LOS ANGELES (CNS) - City and Los Angeles World Airports and officials broke ground today on a 160,000-square-foot Airport Police Facility at LAX to consolidate operations under one roof.
``The new consolidated LAWA police facility, which will watch over all of LAX as well as the LAX Northside, will improve public safety and allow for faster response times to calls on or immediately adjacent to airport property," City Councilman Mike Bonin said. ``It will also be a revitalizing improvement for the neighborhood, bringing more business and economic growth to the many small businesses in downtown Westchester.''
The $220 million building will be located on the northeast corner of Westchester Parkway and Loyola Boulevard. The 12-acre development will also include a new 960-stall parking structure.
``The design of this new facility is as functional as it is beautiful and will help us to continue operating LAX safely and securely, which is important not only to our guests, but to our neighbors as well," said Valeria Velasco, vice president of the city Airport Commission. ``This is LAWA's first project groundbreaking in Westchester that is part of our Northside Plan, and we are excited to see it get underway."
The police facility will include space for the Los Angeles Airport Police Division's offices as well as a practice range and a multi-purpose room.
The Airport Police Facility will include sustainable features including dual-piping for future recycled water use, and the maximum size solar/photo-voltaic system allowed will be installed on the headquarters building, officials said.
The building is expected to be open by mid-2021.