History is not being kind to the Welton Becket-designed Parker Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles City Council voted 10-0 on Tuesday to reject a plan to put the eight-story center on L.A.’s list of historically significant buildings, the Los Angeles Times reported.
City Council is now considering a separate plan to knock down the building, which is part of the city-owned Civic Center, to make way for new offices for city workers. A master plan issued by the city last month calls for a 750,000 square foot, 28-story mixed-use tower with public spaces and greenery.
Parker Center, named after the late Los Angeles Police Department chief William Parker, was once the LAPD’s headquarters. It is also known for appearing in the TV series “Dragnet,” according to the L.A. Times.
The center was one of the sites of unrest during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.
The Los Angeles Conservancy wanted the city to designate the 1955 building but a city engineer report last month said an adaptive reuse would be more costly considering the structure’s poor condition.
In addition to the Parker Center, Becket is also known for designing the Capital Records Building, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and the Cinerama Dome. [LAT] — Subrina Hudson