Americorps

Former McClellan barracks now home to AmeriCorps Pacific Region Campus

 
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The AmeriCorps program is for people 18-24 years old and includes specialized training to conduct community and disaster response services. Today, 13 years after closure, McClellan employs 13,500 people at 240 businesses, making it a model for redevelopment.
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Across America, closed Air Force bases continue to serve communities in a wide variety of ways.

Although the military has departed, new missions arrive and in many towns, strong redevelopment can put the community back on its feet quickly and economically.

One example of successful redevelopment can be found at the former McClellan Air Force Base here in North Highlands. The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Pacific Region Campus occupies barracks on the north side of the base, quarters that were once home to aviators and airmen.

Since its arrival in 2001, AmeriCorps' McClellan campus, which can house up to 320 members, has transitioned smoothly into a readymade facility, a transition made possible by a solid relationship with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and McClellan Business Park.

At the peak of its 65 years of operation, McClellan employed more than 26,300 military and civilian personnel. Over the years, the base typically employed about 15,000 workers each year.

Today, 13 years after the base closed, McClellan Business Park employs 13,500 people at 240 businesses, making it a model for communities redeveloping shuttered military bases.

Key ingredients for McClellan's comeback include the close collaboration between the Air Force and the community to swiftly move in new entities. This helps to retain jobs and diversify the economic base in the area.

Following closure, the Air Force leased property to the community to facilitate rapid redevelopment. At the same time, the Air Force worked with regulatory agencies to quickly identify land without environmental constraints. This property was deemed suitable for transfer and therefore, was deeded to Sacramento County right away. Property encumbered by groundwater or soil cleanup was simply leased until later, when the cleanup was farther along.

Soon after McClellan's closure, AmeriCorps expressed interested in the base housing complex. The barracks-style buildings and administrative office space was ideal for the non-profit organization. Air Force real estate and environmental specialists worked swiftly to determine if the property was environmentally clear for transfer. By 2001, dormitories on the northern-side became home to AmeriCorps Pacific Region Campus, providing housing for 320 members.

"It's been great to be here," said AmeriCorps Pacific Region Campus Regional Director, Jose Phillips. "It has all the amenities that are perfect for our mission, which is bringing young adults from all over the county to help strengthen communities and develop into leaders through team-based, national and community service. It is a natural fit for us."

The AmeriCorps program is for people 18-24 years old and includes specialized training to conduct community and disaster response services.

McClellan's closure marked the end of one era and the beginning of another as the former base began its conversion from a military base to a vital business park. Programs like AmeriCorps have been a driving force behind McClellan's rapid return to prominence as an economic mainstay in the region.