Sacramento Proposal/Approval/Construction Thread - III

[innov8]

yeah, that looks great. i wonder how the phasing will occur? i'd imagine they'll start with the office portion, then slowly phase into the residential, considering the market conditions. it'll be interesting to find out their timeline for a complete build-out too.

The phasing was suppose to start this summer and be done by 2013.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/1639/township9phasingcd7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[innov8]

Damn double post

[TowerDistrict]

That's amazing that they're going for housing/retail first. Totally contrary to what I would've expected... but who the hell am i?

That's cool - you can see the riverfront ampitheater in that diagram.

[wburg]

Okay, now it's starting to make sense...assuming that the curves on that map are the light-rail tracks, the Richards station is planned for the north side of Richards running in both directions, along the front of the development, with shelter/shade structures at the station site. I hadn't seen this detail map before, and assumed that they would route the cars up North 7th where it appeared there was a right-of-way. Now they'd just better build the damn line!

[TowerDistrict]

Ahh.. Thanks for pointing that out. That's a cool set up - I wonder if it merges back onto Richards at some point though?

[wburg]

A merge across to the center of Richards Blvd. seems unnecessary if it only follows Richards for two or three blocks and then turns north onto Sequoia Pacific. It would probably look a bit like the off-street running south of Arden from Del Paso Blvd. along the old SN right-of-way, or Twelfth Street except with two-way traffic.

[otnemarcaS]

Deleted

[innov8]

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1388/621cm220070723ffp4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/8100/621cm620070726fue9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Pistola916]

^
The back of 621 isn't as bad as I thought. It looks nice.

[Sactorleans]

There is a large empty lot that backs up to the rail line at the northeast corner of 19th and Q Street that was apparently just bought by a company called Cemo Midtown:

http://www.cemomidtown.com/

There is a banner on the site with the web address, but nothing more. It is just up the street from the new Safeway, and only a few blocks from the 16th Street lightrail station.

[TowerDistrict]

:previous:

Bob Shallit:
Developer's willing to wait on midtown
Last Updated 6:20 am PDT Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D5


Developer Sammy Cemo is a retail and commercial guy. Residential construction? "That's a little out of my realm," he says. But he's pursuing a residential development, nonetheless, in midtown Sacramento. One of his longtime execs wanted to live near downtown. Another one of his colleagues had the same idea. Sammy was willing to help.

So he bought a vacant parcel at the northeast corner of 19th and Q streets. Because he's new to this, Cemo is seeking some guidance. He's created a Web site, cemomidtown.com, that queries potential midtown dwellers on their druthers. Would they like an apartment or a condo? What size unit? What amenities? How much would they pay?

Cemo says he'll analyze the responses, then decide exactly what to build. The developer may not be a residential guy, but he knows this much: "Timing-wise," he says, "the market sucks." But he also knows markets turn. He'll start work on his apartment-condo-whatever at the first sign that things are improving.

[wburg]

Interesting...this is the corner where the transformer was, right? I did start to wonder about that corner when the grass started getting cut and the transformer was taken out of service. Should be interesting: historically, that lot was the northern half of the Western Pacific wye (the southern half is RT's South Line tracks and the Bee bridge. Hopefully they'll follow the R Street market's lead and go for something industrial-looking. The block kitty-cornered to that has some duplexes slated, although the contractor for that job is based in Roseville and his buildings just scream "suburb" even when they're comparatively dense (case in point: the fourplex at 26th and R.)

[snfenoc]

County takes fresh look at downtown
Ponders sites for possible development
Sacramento Business Journal - July 27, 2007by Michael ShawStaff Writer
Dennis McCoy | Sacramento Business Journal


County leaders are realizing parking lots and vacant parcels aren't living up to their highest potential. They're studying where to build new facilities and which portions of six blocks northwest of the Capitol to open up for possible development.

The land value of one downtown city block in Sacramento ranges from about $10 million to more than $20 million, depending on location.

Beyond the asset value of the county's property, new development would provide an opportunity to move county operations into more modern office space. Some sites could be offered for sale to developers for conversion to mixed-use office buildings or condo towers.

"The idea is: Let's look into our long-term needs," said Paul Hahn, administrator of the county's Municipal Services Agency. "We're thinking of decentralizing some of our services that don't need to be downtown. We want to reorganize, and there's a good deal of potential."

The effort, alternatively called a downtown relocation study and a downtown master plan, stems from the need to replace older facilities, most notably the old administration building at 7th and I streets. The building is more than 40 years old and houses five departments.

"Our old county building is not seismically sound," Supervisor Roger Dickinson said. "It's getting to the point within the foreseeable future that we'll need to do something about it. It's not cost-effective to retrofit."

Decommissioning the approximately 75,000-square-foot building could have a domino effect, moving at least one department from downtown and requiring space for the remaining departments. The logical place is within a new office building or mixed-use tower built by private developers.

That had been the plan with a vacant county building on I Street that had once been a Bank of America branch and a temporary City Hall. It was close to being purchased by homebuilder D.R. Horton last year, but the housing market downturn killed the deal. The county is now negotiating with at least three other developers for that site, and the discussions include reserving at least 30,000 square feet for county offices, though talks are proceeding slowly.

Getting ready to move
The county has hired a consultant, Stafford King Wiese Architects of Sacramento, to study its facilities and further develop a plan. But officials stressed it's a long-term study and no decisions are ready to be made. With a slumping housing market and other office towers in the pipeline, development isn't likely overnight.

