Construction workers and senior state officials gathered downtown this morning to celebrate a rare achievement: a $181-million state office building that was erected on time and on budget.
Department of General Services Director Will Bush joined State and Consumer Services Agency secretary Fred Aguiar and the workers for the official opening of the state's sprawling new central plant in downtown Sacramento, saying it is the largest of its kind in the Western U.S.
The seven-story tall 78,000 square foot facility sits at the corner of Q and 7th streets.
It cools (and heats) the state Capitol and 22 other downtown state landmarks - that's 5.5 million square feet of office space.
It's a LEED certified building, which means it uses less energy and 90 percent less water than its 1968-era predecessor, which is slated for demolition in October.
A second phase of the new project will see solar panels installed on the building, a cost already inlcuded in the $181 million. The plant is equipped so it can also operate off the electrical grid in an emergency, when required.
The new central plant was designed and built by Skanska USA, with the architectural firm of Nach and Lewis of Sacramento.
UPDATED TO INCLUDE PHOTO OF NEW CENTRAL PLANT
Photo credit: Ken Hunt, Department of General Services
The Author
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.