Meta invests $50 million to transform Capitol Mall in support of Sacramento State Capital Campus
Updated: 9:29 AM PST Jan 29, 2026
Sacramento State’s plans for a Capital Campus in downtown Sacramento are getting a major boost, with Meta investing $50 million toward development efforts.Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that the social giant’s investment will be used to transform three state-owned buildings for a mixed use academic and affordable housing district for Sacramento State University students, faculty and staff. The redevelopment is targeting the former Employment Development Department (EDD) headquarters at 800 Capitol Mall, the EDD Solar Building at 751 N Street, and the State Personnel Board Building at 801 Capitol Mall.A previous effort to transform the state’s underused buildings near the Capitol for housing failed when a developer backed out.What’s planned with the new development at this early stage:A new School of Public Affairs that is adjacent to the Capitol.A mixed-use performing arts and music venueAn Artificial Intelligence Center to support a new bachelor’s degree in AI Business Management.A boutique hotel“This exhilarating public-private partnership will stimulate economic growth and enrich the downtown community with vast educational and cultural opportunities,” Department of General Services Director Ana M. Lasso said in a statement. “Meta’s contribution enables CSUS to fast-track this project, turning state assets into a thriving hub of academia, arts and affordable housing while helping to reimagine a key corridor of the capital city.”Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood released the following statement: “This investment will be catalytic and transformational not only for downtown Sacramento, but for the future of Sacramento State. This project positions Sacramento State as a flagship university, one that embodies economic vitality, expands access to opportunity, and integrates academic excellence with innovation, housing, and community in the heart of California’s capital. Thank you to Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta leadership team, Governor Gavin Newsom, the Department of General Services, and Michelle Willard at Sacramento State, among many others, for helping make this vision a reality. We could not be prouder to have Meta as a partner as we reimagine how a public university can serve its students, its city, and its region.”The announcement said next steps for the project will be focused on initiating design development, conducting building testing, and launching the environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento State’s plans for a Capital Campus in downtown Sacramento are getting a major boost, with Meta investing $50 million toward development efforts.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that the social giant’s investment will be used to transform three state-owned buildings for a mixed use academic and affordable housing district for Sacramento State University students, faculty and staff.
The redevelopment is targeting the former Employment Development Department (EDD) headquarters at 800 Capitol Mall, the EDD Solar Building at 751 N Street, and the State Personnel Board Building at 801 Capitol Mall.
A previous effort to transform the state’s underused buildings near the Capitol for housing failed when a developer backed out.
What’s planned with the new development at this early stage:
A new School of Public Affairs that is adjacent to the Capitol.A mixed-use performing arts and music venueAn Artificial Intelligence Center to support a new bachelor’s degree in AI Business Management.A boutique hotel
“This exhilarating public-private partnership will stimulate economic growth and enrich the downtown community with vast educational and cultural opportunities,” Department of General Services Director Ana M. Lasso said in a statement. “Meta’s contribution enables CSUS to fast-track this project, turning state assets into a thriving hub of academia, arts and affordable housing while helping to reimagine a key corridor of the capital city.”
Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood released the following statement:
“This investment will be catalytic and transformational not only for downtown Sacramento, but for the future of Sacramento State. This project positions Sacramento State as a flagship university, one that embodies economic vitality, expands access to opportunity, and integrates academic excellence with innovation, housing, and community in the heart of California’s capital. Thank you to Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta leadership team, Governor Gavin Newsom, the Department of General Services, and Michelle Willard at Sacramento State, among many others, for helping make this vision a reality. We could not be prouder to have Meta as a partner as we reimagine how a public university can serve its students, its city, and its region.”
The announcement said next steps for the project will be focused on initiating design development, conducting building testing, and launching the environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel