Photo © The City of New York

The old New York City Police Headquarters

240 Centre Street; The Police Building

New York, New York

Government

Original Architect

Hoppin & Koen

Renovation Architect

Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects

Description

Designed in Baroque and Renaissance Revival styles, the building features a limestone and granite facade, with a central dome and extensive interior facilities including offices, an armory, and a telegraph center.

Constructed, 1909

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.

Abandoned, 1973

The NYPD relocated and the site lay vacant until 1988.

Renovation, 1988

It was converted into luxury apartments, now known as the Police Building Apartments, while preserving its landmark status and historical architecture.

Factoids

Ironically, according to popular folklore, during Prohibition, some police officers built a tunnel under Centre Street that led to nearby O’Neill’s tavern where they could grab an illegal drink!

Related Sites

Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino Park-The Italian Squad, led initially by Lt. Joseph Petrosino and later by Michel Fiaschetti, was a specialized NYPD unit based at 240 Centre Street. Tasked with combating organized crime, particularly the Mafia and the Black Hand extortion rings, the squad was instrumental in addressing crime in New York's Italian-American communities. Under Fiaschetti, it continued operations well into Prohibition and pioneered the nation’s first bomb squad to protect shopkeepers targeted by extortionists. Their legacy marked a critical phase in early law enforcement innovation.

Old Police Headquarters Precinct

1 Police Plaza-In 1973, the New York Police Department relocated its headquarters to 1 Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan.

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