Prospects for a new federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale took a giant step forward this week when Congress told federal officials to find a way to replace the current moldy, dilapidated and insecure building on Broward Boulevard.

The congressional action set in motion a 120-day feasibility study by the U.S. General Services Administration to lay plans for a new structure, very likely in a different location.

"We do not think it should be opulent in this day and age, costing a lot of taxpayer dollars," said Chris Wren, executive director of the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority. "We think it should be safe, secure, healthy and easy to access. We envision it being in downtown, so we also envision it being a high-rise."

Built long before the 2001 terrorist attacks, the current 40-year-old building lacks basic security safeguards and has been substandard for more than a decade, Rep. Lois Frankel told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

"The doors to the courtrooms face outside plazas, and most courtrooms can be peered into from adjacent buildings," said Frankel, a Democrat from West Palm Beach who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. "For years, the courthouse has been plagued by mold, chronic roof leaks, persistent flooding and significant space constraints."

The building – the only federal courthouse in Broward County – is too small to serve the needs of one of the busiest judicial districts in the nation, Frankel said

She noted that the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policy-making body for federal courts, named the Fort Lauderdale courthouse as the one that most needs replacing nationwide.

The House committee responded by unanimously ordering the feasibility study.

Fellow House members Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, and Alcee Hastings, D-West Delray, hailed the move as a significant step toward a long-sought new courthouse.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler thanked the committee and Florida members. "We've been waiting for over a decade for action, and it's great to see progress being made," he said.

Deficits and concern about over-building prompted Congress in recent years to virtually halt construction of federal courthouses nationwide. That prompted Fort Lauderdale leaders to look for innovative ways to finance construction through a public-private partnership.

"With the fiscal issues going on in our country, we weren't sure when we were going to get another one funded," Wren said.

The committee's action this week raised expectations that Uncle Sam will agree to pay the cost, roughly estimated at $250 million.

Wren said the current courthouse likely would continue to be used while a new one is constructed on another site downtown. Then the old one could be sold to defray the costs.

"It's good to have governmental centers," he said. "This is an extremely important component of our downtown currently, and I want to be sure it is protected into the future as well."