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Placer County Government Center Master Plan Update
The Placer County Government Center Master Plan envisions a freshly vibrant campus experience in North Auburn. The campus redevelopment has been part of an evolving effort that began more than 25 years ago.
Since the early 90s, Placer County has been working to redevelop the former DeWitt Army Hospital campus into a modern government campus intended to serve county residents for years to come. The 200-acre complex was originally a World War II-era U.S. Army hospital that was later converted to a psychiatric hospital and in 1972 was deeded to Placer County for use as a government center.
The first master plan was created in 1993 to help guide redevelopment over the next 20 years. Using this plan as a roadmap, the county built several modern facilities such as: Auburn Justice Center, the Finance Administration Building and the Community Development Resource Center facility. The Animal Services Center was also constructed under this master plan. Construction of these new modern facilities required the county to demolish a series of old barracks that were part of the original World War II hospital that was built in the 40s. Then in 2015, the county began an effort to update the plan one more time with the goal of envisioning the next 20 years.
The updated plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in April 2019 after much community outreach and input. Today, county leaders are preparing to build a new facility to house the Health and Human Services Department and a 79-unit affordable housing complex is currently under construction through a collaborative partnership between Mercy Housing and the county.
The master plan update is all about envisioning the best possible environment for government and community to coexist. The vision calls for amenities such as a community/events center and community central green; consolidation of county buildings to provide an intuitive navigational experience for visitors; a wellness-oriented work environment for employees to promote walkability; open space to help preserve the area’s natural foothill esthetic; a DeWitt heritage area to honor the campus’s rich history; and possible non-county land-use opportunities such as mixed-use residential housing, hotel and commercial retailers.
It's important to remember the master plan update is a vision and it will take private sector investment to bring the plan to fruition. The county is preparing to demolish more barrack buildings to pave the way for new construction but there are plans to preserve five of the original buildings including the campus chapel. The DeWitt History Museum is in operation today as part of the county’s long-standing commitment to preserve the history of the former DeWitt center.
The new master plan update will help create a balanced campus that positions PCGC to provide services more efficiently to the community, to provide a vital and compelling work environment, and to support the area’s economic vitality.
Under the plan, the County Executive Office and Board of Supervisors chambers, along with related offices, are envisioned to potentially move from their current location in Auburn and join other county services at the PCGC campus.
Contact
For more information and to sign-up to receive announcements on the Placer County Government Center Master Plan Update, please email Paul Breckenridge, Capital Improvements Manager, Facilities Management or call at 530-889-6892.
News
Visit the PCGC News page to find links to past press releases related to the Placer County Government Center.