The long-awaited renovation of the former Resources Building is complete. The 17-story tower at 1416 Ninth Street in downtown Sacramento has been rebuilt from its steel frame and converted into a modern facility for state agencies. The roughly $490 million project transforms the midcentury office building into high-performance workspaces and new public-facing areas.
According to The Business Journals, the renovation was completed about two and a half months ahead of schedule, with a final cost near $490 million. The project is described as one of the most extensive rehabilitation efforts downtown Sacramento has seen in recent years, as reported by Ben van der Meer for the Sacramento Business Journal.
Top-to-bottom structural overhaul
Turner Construction, the project lead for the State of California, reports that the 1964 tower was stripped to its steel frame, received seismic upgrades, and was fitted with a new high-performance curtainwall spanning roughly 657,000 square feet. Major mechanical systems were replaced, and the building now includes training rooms, a fitness center, and bicycle storage, along with a redesigned podium and lobby to enhance the street-level experience. Project leaders attribute the on-time, on-budget completion to a progressive design-build approach. More details are available from Turner Construction.
Design and sustainability goals
Architect AC Martin and its design partners report that the project is targeting LEED Platinum and Zero Net Energy performance, combining an energy-efficient facade with planned utility-scale solar and other carbon-reduction measures. The design team aimed to preserve the building’s International Style appearance while increasing daylight, creating flexible workspaces, and improving building systems for state employees. AC Martin’s portfolio provides details on the facade design, podium upgrades, and workplace strategy for the tower.
Who will move in and when
The state plans to house the Labor and Workforce Development Agency in the renovated high-rise, with major tenants expected to include the Employment Development Department and the Department of Industrial Relations. Turner Construction notes that the Department of General Services moved in on Nov. 3, with other tenants scheduled to follow by Dec. 1. Securing an early Certificate of Occupancy helped avoid inflation-related costs, and these move-in dates indicate a rapid expansion of public-facing services along the 9th Street corridor, as stated in Turner’s project summary.
What it means for downtown
Local reporting frames the project as a rare, large-scale rehabilitation in Sacramento’s core that could help stabilize downtown office vacancy and support service jobs linked to the new agency presence, per The Business Journals. Coverage and project summaries also highlight years of construction logistics and transit coordination along 9th Street. As agency counters and lobbies open, the area is expected to see increased foot traffic and a renewed public-service presence along the corridor.
Following an extended planning process and a lengthy construction period, the Resources Building renovation represents a significant state investment in downtown Sacramento and a potential model for future legacy-building updates. Project leaders report that the redesigned tower is expected to accommodate thousands of employees and visitors for decades while meeting ambitious sustainability targets. For downtown Sacramento, the project provides both an architectural update and a practical commitment to maintaining state offices and services in the city’s core.
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