MIAMI (AP) - A congressional panel is scheduled next week to hold a hearing in Miami's historic downtown courthouse. The meeting will be about what should be done with the empty building.
    
Republican Reps. John Mica of Florida and Jeff Denham of California are holding the meeting Monday to shine a spotlight on how the General Services Administration manages federal properties.
    
The GSA this week posted what's called a "Request for Information" seeking ideas from developers and the business community about future use of the building. The RFI will remain posted through Oct. 1.
    
"We are looking forward to receiving solid ideas from the development community," said Shyam Reddy, a regional GSA administrator.
    
The David W. Dyer courthouse opened in 1933 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It has sat essentially empty since a new Miami federal courthouse opened in 2007 but still costs taxpayers money to maintain.
    
The hearing is expected to feature testimony from a federal appeals judge and a senior GSA official.
    
The GSA has been criticized for other wasteful spending, including lavish staff conferences.
    
Reddy said GSA over the past year has sold and transferred 97 excess properties valued at $82 million.

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