Greg Van Acker stood near the recently restored Capitol fountain, minutes before the ribbon cutting for the major renovation of the Jesse M. Unruh Building.
He and his wife Ellie Van Acker, who are members of Preservation Sacramento, fought to save the historic fountain, which was at one point slated for “decommissioning and removal” as part of the renovation of the Unruh building at 915 Capitol Mall.
The Van Ackers delivered photos of the spouting fountain, which had ceased operating in 2012, to every member of the California Legislature. Eventually its restoration became part of the Unruh building renovation.
The couple recently visited the fountain to see the results of their efforts. “We stood here for five minutes and saw three groups of people come up and take pictures of the fountain against the Capitol,” Greg Van Acker said.
It’s a byproduct of the recently finished $169 million, three-year renovation of the Unruh building. Built in the 1920s, it houses the California Treasurer’s Office. The office hosted a ribbon cutting and open house last week for the renovations, where Treasurer Fiona Ma thanked the state Department of General Services.
“I don’t think we thought that DGS was going to … get the project done on time, that I would be actually standing here before I termed out this November, but they did,” said Ma, who is running for lieutenant governor, to the roughly 150 people at the event.
The Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building is seen through the pillars of the Jesse M. Unruh Building in Sacramento earlier this month. Reopening after a multi-year $169 million rehabilitation, the 1928 building houses the state Treasurer’s Office. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com What the renovation accomplished
About a week earlier Patrick Henning, one of Ma’s deputies, gave a tour of the newly renovated building to The Sacramento Bee.
Henning said the renovations had been spurred by a study commissioned by former Gov. Jerry Brown about the “worst state buildings” in California. “This one was Top 5 of the worst,” Henning said.
The building’s issues, as The Bee noted in 2015, included asbestos, lead paint and the lack of a fire sprinkler system.
A restored hallway at the Jesse M. Unruh Building in Sacramento on March 9, 2026. Reopened after a multi-year renovation, the 1928 building was once known as State Office Building No. 1. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Henning pointed out during the tour that exposed conduit used to run through the building, which now has LEED Platinum Certification. Ma said during the ribbon cutting event that fake ceilings had obscured the building’s skylights and there was only one break room.
Henning pointed out a meeting room on the first floor.
“We have over 18 different boards or commissions that the treasurer oversees,” he said. “We did not have this prior to the reconstruction. It was literally a conference table up on the fifth floor.”
The building houses a quiet but formidable part of California state government that effectively serves as the bank for the world’s fourth-largest economy.
The restored main lobby at the Jesse M. Unruh Building in Sacramento earlier this month. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com 
A lounge area at the Jesse M. Unruh Building. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
“As the state banker, I take in over $3 trillion into this office,” Ma said during the ribbon cutting. “I manage the short-term portfolio of the state as well as for 2,200 local governments … I issue all the bonds for the state of California as well as all the buildings.”
Some parts of the renovation are more a monument to the past, notably the underground vault area where gold was once stored. The elevator to it is fortified for heavy loads.
The door for the high-security vault at the Jesse M. Unruh Building earlier this month. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com 
Inside the high-security vault at the Jesse M. Unruh Building. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
“Once upon a time, we have money down there, but that has long since moved away,” Henning said.
Now there are exhibits in the vault area for tour groups, including a copy of an 1893 state bond sold to construct the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
The Unruh building finished construction in 1928 and was originally known as the California Office Building No. 1, according to the project website.
Historical vault officer badges are displayed at the Jesse M. Unruh Building in Sacramento on earlier this month. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com Justifying the $169M renovation cost
DGS spokesperson Fallon Okwuosa said via email that the design-build contract for the Unruh Building’s renovation was $171 million, $2 million more than was spent. The building’s occupancy certificate was issued in December.
Henning saw a public benefit to justify the cost of renovations.
“We do need some offices above and beyond the work-from-home rules and regulation from the governor,” Henning said. “But at the same time, this is a place of historic significance, not only for the city, but also for the state.”
In an interview with The Bee following her remarks at the ribbon cutting, Ma said the building was “absolutely” worth the $169 million renovation cost.
“It’s a beautiful building,” Ma said. “It’ll be around for another 100 years.”
The exterior of the Jesse M. Unruh Building in Sacramento earlier this month. Reopening after a multi-year $169 million rehabilitation, the 1928 building houses the state Treasurer’s Office. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
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Graham Womack is a general assignment reporter for The Sacramento Bee. Prior to joining The Bee full-time in September 2025, he freelanced for the publication for several years. His work has won several California Journalism Awards and spurred state legislation.