ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new $59 million Bernie McCabe Second District Court of Appeal courthouse in downtown St. Petersburg will be held on Saturday, along with a tour for community leaders.
What You Need To Know
A ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new Bernie McCabe Second District Court of Appeal courthouse in downtown St. Petersburg will be held on Saturday
The three-story courthouse along Mirror Lake in downtown St. Petersburg cost $59 million
It serves six counties: Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto
The courthouse is named after Bernie McCabe, who was the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco Counties for nearly 30 years, before his death in 2021
“This is a way for us to recognize all of the partners who have helped us along the way to make this happen,” said Chief Judge Matt Lucas. “A way for us to formally announce to everyone, ‘Hey, we’re here, we’re open for business, we’re part of this community and we’re excited to get to work.’”
Lucas said staff began moving into the courthouse in December, with the first oral arguments held last month. Construction at the site, located at 525 Mirror Lake Dr. N., began in 2023. The appeal courthouse opened on budget and on time, according to Lucas.
The 59,000 square-foot building features a single courtroom, suites for 15 judges and workspace for 96 staff members. Lucas said the community room, which the court provides as a meeting space for local bar associations, has become very popular.
“I will tell you, my phone has been ringing off the hook,” he said. “I had no idea there was so much pent up demand in St Petersburg, but we’re thrilled it’s getting used.”
The courtroom is the crown jewel of the three-story building featuring the latest technology and sound absorbing acoustic panels on the walls. Attorney Kevin Hayslett said it’s the envy of most judges in the state.
“It is pristine. It’s the talk of every appellate judge in the state,” he said. “We’ve got the best courtroom in the state right here in St. Pete.”
A panel of three appellate court judges serve the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Pinellas and Pasco counties), the 13th Circuit (Hillsborough County) and the 12th Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto counties). Lucas said the state chose to build the courthouse in St. Petersburg because of its centralized location.
“Being right in the center downtown, it’s fitting. It makes sense,” he said. “It’s a place where everyone, when they walk by, whether they have business here or not, they know, yeah, the second DCA is doing the work that they’re supposed to be doing for the people in our district.”
Before moving into the new courthouse, the judges and staff were working out of the Stetson Law Center in Tampa and a leased building in Lakeland. In 2016, the second DCA had to abandon its courthouse in Lakeland due to structural and air-quality issues.
Lucas said while everything in the courtroom is brand new, they did bring a few pieces of the past to honor traditions.
“These oak tables are the original council tables from the Lakeland courthouse,” he said. “We have the original gavel up on the bench there.”
The courthouse is named after Bernie McCabe, who was the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco Counties for nearly 30 years, before he died on Jan. 1, 2021, at the age of 73. Hayslett worked as a prosecutor under McCabe. He said naming the courthouse after McCabe honors his legacy of public service.
“When you think about Bernie McCabe, you think of a person that he believed in law and order,” he said. “He believed in the right of law and people to appeal their sentences even when it didn’t go their way. That’s Bernie McCabe.”
“We’ve got to tip the hat to Speaker Sprowls, Chris Sprowls, who worked tirelessly to make this happen,” Hayslett said.
Lucas said a modern courthouse must have two important functions to fulfill, security and technology.
“Keeping up with technology and leaving room for new technology,” he said. “This building has numerous security features and layered security features.”
Having an office overlooking Mirror Lake makes it really easy to work at the courthouse, Lucas said, and he’s not looking to leave anytime soon.
“We are here to stay,” he said. “I have every intention of being here for as long as the people of Florida will have me.”