforce and affordable housing.
Trantalis argued against the idea.
“We’d have to put kitchens in there,” he said. “We’d have to put more bathrooms in there. We’d have to put all kinds of things in there. You’d have to spend a lot more money to put apartments in there. To rebuild the interior for housing would take a lot more money than creating classrooms.”
Sorensen argued the city is in dire need of workforce and affordable housing.
“I think partnering with a developer, I think there are options worth exploring,” Sorensen said. “Whatever we use this for, this has massive structural and maintenance challenges. The roof has massive challenges from what I understand.”
Affordable housing could work, City Manager Rickelle Williams told the commission.
“Just to clarify, it’s not that an affordable housing development could not happen,” she said. “The likelihood is that any use that would be selected would require redevelopment of the site and possibly require a partner to work with the city. We’re not precluded from going in that direction. It would probably take a little bit more creativity, a higher level of partnership and investment to accommodate that. But it’s not impossible.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Find me on X @Susannah_Bryan