For decades we’ve been hearing about the plan to build new State office buildings on Fifth Street in Carson City. This was formerly the home of the Children’s Home Cottages, which I looked at in a Ghosts of Carson article several years ago, and which were torn down last year. Before that this was the site of the “Sunny Acres” Children’s Home/Orphanage, which dated back to 1870. But they moved all the children out of the cottages and into foster homes probably 30 years ago, and then the cottages were used as office space until around 20 years ago. They’ve been empty ever since. But even before the cottages were vacated, this land has been earmarked for State office buildings.
Conceptual drawings showing the Capitol Complex extending onto this land have been kicked around at least since the 1980s. Now, after decades, construction has finally started. The plan is to have 2 office buildings along Fifth Street, with a grassy park between them. And then there will be a parking garage behind them on Roop.
The Bryan Building on Stewart Street was Phase 1 of this plan for the block, and that opened in 2005. It’s taken 20 years to get to Phase 2 and build these. And you can see above there’s still a 4th corner open on the block to build another building. Maybe another 20 years and they’ll do that too.
Construction has been cooking along this summer, with utility and foundation work. Maybe by the end of the year we’ll start to see things going vertical.
The old historic orphanage gym was saved at least, along with a couple of the trees out in front of the property.
Look for it to be probably another 2 years before these buildings are ready.
Scroll to the bottom for photos of the old orphanage and cottages that used to be here.
https://www.recordcourier.com/news/2016/dec/03/book-must-read-for-carson-city-history-buffs-guy-w/
Good book regarding the Orphanage aka Home in Carson City!
Thank you so much for this article. I did not know the state was doing any of this until a number of months ago when I drove down 5th St. and saw the construction started. I had seen from your post that the old children’s homes were finally being torn down and used for fire fighting training in the process but I had no idea they were going to build new state buildings there.
It’s a real shame that the old orphanage building was not kept and used for state offices like other old buildings have been. It was historical building and should have been seen as such. Was it condemned and would have been too expensive to save or did the state just decide to tear it down? I never knew it was there before the children’s homes except for another post of yours.