Secrets of government bunker pyramid exposed for first time: Should have filmed the Backrooms there
A sprawling government pyramid that has terrified internet users with its endless, empty corridors is now giving up some of its strangest secrets — as former workers and visitors reveal what lurked beneath the eerie California complex long before it became a viral “Backrooms” sensation.The Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel — better known as “The Ziggurat” for its stepped-pyramid design — was sold this week for more than $207 million after years of fueling online fascination.The massive 1 million-square-foot federal complex was purchased by an affiliate of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, the General Services Administration announced Tuesday.Federal officials called the transaction one of the largest redevelopment site sales in Orange County history, saying it generated more than $207 million in revenue while saving taxpayers over $340 million in future repair and upgrade costs.“The sale of the former Chet Holifield Federal Building generated over $207 million in revenue and saved American taxpayers more than $340 million in long-term repair and upgrade costs,” GSA Administrator Edward C.Forst said.Built in 1971, the more than 1 million-square-foot building was designed by architect William Pereira, whose work also includes San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid and parts of the UC Irvine campus.
It once housed several federal agencies, including about 2,000 employees from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.But by the time the property first went up for auction in 2023, however, it was only about half occupied.A sale requiring the building’s preservation failed to attract any bidders.A second auction in 2024 drew bids exceeding $160 million but never closed, prompting the government to offer the property through an outright sale earlier this year.Hoag CEO Robert Braithwaite said the health system is “honored to be the steward of the (Holifield) property going forward.”“We are committed to a thoughtful, long-term appr...