Construction has finally been approved to begin on a new courthouse in Broward County, Fla., after a dispute between contractors delayed the bidding process.
According to the Florida Sun Sentinel, the current courthouse is in such poor condition that some employees bring umbrellas to work on rainy days in order to deal with leaks in the ceiling. Despite the much-needed new courthouse, the building has been delayed by issues associated with the bidding for the $178.8 million construction project.
Cummings Construction was originally awarded the job several months ago, but it was later revealed the company may have underestimated how much the project would cost. Specifically, the air conditioning system was thought to cost more than Cummings wrote in its proposal.
That revelation caused a protest from the runners-up, a joint venture bid between Hunt Construction and Moss and Associates. These companies wanted county officials to redo the entire bidding process in lieu of the new information. However, multiple construction workers in Broward County, along with the South Florida Chapter of Associated General Contractors of America, pleaded for the local government to begin the project immediately, as the jobs would help the county's sagging economy. The new courthouse is estimated to provide more than 800 jobs for local construction workers.
"It's now time to start rebuilding,'' Joe Heelan of the Professional Flooring Contractors told the news source. "And not rebidding.''
Officials ultimately decided to move ahead, with Cummings as the main contractor. Construction is set to begin later this year, with the project continuing for two to three years. The ending result will be a new 20-story courthouse along with a 500-space parking garage. The older structures are expected to be demolished.
Construction companies hoping to be awarded major projects will need to ensure they can do so affordably. The online auction site IronPlanet helps contractors keep costs down by offering construction equipment at a more affordable price than buying new.
