With the approval of the Department of Finance and the California Veterans Board, the Public Works Board, pursuant to the provisions of the Property Acquisition Act, may acquire real property, and, after approval of preliminary plans under the procedure provided by Section 6 of the Budget Act of 1953, the department may construct and equip a building thereon, primarily for the department’s own use and make improvements to such property, building, and equipment, not to exceed in total two million six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,650,000).