Miami-Dade County has extended the auction of its historic downtown courthouse after the initial bidding period ended without a buyer.
The iconic building at 73 W. Flagler St. is now being offered through Sept. 18 on the GovDeals auction platform, with the minimum bid remaining at $35.41 million. Prospective bidders also must provide a $100,000 deposit.
Although its future remains uncertain, one development adviser believes the building could be converted into a boutique hotel with restaurants, offices and possibly luxury residences.
Zion Mass, founder and CEO of MASS Construction, told Miami Today that the courthouse’s configuration appears better suited to hotel rooms than contemporary office space. “The building’s floor plates line up very well with what a typical hotel needs today,” he added. Converting it into offices would require the installation of air-conditioning ductwork that could reduce the available ceiling height more than desired, he said.
The suggestion is one adviser’s assessment, not a redevelopment plan approved or endorsed by the county. Other potential uses, including educational space, also have been discussed.
The courthouse was built between 1925 and 1928. At 361 feet, it was the tallest building in the South when completed. Its architecture combines Neoclassical and Mediterranean Revival elements with a stepped, pyramid-like roof that remains a prominent feature of Miami’s skyline.
The 28-story building occupies approximately 265,000 square feet on a 1.66-acre city block.
It was designated a local historic landmark in 1985 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. In 2020, Miami-Dade expanded its historic protections to include portions of the interior, including the lobby, atrium and six courtrooms.
Any buyer would be required to comply with local and national historic-preservation rules. The county is offering the building “as is, where is,” without guarantees about its condition or suitability for a particular use. The property recently completed its 40-year recertification and continues to be maintained by the county, according to information posted with the auction.
The County initially announced that the courthouse would be auctioned during July. The formal auction ultimately ran through Aug. 28, but no bid was submitted before that deadline. The listing was subsequently extended through Sept. 18.
Even if a bid is received, the transaction would not be automatic. Miami-Dade would review the highest bidder’s qualifications and financial capacity before presenting a recommended sale to the Board of County Commissioners.
The auction follows an unsuccessful effort to sell the courthouse to GFO Acquisitions LLC, led by developer Russell Galbut. The firm proposed a transaction valued at approximately $53 million that included cash and the transfer of another downtown property to the county, but negotiations did not produce a sale.
GFO previously proposed preserving much of the courthouse for hotel and office uses while constructing a residential tower behind it.
County court operations have moved to the new Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, allowing Miami-Dade to pursue the sale.