"There are a lot of things we could do and a lot of opportunities," said Carl Mosher, county director of facility planning, architecture and real estate. "The bottom line is that we don't have a proposal and we're not in a position to do so. We're trying to be ready for that when the time is right."

Some general ideas have surfaced early on. Perhaps the most intriguing for developers is the realization that parking lots and garages are wasted space because parking can be put underneath much larger buildings.

The county's two-story parking garage west of the courthouse is a prime example, Dickinson said. It borders the railyard and could tie in to developer Thomas Enterprises' plan for mixed-use office buildings and residential towers.

Other properties under review include:

The block north of the main parking garage that includes the sheriff administration building, recorder's office and a parking facility. The block, abutting the railyard and housing aging buildings, could be a prime development spot if the county can find replacement space for the operations housed on that block.
The St. Joseph parking lot, reserved for jury parking, north of the courthouse also could retain parking underneath a building. The Superior Court of Sacramento County has designs on a new building, and this lot could be the ideal choice.
The block with the county jail has a vacant parcel that was being reserved for jail expansion. County officials say the lot could instead support a new county building or other development.
Order for a new court
Greg Levi, a senior vice president at CB Richard Ellis in Sacramento, said the county locations aren't as attractive as lots on Capitol Mall. He valued the property in that area at about $100 per square foot.

"You're looking out onto the jail; they don't have the arts and entertainment of other areas," he said. "I don't think I've had anyone in 10 years say they wanted to be located next to the courthouse."

As for the courthouse, the county owns it but is negotiating to transfer it to the state, therefore ensuring the state would cover future upkeep. Counties that transfer courthouses under a special program pay only a flat maintenance fee that never increases.

Although deadlines have passed that allow for such a transaction, lawmakers will likely extend that deadline, said Chuck Robuck, director of facilities for the superior court.

But Robuck said the court needs thousands more square feet of office space. It currently leases about 45,000 square feet in four buildings outside the courthouse. The court wants to consolidate operations in a new courthouse, including space for 11 possible new judges and their staffs that might be approved by the state over the next two years.

Another major factor is money. The county is in a budget crunch after the fees from new homes have fallen off and likely can't realize any grandiose plans in the near future.

And while some operations might move out of the central core, such as the Department of Water Resources, leaders say the county will remain rooted downtown.

"It's the center and heart of the city," Dickinson said. "We'll maintain a strong presence."

[JeffZurn]

^Good to hear the county thinks the space can be used for something more productive then parking. Lets a hope a couple of developers feel the same way.

[DesertJester]

Lots of good info here. Just kinda stumbled upon this place tryign to find info about an empty lot in MidTown Sac.

[creamcityleo79]

Found some new info about The Landing project that has been approved at the NW corner of 50 and Bradshaw (where the drive-ins are).
http://www.breca.us/SpecialNotices/TheLanding2/SitePlan22May07.jpg

[Tenebrist]

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3553/thelandinged1.png (http://imageshack.us)

[downtownserg89]

have my babies, innov8. please.

[wburg]

"the landing"? looks more like "the parking."

[foxmtbr]

^ :haha: I agree.

[creamcityleo79]

better than this parking lot:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/neuhickman79/GoogleEarth_Image.jpg

[BrianSac]

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3553/thelandinged1.png (http://imageshack.us)

Tenebrist/neuhickman:
Thanks for the image.
Who are the tenets? Is it going to be all retail. Any commercial?
What happend to the neighborhood opposition?

[kryptos]

are there any updates on 500 CM?

[sacamenna kid]

Looks like Aura has become another parking lot.

[foxmtbr]

(Off-topic)
I've stepped up to the plate and modelled Sac's first building on the Google Sketchup 3D Warehouse, the Wells Fargo Center:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=491eb1767f080535d12eaca0749d01ab&prevstart=0
It's cheesy, but it's better than nothing.

[creamcityleo79]

(Off-topic)
I've stepped up to the plate and modelled Sac's first building on the Google Sketchup 3D Warehouse, the Wells Fargo Center:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=491eb1767f080535d12eaca0749d01ab&prevstart=0
It's cheesy, but it's better than nothing.
That's not cheesy at all...it's good!

[kryptos]

Looks like Aura has become another parking lot.

that was predictable

[JeffZurn]

^I think it looks pretty good

Looks like Aura has become another parking lot.

When in August was Nassi going to announce the fate of Aura?

[travis bickle]

(Off-topic)
I've stepped up to the plate and modelled Sac's first building on the Google Sketchup 3D Warehouse, the Wells Fargo Center:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=491eb1767f080535d12eaca0749d01ab&prevstart=0
It's cheesy, but it's better than nothing.

Hey... it looks great! Keep 'em coming.

Who uses that pool?

[foxmtbr]

Thanks guys! :) I was wrong, it appears as if Renaissance Tower is also on there, it was hiding: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=ffc6c8366796576b76755393ab1dcc0d&prevstart=12

Edit: I got another one done, Emerald tower:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=6096e87b6770fc43d12eaca0749d01ab

[sacamenna kid]

^I think it looks pretty good



When in August was Nassi going to announce the fate of Aura?

I didn't know about that... maybe there's a little more time. But with the real estate market, etc., imploding, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[sugit]

Info on East End Gateway I at 16th and N. I'm going to go to the meeting on the 21st and grab what ever info I can can.

