PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — Higher education is coming to Placer County in the form of a collaborative satellite campus for Sacramento State and Sierra College.
Placer Center is a 301-acre development located in unincorporated Placer County, just outside of Roseville. It's located in a 2,200-acre planned mixed-use development called Placer One, renamed from its previous project title, Placer Ranch.
The concept behind this satellite campus is students could be enrolled at Sierra College and go on to complete a four-year degree at Sacramento State without having to change campuses, according to the Placer Center master plan documents.
The CSU Board of Trustees approved the master plan for the extension of Sacramento State on Jan. 31. The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved $2.5 million toward a new two-story forensic lab for the Placer Center.
Sacramento State's campus architect, Tania Nunez, told ABC10 the next step in the project is constructing the buildings.
"We hope to begin design work on the first building in Phase 1, a Forensic Science Laboratory in partnership with Placer County, later this year. We anticipate that remaining buildings for Phase 1 will follow soon after, and we will be able to begin supporting our students and the larger Placer County community in Fall of 2028," Nunez said.
For the education part of the project, Senior Associate Vice President for Placer Center Vajra Watson said there are five academic clusters made up of faculty developing course pathways to new majors that will be offered at the Placer Center.
These are centered around Interdisciplinary Forensic Science; Environmental Health, Sustainability and Circular Economies; Public Health, Public Safety and Gerontology; Urban Planning, Hospitality and Community Development; and Ethnic Studies (P20), Educational Equity and Global Education.
"It feels like a long time coming. Many people have spent decades working diligently — in/through partnership — to have led us to this point to re-envision higher education for the region," Watson said.
While there's still a long way to go to open the center, Nunez said the progress that's been made has allowed her a chance to exhale.
"Now I am filled with renewed excitement because it has the ability to be an incredible game changer for the region. I am a Placer County resident, with school-aged children, and it gives me great pride to be part of something that is impactful personally and to my community. Many think the toughest part is coming, but I think this is the most exciting part. The part where we can now begin to touch and feel and experience the space beyond just a piece of paper is here, and I’m ready to help support the success story," Nunez said.
Here's a breakdown of the phases for the Placer Center
The phases are based on the master plan approved by the CSU Board of Trustees. The Placer Center will be developed across four phases over more than 25 years, according to the documents.
Phase 1
Construction of the first phase of Placer One began in late 2022. It's happening south of the Placer Center site and includes the installation of backbone utilities and perimeter roadways that will support the Placer Center.
The first phase of the Placer Center will accommodate 2,500 students, or 1,500 full-time equivalent students, from year one to seven. That's assuming 1,000 full-time equivalent students associated with Sierra College and 500 full-time equivalent students from Sacramento State. The enrollment projections are based on academic year full-time equivalent student enrollment and exclude students enrolled in off-site classes and online instruction.
There are seven buildings associated with the first phase, which include the initial academic building, a library, a support building, the Sierra College Transfer Center, a central plant, a fire station and a Placer County Forensic Sciences Laboratory. There will also be surface parking for about 1,126 parking spaces.
Phase 2
The second phase is designed to accommodate about 8,333 students. This is planned for year seven to year 15.
There are 12 buildings associated with the second phase including a student center, two academic buildings, a recreation and wellness center, stadium bleachers, an administration building, a dining center, a faculty house, two student housing buildings, a parking and transportation and campus police building, and a childcare center.
This phase includes 2,208 parking spaces and 250 student beds.
Phase 3
The third phase is designed to accommodate 20,000 students. This is planned to be executed from year 15-25
There are 24 buildings associated with the third phase including a student center, four academic buildings, a recreation and wellness center, an administration building, a support building expansion, six student housing buildings, three faculty housing buildings, a conference center, a performing arts center, a continuing educations building, a hotel, a parking garage for the hotel and a parking garage for the conference center.
The third phase includes 3,267 parking spaces and 950 student beds.
Phase 4
The fourth phase of the Placer Center is focused on long-term developments. It includes mixed-used innovation and academic buildings as well as a parking garage for athletics and for mixed-use innovation.
Learn more about the Sacramento State Placer Center HERE.
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