Historic Dade County Courthouse Set To Reopen December 6 Following Structural Inspection

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – The historic Dade County Courthouse will reopen in December, after being shutdown for five months.

It was shutdown to undergo an engineering inspection in the wake of the Surfside condo collapse in June.

The 27-story Dade County Courthouse, built in 1928, never completed its required 40-year safety recertification until recent months. It was closed in July amid widespread safety concerns about older buildings after the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo, which killed 98 people.

Miami-Dade County officials now say the courthouse will reopen Dec. 6 after engineers finished inspections of columns in the basement.

CBS4 News partner the Miami Herald reports the only remaining hurdle is obtaining a city permit for recent work there.

An Oct. 15 engineering report by the county-hired firm EXP found no structural concerns with steel columns in the flood-prone basement.

Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie emphasized that the county is endorsing the building's readiness.

"Our first priority was and continues to be the safety of all who work at and visit the Dade County Courthouse," she said.

The courthouse, which handles the bulk of civil cases in Florida's most populous county, is set to be replaced by a new $267 million building to be completed by the end of 2024.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)