The Chet Holifield Federal Building, nicknamed "The Ziggurat," sold for more than $207 million to an affiliate of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, a deal the GSA says saves taxpayers over $340 million in future repair costs. The 1,000,000-square-foot Brutalist structure, designed by William Pereira in 1971, once housed about 2,000 USCIS employees but was largely vacant by 2023. Its vast, timeworn interior has become an online sensation compared to the fictional "Backrooms," with former workers and visitors sharing eerie accounts. Hoag has not announced redevelopment plans, and city officials expect any transformation to take years.
Inside The Ziggurat: Former Federal Pyramid Sells For $207M — And Its Eerie ‘Backrooms’ Legacy Lives On
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A long, empty school hallway with fluorescent lights as seen through two open doors, Image 2 shows An empty office space with rows of cubicles under fluorescent lighting, Image 3 shows Aerial view of the Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, a pyramid-like structure with terraced levels and a large surrounding parking lot
The Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, widely known as "The Ziggurat" for its stepped-pyramid form, has been sold for more than $207 million to an affiliate of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. The transaction marks one of Orange County's largest redevelopment-site sales and has renewed public interest in the building's unusual architecture and long-vacant interior spaces.
Exploring the history, architecture, and current state of the Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, CA. GSA via YouTube
What Was Sold
The 1,000,000-square-foot federal complex, designed by noted architect William Pereira and completed in 1971, sat largely underused by the time it went to market. Federal officials said the sale generated in excess of $207 million and avoided more than $340 million in projected future repair and upgrade costs for taxpayers.
Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, CA. GSA via YouTube
GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst said the sale "generated over $207 million in revenue and saved American taxpayers more than $340 million in long-term repair and upgrade costs."
History And Condition
At its peak, the building housed several federal agencies and accommodated roughly 2,000 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees. By the 2023 auction it was about half occupied. An initial auction that required preservation drew no bidders; a 2024 auction saw bids exceed $160 million but did not close, prompting an outright sale earlier this year.
Laguna Niguel Mayor Gene Johns said city officials were surprised by Tuesday’s announcement and have not yet seen any plans from Hoag. GSA via YouTube
Buyer And Future Plans
An affiliate of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is the buyer. Hoag CEO Robert Braithwaite said the organization is honored to steward the property and intends a thoughtful, long-term approach to serve south Orange County. No formal redevelopment plans have been released, and local officials say any transformation will likely take years because of the building’s scale, construction materials, and historic considerations.
Hoag CEO Robert Braithwaite said the health system is “honored to be the steward of the (Holifield) property going forward.” GSA via YouTube
The Ziggurat As Internet Phenomenon
Even before the sale, the building attracted attention online for its vast, mostly empty interior: long geometric corridors, oversized escalators and stark Brutalist design led many to compare it to the fictional horror setting known as the "Backrooms." Photographers, urban explorers, and social media viewers have shared images and videos that emphasize the structure’s frozen-in-time aesthetic.
A second auction in 2024 drew bids exceeding $160 million but never closed, prompting the government to offer the property through an outright sale earlier this year. GSA via YouTube
Former employees and visitors have posted unnerving recollections. One commenter who visited the underground levels decades ago described a "lost time capsule" feeling, with dated 1960s and 1970s office furniture, a yellow-and-green palette, artificial windows meant to mimic daylight, and a persistent musty smell. A contractor who worked there in the mid-2010s called it "cavernous and oddly fascinating," saying they only saw part of the facility.
The video’s comment section was filled with viewers disturbed by the building’s atmosphere. GSA via YouTube
Laguna Niguel Mayor Gene Johns said city officials were surprised by the sale announcement and have not yet received redevelopment proposals from Hoag. "It’s a great opportunity for our city," he said, "but we don’t know what Hoag’s intentions are; they haven’t brought any plans to us."
Why It Matters
The sale resolves a long-standing maintenance and vacancy challenge for the General Services Administration and hands stewardship to a local health system that could repurpose the massive site. Meanwhile, the building’s online mystique ensures public curiosity will remain high until Hoag reveals concrete plans.
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