Historic Miami-Dade County Courthouse Heads to Auction

A nearly 100-year-old vacant downtown Miami courthouse where mob boss Al Capone once stood trial will be up for grabs, teeing up a potential high-density redevelopment.

The Miami-Dade County Courthouse, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, at 73 West Flagler Street, will be auctioned off Wednesday via GovDeals.com, the South Florida Business Journal reported.

Completed in 1928, the 28-story courthouse was once the tallest building in the Sunshine State, spanning 265,000 square feet on a 1.66-acre lot in downtown Miami. The historic property carries a $43 million valuation, records show.

The courthouse sits on civic institution zoning and qualifies for rapid transit zoning that allows for up to 500 residential units per gross acre, no minimum parking requirements and an unlimited floor area ratio.

The historic building’s exterior must stay in place, and there are restrictions on how it can be redeveloped, with interior features classified into one of three preservation categories.

Any alterations to designated “significant spaces” and “significant architectural features” require approval from the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board. Modifications to “contributing historic elements” only require notice to county staff.

Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Chief Sarah Cody said the entire lot in addition to the building is protected, so any construction proposals near the courthouse would also require the approval from the board.

A GovDeals.com representative declined to disclose the auction’s minimum bid, saying it will only be shared with prospective buyers who register with both GovDeals.com and Miami-Dade County.

The Miami Downtown Development Authority could also provide perks with existing incentive programs that could support ground-floor retail or offices.

Antonin Robert, president of community development at GBX Group, which specializes in acquiring, preserving and operating historic real estate, told the publication that a hotel or residential redevelopment is more likely than an office conversion.

Historic buildings are often better suited for hospitality or housing because their distinctive architecture becomes part of the property’s appeal, while converting them into modern Class A office space is more challenging given the layouts and design features tenants expect.

Miami-Dade previously tried to unload the aging courthouse, which officials say has cost $32 million in maintenance and repairs over the past seven years.

The county first sought redevelopment proposals in 2024, drawing just one bid from Russell Galbut’s GFO Investments. The firm proposed converting the historic courthouse into a hotel and office building while adding a 65-story residential tower with more than 800 apartments next door.

The deal ultimately fell through, but now, Galbut says he’ll be back for another shot.

The developer said his proposal would likely include new housing on the site, arguing the courthouse can’t survive on its own.

The Miami-Dade County Commission will vote on whether to approve the winning bid once the auction ends.

The auction comes after Miami-Dade County relocated civil court operations to the new Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center across the street. County commissioners approved the public-private partnership with Plenary Group in 2019, construction began in 2020, and the 23-story courthouse opened in November.

—Eman Elshahawy