First new state office building in downtown Sacramento in nearly two decades opens

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday celebrated the opening of the first new state office building in downtown Sacramento since 2003.

The Clifford L. Allenby Building, a $232 million project that began in 2018, is the first of a new modern model of state workspaces with zero-net energy construction.

“The building includes a modern and open work environment for efficiency and productivity featuring collaborative workspaces, natural daylight and solar shading,” Ana M. Lasso, Director of the Department of General Services (DGS), said in a statement.

The 11-story building will house more than 1,200 staff from the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Department of State Hospitals and the Department of Developmental Services.

Clifford L. Allenby, the building’s namesake, held senior leadership roles for six governors over 50 plus years. He was the first director of the Department of State Hospitals and held oversight positions in both the Department of Developmental Services and the Department of Social Services.

“Cliff Allenby was a trusted leader whose dedication to the state of California transcended politics and spanned a lifetime,” Lasso said.

Along with being energy efficient and having LEED Platinum certification, the Allenby Building has a retail marketplace, multivendor food court, public art and a pedestrian plaza.

DGS, which oversaw the building project, has a 10-year sequencing plan to renovate and replace state facilities in Sacramento. The Allenby Building at 1215 O Street in Sacramento is the first of 10 projects and replaces the California Department of Food and Agriculture Annex Building.

According to the DGS, the next new state building to open will be the 20-story New Natural Resources Building at 7th and 8th and O and P streets in Sacramento. This project will also include the largest childcare facility constructed by the state, with room for 120 children.

The New Natural Resources Building will have the capacity for 3,450 employees and staff from the California Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Conservation, the California Conservation Corps and the Wildlife Conservation Board.

This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 4:02 PM.