Work Begins To Convert West Phila. Landmark Into New Police HQ
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A ceremony today marked the beginning of rehabilitation for an elegant former office building in West Philadelphia, which will eventually be the new home of the city's police administration
The Provident Mutual Life Insurance building, at 46th and Market Streets, has sat vacant for six years. But now there is a new future for the historic building.
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"When complete, this campus will be the new co-location of the Philadelphia Police Department headquarters, the medical examiner's office, and the Department of Health public laboratories. And (it) will be known as the Philadelphia Public Safety Services campus," said mayor Michael Nutter at today's groundbreaking ceremony.
The renovation on the current building is expected to take several years and cost $250 million. The city will be selling the current police headquarters building, at 7th and Race Streets, and the buildings housing the morgue and public health labs.