The District on Wednesday announced it has canceled plans to move the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters and other critical public safety functions into a building in Southeast Washington.

Nine months after signing a 20- year, $6.5 million annual lease on the 421,000-square-foot Washington Star press building, the move to 225 Virginia Ave. is off, said Lars Etzkorn, director of the Office of Property Management. It was to be the site of MPD headquarters, MPD’s 1st District, evidence storage, and violent crimes, narcotics, special investigations and special operations units.