CITY TO BUY TIME FOR LAPD OFFER.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

The City Council voted Wednesday to ask the Department of Water and Power to take its Sun Valley office tower off the market for 18 months so the LAPD can negotiate to buy it for the headquarters of a second San Fernando Valley bureau.

Councilman Richard Alarcon, who is moving to the state Senate on Dec. 7, sought the council action to help preserve the Los Angeles Police Department's chance of using the DWP's Anthony Office Building.

Chief Legislative Analyst Ron Deaton is still negotiating with the semi-independent DWP, which wants up to $55 million. The city has offered about $30 million.

``I'm hoping this will enable the (chief legislative analyst) to have earnest discussions with the DWP for the city to acquire the building for a police bureau and police station,'' Alarcon said.

The DWP has had five other inquiries on the 300,000-square-foot building since it indicated interest in selling the property to help retire the agency's debt, said Frank Salas, a spokesman for the department. The federal government and bio-tech and research firms have expressed interest in buying the building, which is no longer needed because of a 25 percent cutback in the DWP work force, Salas said.

``We'll go along with the wishes of the governing body and hopefully we can negotiate a sale with the city in 18 months,'' Salas said. ``We'd like to accommodate them as soon as they come up with a price.''

Alarcon said sale of the property would be a way to provide additional police facilities in the Valley without having to go to the voters for a bond measure for new construction.

``I viewed this process as an opportunity to regain the confidence of the voters,'' Alarcon said.