The highly anticipated inauguration of the Nassau Family and Matrimonial Court Complex has been further postponed, extending a two-decade long project already marred by significant budget overruns and administrative hurdles. The Garden City facility, initially slated to open on January 1st, remains closed, prolonging the wait for a modern family court in Nassau County.
Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive, had previously declared the January 1st opening. However, he is now pointing fingers at state court officials for the latest delay. “On October 2nd, we officially handed over the building keys to the Office of Court Administration,” Blakeman stated to Newsday. “Since then, they have been managing the intricate process of technology and equipment installation, which I understand is nearing completion.”
However, Tenth Judicial District Executive Paul Lamanna offered a different perspective last week, stating that while the computer equipment installation is complete, they are awaiting crucial approvals from the county. The critical bottleneck appears to be fire safety approval. “Until the fire marshal approves the plans, we are not going to make an announcement [on the opening date of the building],” Lamanna clarified.
While both county officials and Lamanna deny any fire inspection failures, a public records request by Newsday for the fire inspection report was rejected by county officials. Their justification cited public safety concerns, arguing that releasing any part of the document could jeopardize public safety. This lack of transparency further clouds the reasons behind the ongoing delay of the Nassau County Family Court complex.
The “soft opening” of the courthouse occurred in October, attended by prominent figures including Blakeman, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson, and Supreme Court Justice Vito DeStefano, the administrative judge for the 10th Judicial District in Nassau County. This event marked a milestone in the protracted effort to replace the outdated and inadequate Family Court building in Westbury.
During the ceremony, Blakeman acknowledged the dire need for the new facility. “The existing Family Court is a building that has outlived its usefulness. It is dark, it is cramped, it is outdated,” he stated, praising court personnel for their resilience in a challenging environment. Adding a layer of local interest, Blakeman’s wife, Segal Blakeman, serves as a judge, having been cross-endorsed by both Democratic and Republican parties.
Despite the ceremonial opening and promises of a January move-in, clerks and court officers from the Matrimonial Courthouse in Mineola and the Family Courthouse in Westbury are still waiting. Management has yet to provide a clear explanation for the current delay, leaving many in limbo.
The impact of this delay is being felt directly by those who rely on the Nassau County Family Court system. Family court attorney Steve Herman experienced the confusion firsthand when he arrived at the new courthouse on January 2nd, expecting to attend a hearing. “I had a case on Jan. 2 and not knowing where it would be, showed up there and the doors were not open,” Herman told Newsday, expressing the widespread frustration: “We’ve been waiting years and years [for the new courthouse].”
Janet Millman, another family law practitioner at the Westbury facility, emphasized the urgent need for improved facilities. “We need more space,” she stated plainly. “We’re very, very crowded. It’s an old building.” The cramped conditions at the existing Nassau County Family Court hinder private client consultations, particularly crucial in sensitive family law cases involving abuse, child custody disputes, and financial hardships. Despite these challenges, Millman affirmed, “We all manage here. Everyone is dedicated here.”
Justice DeStefano, speaking at the October ceremony, highlighted the extensive history of the project, noting the involvement of numerous judicial and county leaders over the decades. This long and complex history includes significant financial escalation. Reports indicate the project’s cost has ballooned from an initial estimate of $168 million to over $214.6 million, a $47 million increase. This cost growth is attributed to community opposition, legal battles between project stakeholders, and design flaws that required costly rectifications. One notable example is a $2 million change order to redesign and rebuild the building’s facade to accommodate a larger HVAC system.
Despite the setbacks, Lamanna and DeStefano maintain that a specific January 1st opening date was never officially set. While they refrained from confirming a definitive opening date, Lamanna suggested that the first cases might be heard around mid-March. “We anticipate knowing a move-in date in a matter of weeks,” Lamanna stated, attempting to dispel concerns of secrecy: “The notion that there’s some sort of mystery here is false.”
The repeated delays in opening the Nassau County Family Court underscore the challenges of large-scale public projects. As the community awaits a firm opening date, the focus remains on resolving the outstanding approvals and finally providing Nassau County with the modern family court facility it urgently needs.
