Caine House In 1864,
first Hong Kong police headquarters was built at the junction with
Hollywood Road and
Wyndham Street. After early
World War II, the headquarters moved to Oriental Emporium at
Connaught Road West. In the 1950s, the colonial government gave the new
reclaimed land to the police force to construct a new headquarters, replacing the
Central Police Station. After several extensions, the Caine House was completed in 1952. It was named after
William Caine, the founder of Hong Kong Police Force. May House is named after the first Police Magistrate,
Charlie May.
Arsenal House In September 1987, the Police Married Quarters was demolished and the project "Redevelopment of Police Headquarters, Arsenal Street, Wanchai" was launched in December 1993. The Redevelopment was divided into two phases: Arsenal House opened in 1990; Arsenal House (West Wing) opened in 1997. On 23 April 1997, ten years after the redevelopment, due to ageing facilities within May House, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force submitted the advice of police headquarters alteration, at a cost of 230 million Hong Kong dollars, to the
Provisional Legislative Council Public Works Subcommittee. The members thought it is not economic benefit and they requested a long-term redevelopment plan for the police headquarters. After several discussions, the police force and the
Legislative Council agreed to demolish May House and the car park site, while the two Arsenal Houses building remained. This plan was estimated to save rent of 34 million Hong Kong dollars every year for the police force. After the redevelopment, the Caine House and
Wan Chai Police Station had been replanned. The new complex (main building) project launched in 2002 and completed in 2004. It cost two billion dollars. On 12 March 2005, the opening ceremony was held by the
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang,
Security Bureau Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong and
Commissioner of Police Lee Ming-kwai. This new complex is named as "Arsenal House". The former building with the same name are converted from Arsenal House to Arsenal House (East Wing). == Design ==