Status:
(as of August 1, 2007)
* CADA and the Developer are operating under an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement which expires in March 2008. The Developer was selected following a developer competition.

* CADA and the Developer have reached agreement on the financial and business terms of a Development and Disposition Agreement (DDA) for development of the site, and CADA has begun drafting the DDA.

The Developer currently is working on the project's conceptual design and arranging financing of the project

* CADA's environmental consultant, Adrienne Graham, is preparing the project EIR Notice of Preparation.

Location: 1517 - 1531 N Street (NW corner of 16th and N Streets)
Developer: Lambert Development Company
Architect: Carrier Johnson
General Contractor: Hensel Phelps (proposed)
Unit Count:
Studios - 12
Townhouses - 4
1 BR, 1 Bath - 27
1 BR, 1.5 Bath - 21
2 BR, 2 Bath - 48
Total: 122 (Note: At this time, this mix and total number of units are subject to change)

Estimated Height: 6 to 15 floors, or 80 to 150 feet, reflecting the height limits established under the Capitol View Protection Act for this site
Acres: .33 acres (370 DUA)
Retail Space: Approximately 4,500 square feet
Parking: Approximately 175 - 204 spaces
Estimated Development Costs: Approximately $69 million
Projected Sales: TBD. All units will be for-sale market-rate condominiums.
Projected Construction Period: November 2008 - July 2010 (20 months)
Upcoming Milestones and Opportunities for Public Comment:
* August 20 - NAG Area 1 presentation
* August 21- EEG Site 1 CADA Open House
* August 28 - CADA begins circulating EIR Notice of Preparation
* September 28 - CADA Board reviews and comments on conceptual design and accepts public comment at CADA Board meeting
* December 7, CADA board approves Design Concept and financing strategies
* December, January, February - City Commissions review design at public meetings
* March 2008 - CADA board approves Final EIR and Development and Disposition Agreement

[wburg]

"6 to 15 floors"? Kind of a range, isn't it?

6-8 floors I can see, although a bit much. 15 is just a tad too tall for that neighborhood, I'd think...

[sugit]

Along 16th, I'd like to see them push the density as much as they can. 15 seems okay to me in that site along side the East End Offices and closer to the CBD and other buildings in that range. Sites 2-4 are more fitting of the 4-5 stories buildings that are planned to me. I bet it comes in at 10-12

Plus, anything that takes away from the East End Complex is a good thing in my mind.

[ltsmotorsport]

I think 10 floors would be fine. 18th & L is pretty where it is, but still fits in fine. And this is closer to downtown, so I think 10 would work.

Then again, if the height limit for the site is 150ft, I say why not use the property to its full potential. ;)

[wburg]

That's the height limit according to Capitol View Protection Act, but not according to the upcoming General Plan Update's land use map: that spot is slated for a designation of Urban Corridor/High, 3-8 stories. And remember that while it is two blocks west of 17th and L, it is also two blocks south, so it is no closer to downtown than 1701 L.

[sugit]

Since it's a state agency, CADA does not have to abide by any city zoning or need any approvals from Design Review or Planning Commission.

Capitol View Protection Act I'm pretty sure they do though.

[Cynikal]

Since it's a state agency, CADA does not have to abide by any city zoning or need any approvals from Design Review or Planning Commission.

Capitol View Protection Act I'm pretty sure they do though.


You are correct with the exception of CADA being a state agency. They are a joint powers agency combining state and the city.

They technically need to adhear to the zoning regs but there is a standing MOU that get's them out of if.

[sugit]

Ah, that's right. Thanks for the clarification.

[BrianSac]

College eyes Placer land
Drexel University president tours Tsakopoulos site
By Bill Lindelof - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, August 5, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B5

Print | E-Mail | Comments (3) | Digg it | del.icio.us


View larger version of graphic


Drexel University's president is interested in opening a four-year private university in Placer County where a prominent Sacramento developer has proposed to donate land.

Drexel President Constantine Papadakis toured the site west of Roseville and met with Placer County community leaders last week.

The university campus is proposed for 600 acres, and an adjacent 500-acre community would be developed to finance the campus.


The land for the university would be donated by the Tsakopoulos family, William and Claudia Cummings, Wayne and Mary Prim and their partners.

Papadakis, president of the Philadelphia university, said the Placer County land is a remarkable opportunity.

"This is such a good project," he said. "It is so unique. We would be a great benefit to the Sacramento area."

The proposal must still be approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors and Drexel's board of trustees.

Supervisor "Rocky" Rockholm was one of the community leaders who met with Papadakis. He was impressed with the college president.

"He gives me hope that we will have our private university here," Rockholm said. "If Drexel is involved, it will be top quality."

A prior sponsor for a university on the land backed out. That makes Supervisor Robert M. Weygandt cautiously optimistic.

"I have not heard from Drexel and I have not met the president," he said. "In the end, for me, there will either be a committed project from a quality university or there won't be. It sounds good, but the substance of the commitment is what is essential."

Although not a done deal, Papadakis said he is excited about building and running a 6,000-student university in Placer County.

The Regional University project was first proposed to the county by KT Communities Corp. about four years ago. It would consist of a 600-acre campus and an adjacent 536 acres that would feature a community of about 2,300 houses, apartments and development focused on other uses.

