Construction has been completed on the $59 million Bernie McCabe Courthouse at 525 Mirror Lake Drive North in Downtown St. Petersburg. The three-story, 51,708-square-foot facility was built by Skanska and now serves as the permanent home of Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from the Sixth Circuit, including Pasco and Pinellas counties, the Twelfth Circuit, including Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, and the Thirteenth Circuit, including Hillsborough County.
The project comes amid sustained public-sector investment nationwide. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, public-sector construction spending topped $482 billion in 2025, with courthouse and government facility projects representing a growing share of that activity.
Credit: Skanska.
Designed by DLR Group as architect of record in collaboration with Wannemacher Jensen Architects as associate architect, the LEED-certified courthouse contains 15 judicial chambers arranged across two levels, a ceremonial courtroom and lobby, and three floors of office space for judicial personnel and Clerk of Court services. The project also includes a 7,800-square-foot central energy plant and secured ground-floor parking.
The expanded facility aligns with continued population growth across Florida and the Tampa Bay region, providing additional judicial infrastructure to accommodate increasing caseload demand.
“The City of St. Petersburg is proud to welcome the Second District Court of Appeals to its new home,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. “It is especially meaningful that this courthouse bears the name of a dedicated public servant, Bernie McCabe, whose integrity and steady leadership shaped our justice system for decades. I want to thank Chief Judge Lucas, the judges and staff of the Second DCA, the project team, and everyone who helped bring this building to life.”
“Our team is honored to deliver this landmark courthouse in downtown St. Petersburg,” said Tracy Hunt, executive vice president and general manager for Skanska’s Florida building operations. “Our team has continued to have the privilege of building vital projects across the Greater Tampa Bay region, and this courthouse continues that legacy by providing a lasting facility for the justice system that will serve the community for generations to come.”
The courthouse is named in honor of the late State Attorney Bernie McCabe, who served Pinellas and Pasco counties for nearly 50 years until his passing in 2021. His dedication to public service and the justice system is memorialized through the facility.
“The Bernie McCabe Courthouse stands as a monument to the rule of law for the people we serve,” said Chief Judge Matthew C. Lucas. “The judges and staff of the Second District are proud to call this beautiful building our new home.”
Skanska has also led construction on major civic projects across the Greater Tampa Bay region, including the St. Pete Pier and Pier Approach, further expanding its public-sector portfolio in the area.
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I am inspired to not break the law!!!
I am inspired to not break the law!!