Brazil court to pay $3.1 million monthly for new HQ, contradicting cost-free promises

The Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region (TRF-6) is set to lease a new, modern headquarters in downtown Belo Horizonte, committing to a R$3.1 million monthly rent for 15 years. This figure includes R$906,000 for property adaptations requested by the court, a sum that significantly surpasses market estimates. The Caixa estimated the market value for monthly rent at R$1.5 million, while the proposal from Concreto reached R$2.2 million. The TRF-6 justified the higher cost by stating the Caixa's valuation did not account for necessary improvements and adjustments.

The tribunal will occupy 21 floors and 181 parking spaces in the Beyond commercial building, located in the Santa Efigênia neighborhood. This area is primarily known for its hospitals and is distant from the court's current administrative units. The building is designed for single occupancy. These rental costs starkly contrast with the earlier promises made by former Superior Court of Justice presidents João Otávio de Noronha and Humberto Martins, who had announced the creation of the TRF-6 "without costs." Noronha had stated in 2019 that the new tribunal would be established "without altering the Federal Justice budget, utilizing and redistributing resources within the current budget."

The TRF-6, which has been noted as the least productive court in recent years, faces significant spatial challenges. Past attempts to accommodate staff and judges in limited spaces led to resource wastage on renovations. An "emergency relocation" in 2024 aimed to expand judge's offices and consolidate units, but proved palliative. The situation worsened after a fatal elevator accident caused the closure of three buildings, leading to an extension of remote work.

The lease was approved on August 6th, during the final administrative meeting under President Vallisney Oliveira. He described the decision as an "urgent real estate solution for a court deficient in space." The court conducted a public call for proposals, but only one offer was received from Concreto Bernardo Monteiro Ltda. for the building, which was still under construction. Although the TRF-6 announced the session that authorized the lease, it did not initially disclose the financial details or the winning company. The prior studies and the contract, signed by Oliveira and Miguel Safar Filho, the company's administrator, are available on the court's website. The contract, awarded through a non-competitive bidding process due to claimed exigibility, was approved by the Federal Public Ministry. The court argued that the Beyond building's unique characteristics made its selection necessary, a decision also reviewed by the Attorney General's Office.

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estamos criando o TRF-6 sem alteração no orçamento da Justiça Federal, aproveitando e redistribuindo recursos dentro do orçamento em vigor