The land for the campus would be donated to a university and the remaining acreage would be sold to a builder, with the net proceeds to go to the university for construction costs, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, president of KT Communities, has said during an earlier interview.

Tsakopoulos is the son of developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos, who, along with partners, owns the proposed project site.

"Nowadays, it is very difficult to open a campus of any significant size anywhere because of the cost of infrastructure," Papadakis said. "The donation of that land by the Tsakopoulos family and their partners makes it possible for this to happen."

Christian Brothers, a Catholic order that was set to establish a school on the site to be called De La Salle University, withdrew its sponsorship.

Papadakis said he has known about the project for about five years, having been approached by Angelo Tsakopoulos about the project.

However, the Greek-born Papadakis was not able to expand to California because Drexel was opening a law school, a major task that would take four years.

He later learned from Angelo K. Tsakopoulos that Christian Brothers had backed out. Papadakis was immediately interested.

In California, Papadakis said, there are more potential students than in the Northeast.

Papadakis said Sacramento is underserved by private universities.

"I can assure you a lot of students from the Sacramento area want to go to a private university," he said.

"Many do leave Sacramento for a private university and they don't return. So you have a brain drain."

Papadakis, a civil engineer, once worked for Bechtel. He has been president of Drexel for 12 years.

Julie Hanson, the KT Communities project manager for the proposed university, lauded Papadakis' leadership and vision.

In a press release, she noted he had doubled full-time undergraduate enrollment, increased freshmen applications from 3,500 to 21,500 and increased the university's endowment from $90 million to $640 million.

Papadakis said it would take six years for the Drexel university to grow to 6,000 students. That would happen only after all the approvals are given for the project.

Papadakis said the university's board of trustees and management have been trying to figure out how to respond to the flatness of population growth in the Northeast.

"We identified that that strongest growth of population in 18-year-olds will be in California, Texas and Florida," Papadakis said.

"So we started thinking about how to export our brand to another state."

Now, he said, the university is not looking at any site other than Placer County. He plans to go to his board in October with a project design.

He said that an emphasis on business administration and nursing might be a good fit for the new campus.

[foxmtbr]

Wow, awesome news! Good find Brian! :)

[Cynikal]

That is good news. Roseville and South Placer have been really trying to get a university there for a while.


Unrelated question- Anyone know why there is a huge banner for the Saca towers hanging over the location of the proposed Metropoliton? Kinda through me for a loop this morning.

[TowerDistrict]

Hmmm... sounds like the Drexel University is another vain attempt to rezone some ag land and chuck in some at sprawling development. The university is 600 acres(!) with a separate 536 acres for housing and retail?? That's 1,136 acres total for 2,300 units of housing and a university. You could fit nearly 5 railyards projects inside the combined developement areas... ouch. That's a pretty far cry from their Philadephia campus, which is located in the central city areas.

Sorry to be the downer, but I'd love to see something a bit more... umm... efficient?

[Fusey]

And I thought Sac State was too sprawled out with over 20,000 students and 300 acres. Seems like overkill to me.

[rezlab]

Frustrated by the loss of momentum in downtown Sacramento? Here is a great idea proposed by City Councilman Steve Cohn - recently published in the "Inside Sacramento" Publication that would act as a catalyst for the city core:
http://www.insidepublications.com/pdf_stories/07-08

If you think this is a good idea - let Steve know. Contact info is provided at the end of the article.
=========================================================

Sacramento’s Capitol Mall needs an extreme makeover. Not the Hollywood variety, but a serious, concerted effort to make Capitol Mall Sacramento’s signature street.

Imagine if, instead of six lanes of roadway and a barren grass median strip, we put the roadway where the median strip is now and widened the sidewalks on either side to fill in where the current roadways are. Then we’d plant a second row of shade trees, put the new streetcar line connecting downtown with West Sac in the middle, and line the sidewalk with cafes similar to the outdoor café at Il Fornaio in front of the Wells Fargo Building. Voila! We’d have the most beautiful and vibrant sidewalk cafe district this side of Paris—and an instant venue for arts and major special events.
http://www.ucm.es/info/hcontemp/madrid/images/imagpaseoprado/museoprado2a.JPG

With the Crocker Art Museum and Old Sac close by and several attractive new office and condo towers lining the street, the resources are in place to make this dream a reality.

Most of the city’s efforts at downtown redevelopment have centered around K Street, long considered Sacramento’s “Main Street,” a label I have never understood, since J Street/Fair Oaks Boulevard and Capitol Avenue/Folsom Boulevard are, in fact, the two main east-west arteries in Sacramento. Unfortunately, despite millions invested to date, K Street between Seventh and Ninth is still plagued by divided ownership, lack of investment and vagrancy problems.

The pedestrian/transit mall concept has yet to flourish on K Street, though efforts are still under way to stimulate the street with new retail, housing and performing arts venues.

Meanwhile, just two blocks away sits Sacramento’s most prestigious address, Capitol Mall. Unlike K Street, this one-mile corridor between two fabulous bookends—the State Capitol and Tower Bridge—is a very wide street with unlimited possibilities. But in its present sterile state, it is a gross underachiever.

For many years, the state of California completely controlled the mall as a state highway, with six travel lanes and a large, barren median strip, ostensibly to preserve views of the Capitol. Until recently, this wide street was adorned with nondescript state and private office buildings. Despite its views and location, it was one of the last places on Earth you’d think of taking a leisurely promenade.

