First New State Building in Sacramento Since 2003 Opens at 12th & O Streets

SACRAMENTO—The state of California opened its first new downtown Sacramento office building in nearly two decades Friday at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the energy-efficient 11-story Allenby Building that will be home to the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Department of State Hospitals and the Department of Developmental Services.

Construction began on the $232 million design-build project in 2018. While originally designed to be telework-enabled, during the pandemic further design changes were made in collaboration with the tenants to accommodate unplanned growth and consolidate additional staff into the building due to the departments' adoption of hybrid telework. This is not only the first new state office building constructed in Sacramento in nearly 20 years, but it is also the first of a new type of state workspace.

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

It is named for Clifford L. Allenby, a devoted civil servant and California native who answered the call to hold senior leadership roles for six governors over more than five decades.

“Cliff Allenby was a trusted leader whose dedication to the state of California transcended politics and spanned a lifetime,” said Director Lasso. “He oversaw both the Department of Developmental Services and the Department of Social Services, and he was the first Director of the Department of State Hospitals, so it’s only fitting that his name and honorable legacy grace this new building.”

“We are grateful to the Allenby family for allowing us to honor a true public servant and give us the opportunity to keep Mr. Allenby’s legacy alive by inspiring the next generation of public servants who will roam the halls of this building and work on the very issues to which he dedicated his life,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “We also extend our gratitude and thanks to the Department of General Services and the numerous individuals who worked on this building in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.”

More than 1,200 staff members from the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Department of State Hospitals, and the Department of Developmental Services are slated to occupy the space, a modern setting that stands 11 stories tall and encompasses approximately 374,000 gross square feet.

The Clifford L. Allenby Office Building at 1215 O Street in Sacramento is the first building of 10 total projects to be completed in DGS’ 10-year sequencing plan for the renovation or replacement of state facilities in the Sacramento area. It replaces the vacant California Department of Food and Agriculture Annex Building, of which 30,000,000 pounds of concrete and steel were diverted for recycling.

“We are very proud of this LEED Platinum certified, zero-net energy project that’s being completed within budget,” said Jason Kenney, Deputy Director of the DGS Real Estate Services Division. “Our dedicated team overcame the obstacles they encountered while dealing with COVID-19 as they continued to work throughout the past year.”

In addition to the office space, the building has a retail marketplace, a multivendor food court, public art, and a pedestrian plaza.

The design-build team on this project includes Rudolph and Sletten Construction, ZGF Architects and Lionakis Architects. HGA served as criteria architect, while Kitchell was the construction management consultant. Much of the project’s success is attributed to design-build contracting methodology and DGS’ implementation of Lean principles, plus a formal partnering process. Construction was implemented with a Project Labor Agreement and utilized a Community Workforce Agreement, reaching just under $47 million in state contract participation with certified Small Businesses, and over $9 million with Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises.

The Department of General Services acts as the business manager for the state of California. DGS helps state government better serve the public by providing services to state agencies including procurement and acquisition solutions, real estate management, leasing and design services, environmentally friendly transportation, and architectural oversight and funding for the construction of safe schools.