The building was previously the New York City Police Headquarters, and served as the NYPD’s base from 1909 to 1973. The size and design of the building were meant to intimidate the local criminals. Dubbed the "big white castle," it housed cutting-edge facilities, including a nerve center for dispatch, the Italian Squad combating the Mafia, and the nation's first bomb squad. Its basement included holding cells, a shooting range, and a secret Prohibition-era tunnel to a nearby tavern.