Thursday, March 26, 2009

architecture moment


a glimpse of the police station's southern side. at least i think this is the police station - i may need some confirmation from the p.i.o.

6 comments:

pasadenapio said...

Yes indeed!

Robert A.M. Stern Architects designed the building, which includes a spectacular lobby plus administrative offices, the jail, etc.

Construction began in 1989 and it opened in 1990.

The public art pieces in the courtyard include sculpture and the "purple wall" designed by Robert Irwin. The wall, which many found garish in the early days, was designed to fade over time and most find it much more pleasing to the eye now.

The old police building and jail is enjoying adaptive reuse as wonderful lofts in the center of the Holly Street Village complex. You can't see the old building from the street but I was fortunate to be able to tour the lofts years ago before anybody moved in.

Cafe Observer said...

Where are these well-preserved ruins from, bw?

pasadenapio said...

I neglected to mention that at Holly Street Village they call the old police building the Hall of Justice. That has an interesting ring to it, I suppose.

Tash said...

nice architectural details.
I liked your baseball shots - heard about it on the radio.

ben wideman said...

Thanks for the insight PIO! Always at my service. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad someone mentioned the old station, which in its day was 142 N. Arroyo Pkwy (the street narrowed in front of the station, and came up to Walnut). The open-air parking lot for the patrol cars was behind it, on Marengo. Right between it and the Brookmore Apartments was Fire Station Number 1 (later 31), facing onto Marengo.

The station originally was called the Hall of Justice when it was built in the 30s' - the north wing was the PD, the middle was the prosecutors and I suppose courtrooms, and the south wing was a hospital. The jail was on the top floor. The police department later grew to take up the whole building.

There's a nice period photo of the building on the LA Public Library website, in the photo archives.