Santee Lakes Preserve Unveils New Retail, Admin Building

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, a self-sufficient 190-acre seven-lake park and RV campground in Santee, recently completed amenities, upgrades and a new administration building, general store, kitchen and dining deck. Platt/Whitelaw Architects Inc. worked with Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve and El Cajon-based construction and project manager CBSI six years ago to create the Preserve’s Dynamic Vision Plan, a 20-year guide for upgrades and improvements throughout the facility. The firm subsequently provided architectural services for the latest upgrades and additions.

The latest project, a $9 million upgrade to the Preserve’s business hub at Lake 5, is the most expensive project in park history. This project encompasses three buildings: a 2,045-square-foot administration building, the event center and the general store remodel, which includes a complete reconfiguring of the store and reservations center, plus the addition of an 850-square-foot kitchen. 

Other team members included general contractor Team C, MEP engineering firm Turpin & Rattan, civil engineering firm Nasland, structural engineering firm AARK Engineering, In-Site Landscape Architecture and Food Service Design Group.

Originally built by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Santee Lakes attracts about 750,000 visitors annually.