City officials have been asked if they would consider donating city-owned land to the construction of a new state courthouse.
Stargel said he’s ideally looking for 3 to 5 acres close to downtown for new construction but is open to other possibilities.
“When I started as a judge almost 17 years ago I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to start a new court. It doesn’t happen very often. You have the opportunity right here in the City of Lakeland to start a new 6th DCA,” he said.
The Florida Legislature approved a bill for the creation of a new Sixth District Court of Appeal last year, expanding the state’s network. Starting Jan. 1, the court rented administrative offices at 811 E. Main St. The building does not contain sufficient room for oral arguments.
The appellate court leased space from Florida Southern College to hear oral arguments beginning in March. Stargel said it now uses the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando a couple of times a month. The court is still in search of its permanent home.
City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said there’s undeveloped city-owned land around the RP Funding Center that was marked for out parcel development in the city’s original Catalyst plans.
“That’s probably in terms of city property the best we have available, but certainly are open to other suggestions or look at any other areas,” Sherrouse said.