Downtown dinosaurs: Lawmakers plan to turn empty downtown Sacramento state buildings into housing
SACRAMENTO — They have become downtown dinosaurs. Massive state office buildings that serve a style of in-person work are from a bygone, pre-pandemic era.
Now, there's a plan to convert some of that space into home sweet homes.
Lawmakers are looking at a transformation for a couple of massive structures: the 24-story tall Tax and Fee Administration Building on 450 N Street, and the half-a-million square foot Employment Development Department building on 800 Capitol Mall.
They are both nearly empty of workers and could become the first tests for a state effort to turn post-pandemic empty office space into housing.
Sacramento Assemblymember Kevin McCarty is working to transform empty state buildings into housing.
"These are underutilized assets," McCarty said. "What we're seeing down here is a hole in our central city. It's not good for restaurants, for commerce, for activity."
McCarty's bill passed into law directs the state to transition underused state buildings into rentals and homeownership opportunities. He wants downtown Sacramento offices to serve as a pilot program for the state.
"The state Fee and Tax department, the EDD across the way here, where there's 2,000 people at each building who aren't going to work anymore. They're working, but they are working from home," McCarty said.
State telework has hit Sacramento harder than any other city. Nearly half of the state's 200,000 employees are based in Sacramento County.
"I'm really concerned," McCarty said.
Tony Christ is part-owner of downtown's Tiger restaurant and bar. He said the loss of so many state workers to remote work has left lunch hour and happy hour dead. More housing would give downtown new life.
"You have these really, really large buildings," Christ said. "What else can you really use it for if people aren't going to be going back to work in that same capacity? I don't think people understand the value of having more people living down here."
Right now, there is only a single residential building on Capitol Mall. That is The Frederick, which opened this year.