| Los Angeles County Hall of Justice Jail |
The Board of Supervisors today approved the issuance of bonds to
help pay for the $244 million rehab of the 1925 Hall of Justice at
Temple and Spring streets in the Civic Center. When the work is done
in a few years, the sheriff's department will be the main occupant of
the building where the Charles Manson and Sirhan Sirhan trials were
held and where Marilyn Monroe's autopsy was conducted. The hall
has been mostly vacant since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Almost
all of the courtrooms and jails cells have been torn out in preparation
for the re-do. A county photographer and a writer for Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky's news website went through the place by flashlight on
Tuesday with architect Alicia Ramos, project manager for the work.
help pay for the $244 million rehab of the 1925 Hall of Justice at
Temple and Spring streets in the Civic Center. When the work is done
in a few years, the sheriff's department will be the main occupant of
the building where the Charles Manson and Sirhan Sirhan trials were
held and where Marilyn Monroe's autopsy was conducted. The hall
has been mostly vacant since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Almost
all of the courtrooms and jails cells have been torn out in preparation
for the re-do. A county photographer and a writer for Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky's news website went through the place by flashlight on
Tuesday with architect Alicia Ramos, project manager for the work.
Update as of August 2011.
Sheriff Lee Baca, along with the Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors and Chief Executive Office, have long been committed to
restoring the historic Hall of Justice so this culturally important building
can once again serve the people of Los Angeles County.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously
approved a $231 million dollar renovation to the Hall of Justice. Once
the upgrade is complete it will return to duty as the Headquarters of the
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s , as well as house members of the Los
Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The Hall of Justice had
served as Sheriff's Headquarters from 1925 to 1994.
In addition to its place in history and practical use as a headquarters, it
is a fiscally responsible project. Most of the renovation costs will be
offset by the termination of other property lease obligations of the county
agencies that will move into the structure, as well as currently lowered
construction costs resulting from the slow economy.
This move will place Sheriff Baca and Sheriff's Department
headquarters back in the heart of Los Angeles County and the Civic
Center, within walking distance of the county Hall of Administration,
federal and state courts, Los Angeles City Hall, other important
governmental offices and Metro transportation. It is also nearby key
cultural centers, including the Music Center, the Disney Concert Hall,
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic
Monument.
Although the Sheriff's Department was required to vacate the building
due to the damage caused in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, plans to
revive it have been under consideration for more than a decade.
Clark Construction Group and a downtown architecture firm, AC
Martin Partners, plan to start work this month and are expected to be
finished by late 2014. The primary renovation calls for seismic
retrofitting, upgrades to the elevators, the installation of new electrical
and mechanical systems and connection of utility systems such as
sewage, water and gas. To restore the building’s exterior to its original
appearance, workers plan to high-pressure wash the granite exterior.
In addition to the renovation of the building, a beautiful fountain will
greet visitors at the public entrance, and a 1,000 space parking garage
on the north side of building will be constructed.
Historical Significance
The Hall of Justice stands resolute in stature and guards an illustrious
past at 211 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, at the corner of Broadway
and Temple Streets. Constructed in 1925, this Beaux Arts facility was
built as an imposing structure meant to convey a sense of justice and
public importance. The stately 14 story, 550,000 square-foot high-rise
building was the nation’s first consolidated judicial facility. The Hall of
Justice was designed in the classic Italianate style and was constructed
with Type I non-combustible building materials including concrete floor
slabs, a steel frame structure encased in concrete, and granite exterior
veneer. The Hall of Justice also presented a stunning interior with an
ornate, barrel-vaulted entry foyer, gold-marble walls, and large ionic
columns supporting the exquisitely gilded ceiling.
When first constructed, the Hall of Justice accommodated a wide range
of functions for the County of Los Angeles, including the Sheriff’s
Department, Coroner, District Attorney, Public Defender, and Tax
Collector. Additionally, the building housed 17 courtrooms and a county
jail with over 750 cells. County staff and space needs grew significantly
over time, and many departments moved out, leaving the Sheriff’s
Department as its only occupant.
Behind its imposing edifice, history making events were commonplace.
