Jul. 16--Plans are emerging for a massive Fresno police and fire headquarters that officials hope will jump-start development of a dusty southwest corner of downtown dotted with vacant land, boarded-up buildings and clusters of homeless people.

The proposed $100 million public-safety complex, however, is little more than an idea. Architectural plans haven't been finalized and some property owners on the edge of Chinatown where city officials want to build have not yet been contacted.

Mayor Alan Autry's administration wants to put a two-story complex on about 12 acres roughly bordered by Ventura Avenue and Santa Clara, F and G streets. But first the city must secure money to pay for it and complete nearly 12 months of environmental study.

The Poverello House, a homeless shelter, must be moved, and the city would have to buy the building and land where a rug company has done business at Ventura and G for 95 years. City officials have yet to talk to Kerr Rug about a price.

Construction of the project's first phase, estimated to cost $50 million to $55 million, is scheduled to begin in early 2009. It's not known when the final phase would begin.

Once the entire project is complete, the complex would include about 200,000 square feet for police and about 40,000 square feet for the Fire Department. There would be an additional 110,000 square feet for classrooms, computer labs, communications and dispatch operations and a center that would be used to coordinate emergency response to major disasters.

City leaders hope the new headquarters, and an increased police presence, will help attract residential and retail developers to a long-neglected area. They want the complex to anchor a more vibrant Ventura Avenue corridor that ushers visitors to and from downtown.

"I would expect that it would spur a lot of private development in the area," Council President Henry T. Perea said.

Kathy Omachi, vice president of the nonprofit Chinatown Revitalization, said putting the headquarters on the historic district's border should cut down on the drug dealing, panhandling and prostitution that plagues the area.

Currently, the Kerr Rug building is surrounded by bare lots, dilapidated and boarded-up homes, a gas station and a liquor store.

On a recent morning three homeless people lounged on shaded grass in front of the Kerr entrance. Two other homeless people leaned against the side of the building and shared a 40-ounce bottle of malt beer.