Downtown Sacramento’s 115-year-old California State Association of Counties headquarters is finally in line for a serious face-lift. The group is moving ahead with a roughly $25 million overhaul of the building at 1100 K Street that would add a new sixth floor, completely redo the interior and upgrade the structure’s seismic and accessibility systems.
According to CSAC, the total estimated price tag clocks in at about $24.85 million. The work is split into two construction increments: an initial demolition and abatement phase, followed by the main renovation and expansion. The request for proposals spells out allowances, contingencies and a procurement schedule for design-assist construction services.
Renderings tied to the plans show a new rooftop deck and an enclosed sixth floor, as reported by the Sacramento Business Journal. That coverage notes the building is roughly 115 years old and still sports an exterior clock that actually keeps accurate time. Reporter Ben van der Meer frames the upcoming work as a full rehab rather than a light cosmetic touch-up.
What the Overhaul Will Do
Schematic documents call for about 3,172 square feet of new enclosed space atop a near-complete renovation of the existing 21,954 square feet. The added sixth floor is planned as a dedicated conference and event space. The scope also includes a seismic retrofit, accessibility upgrades and a full reconfiguration of the basement along with the first through fifth floors. The CSAC materials specify that the building will not be occupied while construction is underway.
Design and Preservation
Architectural sketches by HGA included with the project materials aim to keep the building’s historic character at street level while updating the upper stories with a brick veneer that echoes the original façade. As noted by SF YIMBY, the proposal preserves the existing exterior openings and primary façade for the most part, and layers on rooftop amenities designed to take advantage of views toward the State Capitol.
Timeline and Approvals
CSAC uploaded project materials and started soliciting design-assist bids in mid-2025, then moved plans toward city review late in the year in an effort to get ahead of 2026 code changes. The proposal first surfaced in local media last summer, when the Sacramento Business Journal reported on the plan in July 2025.
The association has long used the K Street address as its Sacramento base, and the renovation will require relocating staff and tenants while the two construction increments play out. Neighbors along this stretch of the Cathedral District can expect scaffolding, construction crews and some street-level disruption as the project moves through permitting and the active build-out phase.
The CSAC overhaul is one of several smaller downtown projects aimed at modernizing aging office space near the Capitol while keeping historic structures in the mix, often by pairing preservation with new meeting and event areas. CSAC’s posted materials include the full RFP and schematic exhibits for anyone who wants a deeper dive into the scope, budget and schedule.
