26-02-2025
Sacramento State eyes downtown state buildings for expansion
SACRAMENTO — Sacramento State announced Tuesday that it is looking to expand into downtown.
The California Department of General Services granted a period of exclusive rights for the university to evaluate the real estate and cost of creating a state-of-the-art downtown center.
The three buildings it is looking at are located between 8th and 9th streets on Capitol Mall: the Employment Development Department (EDD) Headquarters Building, the EDD Solar Building, and the state Personnel Building.
This plan is still in the early concept stages, but the university said it would benefit student's education and downtown business.
"A bigger campus would be nicer because it is very compact," said Christian Ladd, a junior at Sac State.
The university is working on transforming the three buildings into a downtown center for education, housing and hospitality.
"It does introduce a lot of opportunities for the kids who live here on campus to expand," said William Escalante, a freshman at Sac State.
Some commuters are concerned, thinking it could create challenges for car-less students who bike, scooter or walk.
"As a commuter, I don't think it is the best because just coming to Sac State in general is a hassle," said Tayde Flores Mireles, a junior at Sac State.
Sac State is not the first to try and transform state space into something new.
In 2023, the plan was to transform these same three buildings into affordable housing. But last November, a private developer pulled out and said it was not sure it would be financially feasible.
CBS13 reached out to Sac State about what the price tag would be, but they wouldn't comment.
"I think it would bring more life downtown," said Cheryl Hernandez, co-owner of Bumble Bear Coffee.
She thinks it would make business boom with more students studying and maybe attract new businesses to open.
"I know the young people enjoy the asada fries, the burritos. That's the more popular stuff," said Reuben Garcia, who works at a taco truck parked on Capitol Mall.
Garcia said they already serve Sac State students at special events and the truck would be right in the action of the university's downtown center.
"During the COVID times, it seemed like a ghost town — no one out," said Michael Fong, who works downtown.
There is currently no timeline for how soon we will be seeing this expansion happen, but it has a ton of support from city leaders who spoke out during the State of Downtown Address on Tuesday.
