Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Archives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves $2.5 million loan to Historical Society to buy Crest Building near county offices
Summary
The Board approved a $2.5 million, 30‑year loan from county reserves to the San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum to support purchase of the Crest Building at 20 N. Sutter St. The society will use the building for archival storage, exhibits and program space.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted to provide a $2.5 million loan to the San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum to assist in the acquisition of the Crest Building at 20 North Sutter Street in Downtown Stockton.
The purchase price for the Crest Building is $3.5 million; the Historical Society said it already has $1.0 million in hand and sought the remaining $2.5 million as a county loan. The board approved the loan with an intent to finance through the County General Reserve Fund; staff recommended a 30‑year repayment schedule at a not‑to‑exceed interest rate of 4.5 percent. The board vote was unanimous.
Why it matters: The society serves as the county’s archival institution, safeguarding government and community records. Museum leadership told the board the society’s collections have outgrown existing storage and that the Crest Building—adjacent to county administrative offices and already equipped for archival use—can provide climate‑controlled storage, exhibit and program space while generating revenue to help underwrite ongoing operations.
What the board approved: A deed of trust and loan terms to allow the Historical Society to close on the Crest Building purchase; the board also approved appropriating $2.5 million from county reserves to fund the loan. The Historical Society plans phased use: archive storage first, additional program and exhibit space later.
Public comment and context: Historical Society executive director Philip Merlo described the acquisition as a cost‑effective alternative to building new archival storage and said the downtown location would make collections more accessible and help the museum expand programming. County staff confirmed the building's basement and configuration fit archival needs and noted the acquisition is consistent with the society’s role under a long‑standing operating agreement with the county.
Ending: The society said it will open a new 175th‑anniversary exhibit Saturday, and expects the Crest Building purchase to enable expanded archival access and community programming going forward.
