Restoring Hall of Justice

Cloaked in shadows, the bars of the jail cell that once housed Charles Manson slide open with a rumble that echoes eerily across the vastness of the abandoned Hall of Justice.Christina Villacorte in the Daily News.

At the entrance of the decrepit building in downtown Los Angeles, a grand staircase leads up to a foyer with marble walls, stately columns and gilded ceilings. All are grimy from neglect - but not for much longer.

The Hall is poised to begin a $231 million renovation this month, nearly 17 years after it was forced to shut down due to damage from the Northridge Earthquake.