The Hall of Justice building has been at the corner of Broadway and Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles since 1925. (Neon Tommy/Matt Lemas)

Nestled near City Hall and the United States District Court downtown, the Hall of Justice endured 10 years of restoration leading up to a rededication ceremony Wednesday morning. 

“Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we commemorate the rebirth of the Hall of Justice,” said Michael Antonovich, L.A. County supervisor for the 5th district. 

Numerous city officials spoke on the steps outside the Hall of Justice, including the L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and L.A. County Sheriff's Department Interim Sheriff John L. Scott. The building will house both of these respective departments. 

"It's a privilege to be the first District Attorney to have an office in this Hall of Justice … welcome back Hall of Justice, we have missed you," Lacey said.

First built in 1925, the Hall of Justice was condemned and red-flagged following damages resulting from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. 

Before its closure, it housed numerous city functions, including the Sheriff's Department, District Attorney’s office and the coroner's office. It also contained 17 courtrooms, more than 750 jail cells and a morgue. 

“Almost 90 years [after its opening], we are back to … reignite the history the Hall of Justice holds,” said Britta Steinbrenner, captain of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. 

The 12-story, 300,000 square-foot building will now house both the district attorney's office and the Sheriff's Department headquarters. The former currently stands as the largest prosecution office in the nation, and Lacey specified that 700 employees will move in as early as January. 

Much of the ceremony's speakers touched on the building's opening as an era of resurgence for the downtown area, as well as the Civic Center complex. 

"This iconic building is once again shining bright… downtown is experiencing an unbelievable rebirth," said Gloria Molina, L.A. County supervisor for the first district. 

The rededication ceremony was featured on the steps of the Hall of Justice Ceremony. (Neon Tommy/Matt Lemas)

The restoration project first begin in the early millennium, and much of the work involved seismically retrofitting the portions of the building damaged by the earthquake, as well as refurbishing office spaces and restoring certain historical elements. 

"The $231 million restoration is a work of art … it isn't just a structure, you feel like you're walking into a building where important decisions are made," Lacey said.  

Wednesday's speakers highlighted how much of the building's restoration was done during a fiscally challenging time in the years following the great recession.

"Post-recession fiscal prudence allowed us to put money back into our infrastructure," said Don Knabe, an L.A. County supervisor for the fourth district.  

Following the ceremony, guests were given the opportunity to tour both the main entrance and the second floor. The former was marked with ionic columns and a string of chandeliers lining the ceilings. 

Zev Yaroslavsky, L.A. County supervisor for the third district, highlighted that the design and stature maintained in the reopening represents the city’s commitment to its past. 

“Whoever says Los Angeles doesn't respect its history — its architectural history — let them come to the Hall of Justice," he said. 

Contact Staff Reporter Matt Lemas here and follow him on Twitter here.