Several years ago, the city acquired the mall from the state, allowing the city to make significant changes to the street as long as we preserve the Capitol view. Because of its proximity to the Capitol, its unparalleled breadth and views of both the Capitol and Tower Bridge, it has been attracting a lot of private investment, starting with the Emerald Building and Wells Fargo Tower about 20 years ago, and more recently the ongoing construction of two new Class A office towers and plans for several signature condo towers, including Aura Tower, designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Liebeskind. Although John Saca’s two-tower concept has gone awry, CalPERS is bringing in a seasoned developer, CIM, to do a landmark building at the west end.

http://www.web-provence.com/villes/aix-4.jpg
The time is now right for the city to partner with the property owners along the Mall to develop a new vision, along the lines of the ChampsÉlysées (http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/champselysees.htm) in Paris, the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, the Ramblas in Barcelona (http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/albums-en/ramblas/index.html), the Paseo del Prado in Madrid (http://www.ucm.es/info/hcontemp/madrid/paseo%20prado.htm) or my personal favorite, the Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence (http://www.web-provence.com/towns/aix.htm), which has the added feature of cool bubbling fountains throughout the boulevard. Sacramento currently lacks a grand avenue with sidewalk cafes and shops where pedestrians outnumber motorists.

Sacramento is no longer a small town or a collection of suburbs. We need to start thinking longer term about the kind of amenities that will make Sacramento a great city for decades and centuries to come. A great city must have a great center.

But Sacramento currently lacks a grand avenue with sidewalk cafes and shops where pedestrians outnumber motorists. Not a narrow K Street pedestrian mall, but a grand, tree-lined boulevard used by streetcars, buses, pedestrians, cyclists and, yes, even cars, but with sidewalks wide enough to accommodate thousands of pedestrians. Capitol Mall once hosted the mother of all parties to celebrate the Allied Victory in World War II.
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/image-files/albums/ramblas/images/las-ramblas-14_jpg.jpg

It is time to regain that magic on the mall once more. This renovated Capitol Mall would fit well with other major redevelopment projects downtown, such as the railyards, with plans for beautifully restored historic buildings serving as markets and museums, thousands of new residents, hundreds of new shops and restaurants and a new performing arts center alongside a lively waterfront. Nearby, both sides of the Sacramento waterfront are being designed for mixed uses and open space, while the Richards Boulevard area, now known as the River District, will also be converted to a lively new mixed-use district of residences, offices and retail.

Adding to the Central City’s parks and open space is also critical. The south bank of the American River in the Central City has retained its natural beauty, but it has been blocked by industrial sites and landfills. The city plans to reopen access to uncover a whole new section of the American River Parkway, which will also be home to an expanded zoo and freshwater aquarium, and other attractions.

These are just a few of the things Sacramento has in store in the 21st century as we live up to our vision of being America’s most livable city.

Let me know what you think. I can be reached at 808-7003 or scohn@ cityofsacramento.org.

[Cynikal]

And the campaigning starts

[goldcntry]

Now Cynikal... quit being... oh.. wait. That's your name... :haha:

:tomato:

[Cynikal]

I know, I know. But after reading some of the posts here I pass my avatar on those clearly more worthy.

[travis bickle]

Out-freaking-standing! Sacramento's Champs Elysée. I've long thought the same for CM. Wide center medians are one of the typical planner's great mistakes. They look great on paper with colored pens, but they live like crap. They become absolute dead zones, yet planners still love'em. maybe that is changing.

I'll be calling in the morning to see if a Southern California expatriate can help.

[creamcityleo79]

Way cool news from Folsom:
Folsom builds on the past
A plan to develop the city's historic railroad block with housing, shops wins approval.
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer

Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, August 6, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B2

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2007/08/05/21/312-1M6FOLSOM.embedded.prod_affiliate.4.JPG
Builder Jeremy Bernau, right, tours a Folsom work site with inspector Larry
Curtis, center.

Sacramento Bee/Randall Benton



Folsom has spent the past 20 years focusing mainly on its future. Thousands of new homes, jobs and stores have transformed this Old West town into one of the region's major suburbs.

Now, the city is returning to its 19th century roots. After six years of starts and stops, the Folsom Historic District Commission in June approved a design for the redevelopment of the city's historic railroad block into housing, shops and restaurants.

If construction starts next year as planned, the project could be one of the region's most significant developments of entertainment, dining, shopping and housing next to a light-rail line. The last station on the route from Sacramento to Folsom sits just across the street.

Today's trains traverse the same path as those that once ferried passengers to the railroad block, which was the terminus of the 22-mile Sacramento Valley Railroad. Opened in 1856, this line was the first railroad west of the Mississippi.

Bounded by Sutter, Wool, Leidesdorff and Reading streets, the railroad block is now used for surface parking and various city events. Its centerpiece is a train turntable refurbished by the city in 1999. The city is building a $14 million parking garage on one end of the property.

Once construction on the garage is finished, developer Jeremy Bernau and his partners plan to begin construction on four new buildings, whose architecture will echo nearby structures from the 1800s in Folsom's historic district, as well as the architecture of buildings along rail lines in that era. The buildings will flank the historic turntable and a new public plaza to be paid for by the city.

Folsom has budgeted about $6.3 million to build the plaza, refurbish the train depot and enhance an interpretive area.

The development group has renamed the railroad block, calling it Historic Folsom Station. Bernau said he expects to break ground by summer 2008.

