D on September 03, 2009, at 08:11PM – #1

Looks beautiful! we finally have a police building fitting of this great department.

I wish all federal buildings were this nice. That area is slowly changing for the better. if only we could replace the courts, tear down the LA Times addition, get rid of the buildings around the proposed Grand Ave park and build the federal court house, we would have an amazing area.

bp on September 03, 2009, at 08:18PM – #2

they didn't chase you away from taking photos? how i hate that when it happens. cool shots.

Oscar on September 04, 2009, at 01:25AM – #4

Wow, look at that auditorium, I wonder if they let me screen a couple of my movies there.... after all I contributed 5 minutes of my every week days...

"D"; if only we could live in Paris...

Jasmijn on September 04, 2009, at 10:58AM – #5

Have they decided what it will be called? There was quite a bit of discussion about that earlier.

D on September 04, 2009, at 11:14AM – #6

just curious, how come the city of LA doesnt commission a model of the downtown area of what it wants it to look like and start implementing changes? other cities do this with huge models of current and proposed projects and how it would look like in the future and it helps the public visualize the change and gets some momentum behind it. Imagine if the city had a model that showed the 101 capped with such a great park, the cornfields built out, the parking lots all replaced with pedestrian friendly projects, the streetcars and so forth, i think that would really be something to aim for.

sorry for the tangent.

Joe on September 04, 2009, at 12:47PM – #7

It's embarrassing that we will now have such a fancy new police station, blocks from Skid Row and the rest of downtown that is falling to pieces. Shows our priorities.

Patrick on September 05, 2009, at 12:13AM – #8

^ That's a foolish comment. If downtown is, as you claim, falling to pieces, it's not because of new higher-quality development like the LAPD headquarters. It's because there's been a lack of enough of that. The reason? Economic vitality -- and the people and things that go with such energy -- has been seeping out of central Los Angeles for a few generations.

It's been only recently that the trend of flight to outlying communities started to abate or even reverse itself. Such a trend has been hard to upturn due in part to all the years that skid row and its various dysfunctions were treated like a case study for sociologists and civil rights activists to indulge in. People who, I might add, probably in many instances chose to live far away from the homeless and semi-homeless they otherwise loved to scrutinize and shed a few tears over.

eve on September 05, 2009, at 10:49AM – #9

The grass looks like it will be a nice safe place for a rest, but it will no doubt slowly be turned into a dog crap park.

michele on September 05, 2009, at 12:01PM – #10

Eve,

Your comment is a little hostile; however, I agree with you a bit. Downtown does need a proper dogpark. With the abundance of new residential, it would be a great move. In fact, I think some entrepreneurial type should transform a bad parking lot that's unused (perhaps near the Toy District), landscape it properly and even charge for admission - reasonable and low fee to manage upkeep and keep it really for dog owners.

Most dog owners are responsible with their pets and pick up after them; unfortunately, there are a lot of strays thanks to bad human and animal control issues. And, of course, there are a lot of simply selfish people who don't care.

As far as the new HQ goes - it's great to see the Los Angeles civic center and downtown change. Having lived here for 30 years, it's wonderful to see (whether or not any of us like all the buildings that are built - it's very easy & a sport :) to armchair criticize designers and buildings).

Joe on September 05, 2009, at 02:43PM – #11

Patrick: you missed the point entirely.

Yes, energy is coming back into Downtown, but enough with stating the obvious as no one needs a history lesson.

The fact that so much money was spent on a new building in which to house the LAPD where as public plazas like Pershing Square remain unusable disaster areas demonstrates our priorities. Central Library has been on a hiring freeze because they can barely afford to operate. How are the schools downtown doing?

Imagine where some of that nearly $ 500 million to build that new building of state control could have gone. And we continue to let it happen, celebrating new ways of policing people rather than enriching their lives. And we wonder why our prisons are beyond capacity? Maybe this abundance of policing isn't working... and its not working at our expense.

Oscar on September 06, 2009, at 07:34AM – #12

It was needed, have you visited the old police station? plus "what patrick said"

Here is some more controversy... NO DOG TURDS!

And as Miss Teen South Carolina 2007 would start.... I personally believe, that people should care more about human beings, it's absolutely inhuman and absurd to have a dog and treat it like royalty when there is people in the world dying of hunger! Thank you!

NotmePC on September 07, 2009, at 07:10AM – #13

Anything new downtown is such a pleasure. 2300 employees will vitalize our local retail. But my biggest fear is that the police will be too PC to keep these lovely grounds from turning into homeless encampments with urine stains on the new sidewalks. I hate to be so pessimistic.

Can citizens tell a person not to sleep on park benches or urinate in public? Can the purple people (DTBID) kick you out for sleeping in the park? That's probably illegal, huh? As you can tell, I'm not too PC. However, somedays I am, but somedays I'm not. Funny.

Oscar on September 07, 2009, at 11:48AM – #14

Definitely, they should make them "quality of life" crimes...

I understand the context, but what does PC stands for?

tl on September 08, 2009, at 04:26PM – #16

I find it pretty disgusting the state decided the LAPD needs to work in such an exquisite [read: expensive] building when the rest of the state is in financial arrears. Why doesn't someone comment on how much the project as a whole went over budget?

Robert on September 09, 2009, at 09:33AM – #17

tl:

The project is funded by a $600 million citywide proposition that was approved by the voters of Los Angeles in 2002. The proposition allowed 11 new stations and 12 renovated stations. I for one am very pleased that we are not building ugly buildings that will be torn down in 30 years. City Hall was built correctly and I believe this new HQ for the LAPD is well deserved. What a beautiful space and garden area. I hope other buildings in Los Angeles will take note. Have you seen the Rampart Station? It has helped improve the neighborhood. I say invest correctly in architecture and the tear down mentality of Los Angeles will be a thing of the past.

Joe on September 09, 2009, at 05:49PM – #18

Anyone find a near final budget report?

Here's something recent from the LAPD blog:

http://lapdblog.typepad.com/lapd_blog/2009/09/lapd-facilities-update-and-media-tour-of-new-headquarters-building.html

"In March 2002, the people of Los Angeles voted to fund Proposition Q, the Citywide Public Safety Bond Measure that provided $600 million for the construction of 11 new police facilities and the renovation of 12 existing police stations."

So the mothership downtown blew 72 % of the Q total?

Super stupid.