On one occasion, daredevil Evel Knievel was sentenced to the county
jail on assault charges. The Hall also imprisoned many notorious
criminals, such as Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, Charles Manson, and
Sirhan Sirhan, and served as the backdrop for many movies and scores
of Hollywood shows including Dragnet and Get Smart. Other historical
events included the autopsies of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Marilyn
Monroe, which took place in the Hall of Justice.
The 1994 Northridge Earthquake abruptly marked a dramatic change
for the Sheriff’s Department, as the Hall of Justice was forced to close
its doors after 69 years of steadfast operation 24 hours a day. Yet, once
the renovation is complete, this once shuttered and closed structure will
transform into a symbol of advancement, while serving as a visible
respect for our past, and continue to provide a tradition of service for
the residents of Los Angeles County.
Supervisors and Chief Executive Office, have long been committed to
restoring the historic Hall of Justice so this culturally important building
can once again serve the people of Los Angeles County.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously
approved a $231 million dollar renovation to the Hall of Justice. Once
the upgrade is complete it will return to duty as the Headquarters of the
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s , as well as house members of the Los
Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The Hall of Justice had
served as Sheriff's Headquarters from 1925 to 1994.
In addition to its place in history and practical use as a headquarters, it
is a fiscally responsible project. Most of the renovation costs will be
offset by the termination of other property lease obligations of the county
agencies that will move into the structure, as well as currently lowered
construction costs resulting from the slow economy.
This move will place Sheriff Baca and Sheriff's Department
headquarters back in the heart of Los Angeles County and the Civic
Center, within walking distance of the county Hall of Administration,
federal and state courts, Los Angeles City Hall, other important
governmental offices and Metro transportation. It is also nearby key
cultural centers, including the Music Center, the Disney Concert Hall,
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic
Monument.
Although the Sheriff's Department was required to vacate the building
due to the damage caused in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, plans to
revive it have been under consideration for more than a decade.
Clark Construction Group and a downtown architecture firm, AC
Martin Partners, plan to start work this month and are expected to be
finished by late 2014. The primary renovation calls for seismic
retrofitting, upgrades to the elevators, the installation of new electrical
and mechanical systems and connection of utility systems such as
sewage, water and gas. To restore the building’s exterior to its original
appearance, workers plan to high-pressure wash the granite exterior.
In addition to the renovation of the building, a beautiful fountain will
greet visitors at the public entrance, and a 1,000 space parking garage
on the north side of building will be constructed.
Historical Significance
The Hall of Justice stands resolute in stature and guards an illustrious
past at 211 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, at the corner of Broadway
and Temple Streets. Constructed in 1925, this Beaux Arts facility was
built as an imposing structure meant to convey a sense of justice and
public importance. The stately 14 story, 550,000 square-foot high-rise
building was the nation’s first consolidated judicial facility. The Hall of
Justice was designed in the classic Italianate style and was constructed
with Type I non-combustible building materials including concrete floor
slabs, a steel frame structure encased in concrete, and granite exterior
veneer. The Hall of Justice also presented a stunning interior with an
ornate, barrel-vaulted entry foyer, gold-marble walls, and large ionic
columns supporting the exquisitely gilded ceiling.
When first constructed, the Hall of Justice accommodated a wide range
of functions for the County of Los Angeles, including the Sheriff’s
Department, Coroner, District Attorney, Public Defender, and Tax
Collector. Additionally, the building housed 17 courtrooms and a county
jail with over 750 cells. County staff and space needs grew significantly
over time, and many departments moved out, leaving the Sheriff’s
Department as its only occupant.
Behind its imposing edifice, history making events were commonplace.
On one occasion, daredevil Evel Knievel was sentenced to the county
jail on assault charges. The Hall also imprisoned many notorious
criminals, such as Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, Charles Manson, and
Sirhan Sirhan, and served as the backdrop for many movies and scores
of Hollywood shows including Dragnet and Get Smart. Other historical
events included the autopsies of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Marilyn
Monroe, which took place in the Hall of Justice.
The 1994 Northridge Earthquake abruptly marked a dramatic change
for the Sheriff’s Department, as the Hall of Justice was forced to close
its doors after 69 years of steadfast operation 24 hours a day. Yet, once
the renovation is complete, this once shuttered and closed structure will
transform into a symbol of advancement, while serving as a visible
respect for our past, and continue to provide a tradition of service for
the residents of Los Angeles County.