The four-building complex will include a restaurant that will curve around the turntable.

The development will total 60 new residential units with 46,000 square feet of stores, restaurants and offices. The buildings were designed by architectural firm Ankrom Moisan of Portland, Ore.

City leaders said they hope the project will attract visitors from around the region to Folsom's historic heart, which also includes the shops and restaurants of nearby Sutter Street.

Kerry Miller, Folsom city manager, calls the city's downtown "a jewel ready to be finely cut." The railroad block will be a "major jump-start" to the city's ongoing effort to spiff up the worn historic district, Miller said.

Bernau said the city is re-creating the atmosphere of historic downtown, where people could walk and get around on the train.

"All we're really doing with this development is giving a rebirth to California's first transit-oriented development," Bernau said. "When the town was first laid out, it was transit-oriented. The automobile wasn't even considered, so it had to be compact."

The only significant city approval remaining is for the design of the plaza -- a centerpiece for concerts and other events. The plaza and parking garage will remain in city ownership.

Bernau and his partners still have to find financing for their part of the project, which will occupy about 1.5 acres. But the longtime custom homebuilder doesn't think that will be a major hurdle, given the relatively modest budget of $20 million.

Folsom has taken years to get here. The city's redevelopment agency bought the 5-acre railroad block in 1990. In 2001, the city announced it had picked a Sacramento-based development team including Sotiris Kolokotronis to develop the railroad block. Kolokotronis is one of the most prolific developers of "infill" housing in midtown Sacramento.

But the group's initial plan for 254 residential units and hotel rooms was rejected by the city as too dense for the railyard block. The city, with citizen input, came up with a new master plan.

The city decided to build the public garage and plaza itself to lessen the developer's financial burden, and to remove the need for a large government subsidy.

Negotiations over the details of the new project crept along, Bernau said. He decided to get involved and assumed a majority stake in the venture in the fall 2006. Kolokotronis and developer Ryan Fong remain minority partners.

"Prior to Jerry being in charge, it looked like the project was imploding," said Patrick Maxfield, president of the Heritage Preservation League in Folsom. "But when Jerry got involved, things turned around."

Bernau, grandson of a Folsom prison guard, moved to the Folsom area in 1988. He has spent years as a custom home builder, and his Kensington Homes in 2001 built Sunset Magazine's Idea House in El Dorado Hills.

For urban projects, Bernau traveled to Denver, San Diego, Portland, Ore., and Seattle for ideas. He also visited historic foothill Gold Rush towns.

He said he built credibility with the city by first completing Sutter Court, a building on Sutter Street across from the railroad block. The building opened Jan. 1 and has eight two-story apartments upstairs and a bank, engineering office and toy store on the ground floor.

Bricks cut in half were attached to the building to create a 19th century look. Double-hung windows and doors made of Douglas fir add to the historical feel.

Jobekah Trotta, a longtime resident of the historic district, said she was impressed by Bernau's attention to detail.

"The quality that he's putting into this is incredible," Trotta said. "He's considering every subtle nuance."
http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2007/08/05/23/37-folsom.embedded.prod_affiliate.4.gif

[econgrad]

emand for McClellan sites spurs new development plans
Former air base may add retail, high-density housing to office, industrial
Sacramento Business Journal - August 3, 2007
by Michael Shaw
Staff writer
Dennis McCoy | Sacramento Business Journal
McClellan Business Park LLC president Larry Kelley: "We're pretty much on target with our initial predictions."
View Larger

McClellan Business Park's most accessible buildings are being leased and sold at such a brisk pace that its owners have started to plan the former air base's next phase -- construction of office, industrial and retail space and housing.

They want to open the former fence line along Watt Avenue to shoppers by adding big-box stores and strip developments, tearing down former military homes in favor of high-density condos or apartments, and ripping up an unused taxiway to make way for industrial users.

The owners have picked sites for new development, but it might be years before construction starts.

The immediate goal is to keep marketing vacant buildings, which total about 3 million square feet. Users have snatched up space at a fast clip this year, with about 1.2 million square feet in existing buildings sold or leased in 45 transactions. That includes the sale of 231,000 square feet to the Sacramento Regional Transit District for maintenance of its bus fleet and a 115,000-square-foot lease to a builder of high-end modular homes.

The activity brings the amount of former military property that has been converted into private use to more than 5 million square feet since investors bought the park in 2001.

"That's a good snapshot of what we've been doing all along," McClellan Business Park LLC president Larry Kelley said. "We're pretty much on target with our initial predictions."

McClellan doesn't look like some former military bases where metal-clad roofs are rusting and grounds are deserted. Tenants have brought in 13,000 employees, almost the number of military personnel and civilian employees during its peak as an air base, Kelley said.

Ron Blakeslee, vice president of leasing and marketing at McClellan, said there are discussions with a large retail user for an unused portion of the base on the southern end, a site that had been considered by Bass Pro Shops before that store decided to locate in the downtown railyard.

Other future plans include:

* Construction of another 4 million to 5 million square feet of commercial space, most of it light industrial, at various points of vacant land around the park
* Another 800 to 1,000 units of housing to replace 150 existing homes that are currently being leased. Blakeslee said Sacramento County wants high-density housing options.

According to an industrial market report by Grubb & Ellis, available space in the Sacramento region's market dropped in the second quarter, largely because of the leases signed at McClellan.

