KCSOS Marks 30 Years at City Centre, Bell Tower Addition Advances Blanton’s Vision for Downtown Education Hub

In the early 1990s, former Kern County Superintendent of Schools Kelly Blanton envisioned moving the organization to downtown Bakersfield. At the time, KCSOS was headquartered in southwest Bakersfield at 5801 Sundale Avenue, which is now home to the Kern High School District office. 

Blanton, quoted in The Bakersfield Californian at the time, said, “There’s character downtown. There’s excitement, there’s energy, there’s synergy downtown.”

His vision became a reality, and on October 14, 1994, the City Centre building was officially dedicated to KCSOS. Since then, City Centre has become the heart of KCSOS, having served as a hub for thousands of employees who have worked tirelessly over the years to advocate for the children and families of Kern County.

Grant Development Director Patrice Richter was one of the employees who transitioned from Sundale to City Centre in 1994.

“Thirty years ago, people thought it was unusual for an educational office to need a seven-story building downtown, and the move was controversial with a lot of push back,” said Richter. “But Kelly [Blanton] wasn’t just looking for office space — he wanted to create a hub for innovation and lifelong learning that would benefit the entire community. It ended up revitalizing downtown Bakersfield and brought us closer to the heart of the community served by KCSOS.”

Darie Wright, an account clerk in the Internal Business Services Department, also remembers the move as a big adjustment for many in the organization. 

“KCSOS allowed staff to tour the new building prior to remodeling, which was nice,” said Wright. “Due to the change from an open parking lot to a parking garage, there were even workshops offered to staff members on how to park while avoiding the pillars and other cars. Unfortunately, Dr. Blanton was one of the first people to break a side view mirror in the new garage.” 

Wright also recalled many exciting technological developments, such as the transition from typewriters to word processors and printers. 

“At Sundale, we had a loudspeaker system that would play instrumental music in the background and occasionally announce information to employees,” Wright recalled. “When we learned we wouldn’t have that at City Centre, there was some concern. But e-mail messaging systems soon addressed those concerns.”

Across from City Centre sits the iconic Bell Tower, which KCSOS purchased last year and is currently working on interior improvements. The Bell Tower will become KCSOS’s signature professional learning and events center when it re-opens in fall 2025.

Over the years, KCSOS has continued to grow its downtown footprint, including the Larry E. Rieder Center at 20th and K Street, the Learning Center at 21st and K, the Christine Lizardi Frazier (CLF) Building at 17th and Chester, the Access Center at Truxtun and L, and the Dream Center at 19th and G.Today, approximately 600 KCSOS employees work in the organization’s downtown facilities, marking the area as a symbol of progress, community engagement, and the spirit of teamwork that Kelly Blanton envisioned. 

The growth continues. Most recently, KCSOS purchased the iconic Bell Tower building, which sits across the street from City Centre. According to current Kern County Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Mendiburu, KCSOS provides hundreds of trainings, workshops, and meetings every year tailored for Kern County educators and other community partners. These staff development efforts have grown exponentially over the years, and KCSOS has outgrown its large gathering spaces and smaller meeting rooms in existing buildings in the downtown area. The previous owners of the Bell Tower approached KCSOS about the purchase knowing the organization was looking for additional space downtown.

“The Bell Tower is positioned perfectly to allow for easy access to our neighboring facilities downtown,” Mendiburu said. “It will allow us to better accommodate professional development and allow flexibility for Kern school districts and other community partners looking for meeting space for their own staff development and meetings.” 

The Bell Tower Plaza is expected to open next fall after interior renovations are completed and will become KCSOS’s signature professional learning and efforts center.

Former Kern County Superintendent of Schools Kelly Blanton dedicates City Centre in 1994.

Members of the community gather at 1300 17th St. for the dedication of City Centre in October 1994.