The seven-story, pyramid-shaped Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, California— commonly known as the Ziggurat—and surrounding land did not receive any bidders by an April 12 deadline, after being open to auction for over a month.
The 89-acre property and 1 million square foot Ziggurat building had a minimum starting bid of $70 million.
But according to the U.S. General Services Administration, an agency that manages federal property, there were a few conditions that may have kept away potential bidders, including federal workers who currently occupy the building be allowed to stay until the end of the year; the city of Laguna Niguel would have to approve any redevelopment of the property and that, as a historic landmark, the look of the building could not be changed.
Built in 1971, the Ziggurat was designed by architect William L. Pereira—known for building the Los Angeles International Airport and the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco—as a corporate office and manufacturing facility for the aerospace firm North American Rockwell Corporation. It was later named after a California congressman.
Historians say the building is an excellent example of Modern/Brutalist architecture.
Located between Laguna Niguel’s Costco and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, the building has six above-ground stories and a partially underground floor, as well as a cafeteria, health unit, fitness center, and day-care center. The property also contains a helipad, nearly 5,000 parking spaces, and two guard stations.