Other areas posted higher vacancy rates.

But the park's most generic -- and therefore accessible -- space might already be leased, making it harder to find a perfect fit for users shopping the market, said Kevin Jasper, a broker with Cornish & Carey Commercial in Sacramento. Jasper represented JC Penney, which leased 130,000 square feet at the park last year because the space was "just right" for the company.

"I think McClellan is chewing through that available generic space," he said. "Most brokers want to put McClellan on the list because you might find that perfect fit. On the other hand, you might not."

Jasper said that might be why McClellan's owners are looking at building new space that could accommodate a wider variety of tenants.

Bill Niethammer, an industrial broker at Colliers International, said the size of McClellan's 80,000-square-foot warehouse bays is unusual and some are fortified much better than any new construction. There are very few users who are in the market for that much space, he said.

The park has strategic advantages, such as two rail lines -- Burlington Northern and Union Pacific -- to attract more industrial users, Blakeslee said.

It also has liabilities, such as awkward office footprints.

"Office has been our toughest mission," he said, noting that many of the offices are designed for 20,000 square feet and can't easily be subdivided for the 5,000-square-foot user. Building Class A office space might attract tenants reluctant to use the former military offices there.

In 2001, McClellan Business Park LLC -- consisting of Kelley, Stuart Lichter and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund -- bought the almost 3,000- acre base at a fire-sale price of $85 million, getting 8.5 million square feet of existing buildings in the transaction. Since then, the park has leased or sold more than half of the buildings.

There are also big deals in the works.

"We're going to try to capture a sizable state deal," Blakeslee said, noting an unused portion of the base that has easy access to Interstate 80.

mshaw@bizjournals.com | 916-558-7861

[innov8]

Editorial
State goes private
Sacramento Business Journal - August 10, 2007

The issue: The state is seeking bids from private developers to build the West End project

Our position: It's a novel approach to lessen the pain of fast-rising construction costs
The state of California's one-time ambitious plan for a 1.4 million-square-foot office complex in downtown Sacramento was first delayed by fast-rising construction costs last year.

Now, the financially strapped state, already several weeks late for the approval of its annual budget, is looking for a commercial developer to take over the West End complex.

The chosen developer would finance the half-a-billion-dollar project or find another site within three miles of the Capitol for some state offices and thousands of workers.

It's an about-face for the state, from being a developer-owner of the massive project to becoming the major -- and possibly the only -- tenant of the proposed complex.

An almost 60 percent increase in construction costs, from about $390 million to $620 million-plus, makes a private developer a necessity, state officials say. A developer could build on the 2 1/2 blocks south and west of the Capitol -- or find property within three miles of the rotunda.

The state's decision to step back from developing the complex disappoints and causes some uncertainty. But the state is merely being fiscally conservative, a much-appreciated practice given its financial woes.

Some experts say without state funding the long-awaited complex will join a long list of once-promised-but-failed downtown projects, most recently the 53-story The Towers on Capitol Mall.

Not necessarily.

A developer could actually expedite the effort and gain funding for the project, especially with long-term leases from the state. Also, a privately financed complex would not become a political football at the mercy of lawmakers.

In addition, a big-time developer with deep pockets -- only a handful of locals would qualify for such a large project -- could build the office campus and give a much-needed push to downtown's renaissance.

Quite simply, a private development would generate millions of dollars in property tax rather than a publicly owned office complex that never makes it to the tax rolls.

Either way, the complex would house thousands of state employees who would continue to dine at local restaurants and shop at nearby stores.

Certainly, a state-funded office campus is a head-turning idea, but the idea of state officials looking to a commercial developer to take over the West End complex should not be automatically placed in the "dead downtown projects" file. Sure, it will take creativity -- and time -- but a privately financed and owned office complex could yield a much greater long-term benefit to the public than a state-owned project.

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/08/13/editorial1.html

[TowerDistrict]

Just a thought, but maybe it would be a good idea for a prospective developer and the state to look at being the first major tenants in Township 9? It would jump start a large development like that, and the state could avoid the preservation and neighborhood issues of the other site. All of Township 9 is planned mixed use, so they couldn't create another blackhole either.

[arod74]

I wonder if Calpers/CIM is talking behind the scenes about this opportunity to propose a huge project on the former towers site. With the square footage the the state is looking for the west end project, it sure would lend itself to an iconic building(s).

[wburg]

The state is more interested in continuing their re-consolidation of state offices into the downtown core along Capitol Mall than someplace like Township 9. Besides, the state likes to own their buildings.

The plan for Capitol Mall, with tracks down the middle, and walkable mixed-use functions with lots of pedestrians, restaurants and other functions sounds...well, it sounds exactly like M Street used to be before the forces of redevelopment tore it down in the fifties.

And yeah, that university in Roseville is just the latest in a series of bribes that will allow Angelo T. to build more stucco tract home crap.

I saw some of the new stuff going up in Folsom when I went there (on light rail) last month. There are already some new buildings with some demo/site prep going on. I like the plans for an expanded/refurbed Folsom train station and interpretive center--how great is it to live in a place with a light-rail system with a railroad museum on either end? (Okay, not everyone is as train-happy as me, but personally I think it's swell.)

And I may be cynical, but I'm also an optimist.

[creamcityleo79]

The state is more interested in continuing their re-consolidation of state offices into the downtown core along Capitol Mall than someplace like Township 9. Besides, the state likes to own their buildings.

