Artfully Merging Old With New in Sacramento

Restoration and Addition for City Hall Is Well Under Way

By Cory Golden

Restoration of the historic clock tower, including cleaning and resealing the copper dome, was completed in the fall. photo by Cory Golden

Crews excavating a 170-space subterranean parking garage for the Sacramento City Hall project last April found what turned out to be 8,000-year-old artifacts and human remains.

Construction stopped, and archaeologists took over.

American Indians negotiated with the city, making sure that at least some of what was found received a proper burial.

It wasn't until after a 10-week, $4 million delay ($2.3 million covered the costs of the archaeologist's contract) that work fully resumed in July on the $85 million restoration of the 93-year-old City Hall and the construction of an adjacent 200,000-sq.-ft. building to house the office of the mayor and other city officials. The general contractor, the San Jose office of Hensel Phelps Construction Co., expects to complete the project in about 12 months.

"I've never had a site that had Native American artifacts," said development manager Elle Warner of Sacramento-based David S. Taylor Interests Inc. "A lot of us had never had that experience. It's been both a trial and frustration, but it's also been a revelation to know that the site years ago was a center of the community. Now that we're past the worst of it, I think there's something kind of noble about that."

When almond-colored precast concrete, stone and brick flesh out the new building, the difference between the old City Hall and its new annex will not be jarring, especially from ground level.

When completed, the entire City Hall complex will consolidate city functions, eliminating the need for leased office space. The existing building is being renovated for the first time and given seismic, mechanical and electrical upgrades.

To compliment the three-story, 38,900-sq.-ft. historic structure, the new building is being erected slightly down slope and will stand just five-stories tall.

Design work, which incorporated public feedback, began on the project in 2000. Planners worked to create a flowing, functional complex with high-level finishes while not overwhelming an iconic structure, said Bryan Amarel, Hensel Phelps project manager.

Rendering of the 200,000-sq.-ft. addition to the existing Sacramento City Hall

The Sacramento office of Fentress Bradburn is the exterior design architect. The Sacramento office of Chong Partners Architecture is both the renovation architect on the historic building and interior design architect on the new one. Outside work on the historic building includes repairing ornamentation, brick work, windows and sheet metal flashing, as well as roof replacement. Walls will be repainted, sealed and caulked. Corroded structural reinforcements and wood will be replaced.

Openings made to connect the City Hall with an annex in 1939 will be filled to match the original design.

Inside, the building's public spaces are being spruced up to match their original luster, while offices are being remodeled to better accommodate the city treasurer, city clerk and other functions.

Just to the north, the new building's curved façade will overlook a centrally located plaza.

The entryway of the new building will feature a floor of stone cut in an elliptical shape by Los Angeles-based Italian Marble Inc., the colors weaving basket-like around the city seal. Past it will be the new home of the mayor, City Council members, city manager, city attorney, public works, planning and other offices.

Site preparation included the demolition of three adjoining structures, including the annex. For the duration of construction, the mayor's, city manager and City Council's offices have been moved, along with some other functions.

Restoration of the historic clock tower, including cleaning and resealing the copper dome, was completed in the fall.

Now, erection of the new building's 1,700 tons structural steel is under way. When this phase is complete, crews will also have used 690 tons of reinforcing steel and 10,000 cu. yds. of concrete.

"We took a building that was a fabulous treasure, [but where] the exterior sheet metal [trim] was looking shabby and the terra cotta was cracked, and now it's just going to sparkle," Warner said. "And we've added a building that will give a dignified and sophisticated backdrop to this little jewel."