Sacramento Bee’s midtown headquarters could be redeveloped into housing
The Sacramento Bee headquarters, a midtown landmark, could be redeveloped into new housing as early as next year.
“We are exploring several redevelopment options, which likely include the leasing of the warehouse/production space and redevelopment of much of the balance of the site into residential uses, both for sale and rental,” Bill Shopoff, President and CEO of Shopoff Realty Investments, which owns the property, said in an email.
The sprawling campus takes up a full city block, along Q Street from 21st to 23rd streets. It includes a historic three-story building, printing plant, warehouse, maintenance garage and parking lot. A 277-unit market rate apartment building called The Press at Midtown Quarter opened across 21st Street this summer.
The Irvine-based company has not yet decided how many units of housing could be included, but it might include some affordable units, Shopoff said.
Shopoff said he is considering leasing the warehouse and production space for logistics and/or a data center.
The Bee announced plans it was leaving the building in September, partly due to declining advertising revenues exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement came weeks after New Jersey-based hedge fund Chatham Asset Management took control of McClatchy, the Bee’s parent company, though a bankruptcy auction.
This summer, The Bee plans to leave the building, which has been its home since 1952.
Shopoff plans to file a development application with the city this year, and could start construction as early as next year, he said.
Shopoff has owned the property since September 2017.
“We are saddened by the departure of the Bee from our property, however we acquired the property understanding that was a possibility,” Shopoff said.
The Bee plans to relocate to a new office in Sacramento, and has not yet announced the location.
