A temporary sign tacked above the front door of the former L’Epoca Department Store, an historic streamlined moderne art deco building that originally held a Walgreens Drug Store, reads in big bold letters ‘CITY OF MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT.’

Why? I’ve reached out to a few people and don’t quite have the answer yet. However, according to property records, although the store was recently put on the market by the owners of L’Epoca it has not traded hands. Perhaps they’re just lending it out to be used by the policia, although ‘why’ is still a mystery. Let’s hope the boys in blue respect the historic dignity and beauty of the structure.

UPDATE: According to Alyce Robertson, head of the Miami Downtown Development Authority, the sign was just put up for filming.

[Photo above by Phillip Pessar]