By Mike Hazlip—
A building in Citrus Heights once occupied by Dimple Records is set to reopen as a plasma donation center, after several years sitting vacant since the record store closed in 2019.
A banner announcing Florida-based CSL Plasma now hangs above the door at 7830 Macy Plaza Drive, near Birdcage Street. Construction crews last week could be seen working on the interior space.
In an email to The Sentinel on Wednesday, director of communications for CSL Plasma, Rhonda Sciarra, said the company hopes to open within the next year, but added it is too early to give a more specific timeline.
CSL Plasma choose Citrus Heights because of population density, real estate availability, and local zoning laws, Sciarra said. Additional factors were parking and public transportation, retail density, and building visibility.
“CSL Plasma believes in being an integral part of the communities where our employees and plasma donors live and work, and we look forward to being part of the Citrus Heights community,” Sciarra said. “Our organization brings with it hundreds of employee volunteers and puts thousands of dollars back into the community. Wherever CSL Plasma has a collection center we are a positive economic force, benefiting the local economy each year.”
Site Foreman Robert Boda of Tucson, Arizona-based Barker Contracting told The Sentinel the facility will be state-of-the-art and plans includes over 40 beds for donation. The City of Citrus Heights has been easy to work with in approving permits, Boda said.
CSL Plasma lists one other Sacramento region location in the Arden-Arcade area. According to the company’s website, donors can make up to $1,000 in their first month, although amounts may vary based on eligibility and health factors.
Human blood plasma has a variety of medical uses, and CSL Plasma’s parent company CSL Behring contributes to a number of research and development projects related to blood disorders and rare diseases, according to the company’s website.