"[2] The neighborhood, a changing melting pot of Irish, German, Italian and European Jewish immigrants, grew exponentially in the years following the Chicago Fire of 1871.

After extensive renovation, the red brick and limestone building became the home of the University of Illinois at Chicago Police Department.

The renovations were done in a manner designed to uphold the historic significance of the building's architecture.

"The building's original windows were sent to a company in Kankakee for restoration, the masonry cleaned and repaired, the roof replaced, and parapets at the top of the station rebuilt using custom-made bricks, the exact texture and color of the originals.

The building is known in popular culture because the outside was used as the picture of the precinct house in the opening and closing credits, and establishing shots of the iconic television series, Hill Street Blues.