The century-old former El Dorado Elementary campus in East Sacramento, now the A. Warren McClaskey Adult Center, is suddenly in jeopardy after Sacramento City Unified put the property into a surplus review. If the district ultimately clears the way for demolition, classes at the site would shut down and small community programs that have used the building for decades would be pushed out. Neighbors and preservationists warn the city could lose one of East Sac’s most recognizable school buildings if the district follows through.
Neighbors press the district to preserve the campus
At the first meeting of the district’s surplus property advisory group, residents and advocates urged officials to spare the Mediterranean-style complex and look for a new use for it, according to The Sacramento Bee. Community suggestions ranged from a full-fledged community center to housing, and speakers told the panel they wanted preservation to come before any sale. The Bee reported that the district’s 7-11 committee, which evaluates surplus sites, could recommend keeping, repurposing, or selling the property.
District says programs will move to Charles A. Jones
Sacramento City Unified has told instructors that McClaskey’s remaining classes will be moved as the district winds down operations at the 5241 J St. campus, according to CapRadio. The plan is to shift adult education programs to the Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center, and the Jones campus at 5451 Lemon Hill Ave is cited as having available space, according to the Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center. Students in McClaskey’s long-running upholstery collective and a program for adults with disabilities say they are scrambling to find affordable alternatives if the move goes forward.
Preservationists file a National Register nomination
Local preservationists have filed a National Register of Historic Places nomination for the campus, with the application prepared by Kara Brunzell on behalf of East Sacramento Preservation and now under review at the California Office of Historic Preservation, according to The Sacramento Bee. The nomination documents describe the earliest portion of the complex as dating to 1921 and credit the Dean & Dean architectural firm with its design. Supporters hope the nomination will slow any move toward demolition while different options are weighed.
What a National Register listing would and would not do
Listing on the National Register can bring tax credits and fresh public attention, but it does not, by itself, prevent a building from being torn down, the National Park Service says. National Park Service guidance explains that the register mainly triggers review when federal funding, licenses, or permits are involved, rather than controlling decisions made by local governments or school districts. The California Office of Historic Preservation manages the state’s review of nominations and provides a formal window for public comment while the state forwards approved nominations to the National Park Service, according to the California Office of Historic Preservation.
The district’s surplus review panel is expected to keep studying options and deliver recommendations to the school board this summer, with the 7-11 committee scheduled to meet and develop guidance, CapRadio reports. Community groups say they plan to push for adaptive reuse and specific preservation conditions if the district moves to officially declare the campus surplus. With classes scheduled to end in June 2026, advocates say the next few months will determine whether McClaskey is preserved, repurposed, or cleared for redevelopment…