|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Miami-Dade County Commission on Tuesday, June 15, approved a new lease for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, ending a years-long attempt to upgrade its overcrowded offices at the cramped, frequently flooded quarters at Civic Park Plaza.
“The State Attorney’s Office is a critical partner to law enforcement in keeping our community safe,” said Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who sponsored the resolution. “For years, they’ve been doing that in offices out of a 1970s horror movie — leaks, broken equipment and bursting at the seams. Today, we approved a lease that will move them into brand new offices. Many thanks to everyone who made this possible.”
The State Attorney’s Office, with a staff of about 150, handles thousands of cases in county criminal courts annually. For about five years, the SAO operated without a lease as they sought offices elsewhere. The challenge was finding a space large enough and in close proximity to the criminal court complex at the right price point.
“After four years of tireless effort, this new lease will be good news for my County Court prosecutors and staff to finally have the space needed to effectively do their jobs. These public safety soldiers who serve our community have endured deplorable working conditions for far too long,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “This lease also comes as all my staff have now returned to working from our office full-time. I am grateful to my team and the county ISD team for everything they have done to rescue these hard-working public servants and to locate space for us near the courthouse.”
Documented problems in the SAO’s current offices at 1469 NW 13 Terr. included broken elevators, garage and basement flooding, broken air conditioning, malfunctioning restrooms, and other challenging issues.
The county’s Internal Services Department negotiated a 20-year lease for a little more than 49,000 square feet, 101 parking spaces and amenities at 1500 NW N. River Dr., known as River Landing, walking distance to the criminal courthouse. The annual cost is approximately $3.2 million a year, commencing when the landlord has finished build out in the next few months.