The plan for Capitol Mall, with tracks down the middle, and walkable mixed-use functions with lots of pedestrians, restaurants and other functions sounds...well, it sounds exactly like M Street used to be before the forces of redevelopment tore it down in the fifties.

And yeah, that university in Roseville is just the latest in a series of bribes that will allow Angelo T. to build more stucco tract home crap.

I saw some of the new stuff going up in Folsom when I went there (on light rail) last month. There are already some new buildings with some demo/site prep going on. I like the plans for an expanded/refurbed Folsom train station and interpretive center--how great is it to live in a place with a light-rail system with a railroad museum on either end? (Okay, not everyone is as train-happy as me, but personally I think it's swell.)

And I may be cynical, but I'm also an optimist.
That stucco tract home crap at 500 Capitol Mall? Tsakopolous is a developer and he builds tract homes. But, he also has some pretty good plans for more urban developments. Don't discount that, too.

[snfenoc]

I'm bored. So here are a few updates on some of the other projects (i.e., not 621 CM or 500 CM) in the area:

CalSTRS from last Sunday:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/CalStrs2.jpg

The Orleans in Old Town from last Sunday:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/Orleans2.jpg

That Mercy Building (about 30th and Q?) from last Sunday:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/MercyBldg1.jpg

A couple of angles for the Cooper Union building (16th and H) from yesterday
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/DSC_0046.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/DSC_0048.jpg

A couple of low light angles of the L Street Lofts from yesterday:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/DSC_0061.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/DSC_0060.jpg
The above pic does not do the area justice. I had to wad through masses of people. Sacramento is hip???

The Cathedral building is basically done
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/Cathedral1.jpg
Ella just needs to move in and get rid of those tacky plywood "doors"
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/snfenoc/Construction%20Update%208-5-07/Cathedral2.jpg

[aufbau]

^well done.

Interesting contrast in street activity between L&18th street and K&11(?). Although it was second saturday and different times of the day, it still is pretty amazing.

L street gets more and more thronged every second saturday, making it actually easier to walk than drive(!) down that street for several blocks. I hope this continues to spread.

[ltsmotorsport]

Updates! I love updates!

[TWAK]

how much bigger is the calstrs gonna be?

[econgrad]

Thanks for the pics snfenoc!
I totally forgot that some good progress is happening...

[TowerDistrict]

The state is more interested in continuing their re-consolidation of state offices into the downtown core along Capitol Mall than someplace like Township 9. Besides, the state likes to own their buildings.

I would think that you're right, but the above article points out the exact contrary. The state specifically stated that their looking into leasing a large, contiguous space in a building built by a private developer. The article was also very clear that the state was not at all committed to Downtown, rather a three-mile radius of the Capitol.

So yeah, West Sacramento is an easy target. Developers need major tenants like that to get their big projects off the ground. But Township 9 also shares a lot of the same characteristics of West Sacramento in their redevelopment ambitions... That's why I mention it.

Either way, it would be a win if they chose a redevelopment area instead of building in the Capitol Park neighborhood. If the chose to build/move to West Sac, that could jump start the streetcar line. And if they chose Township 9, light rail may see its way out there sooner.

[arod74]

Nice eye candy snfenoc, thanks. Good to see all the peeps enjoying midtown. Evidence that with all the bad news for the larger projects that there are still plenty of good things happening in town.

[TowerDistrict]

Agreed, and thanks for the shots.

Just a clarification, the mixed-use, 43 unit condo project on 16th & H is actually called the Cooper Union Building. Newton Booth (http://www.ljurban.com/blog/gallery.php?dir=Newton+Booth) is the name of a townhouse infill project on 27th & V by LJ Urban (http://www.ljurban.com/).

[arod74]

how much bigger is the calstrs gonna be?

It looks like they are about 10 floors up so that leaves 4 more floors I think. Give or take about 50 feet. Anyone have more precise info for twak?

[JeffZurn]

^ I believe it is going to be 18 floors at 280FT

[snfenoc]

Agreed, and thanks for the shots.

Just a clarification, the mixed-use, 43 unit condo project on 16th & H is actually called the Cooper Union Building. Newton Booth (http://www.ljurban.com/blog/gallery.php?dir=Newton+Booth) is the name of a townhouse infill project on 27th & V by LJ Urban (http://www.ljurban.com/).

Oops! Correction made.

[innov8]

It's been a busy couple of weeks for me... these were taken a week or two ago.

Sutter Medical on Capitol Ave. & 28th Street
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/7716/sutter200708032fzy7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/3047/suttermed20070803flu7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

500 Capitol Mall
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/8867/500cm20070803fob4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[ltsmotorsport]

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/7716/sutter200708032fzy7.jpg

So that's the building oxblue has their camera on. Can't wait to see this one above ground. Thanks Mike.

[kryptos]

500 Capitol Mall
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/8867/500cm20070803fob4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


when was this project slated to be completed?

[sugit]

I think Q1 2009.

When that thing start to come out of the ground? They have been working for quite some time down there.

[arod74]

Yeah seriously. It seems like they have been stuck in this stage for the last 3 months. I guess it probably has to do with using poured concrete piles rather than precast and waiting for the curing?

[ltsmotorsport]

Just remember how long 621 took to get outta the ground. Didn't the timeline say steel wouldn't start until October or November?

[sugit]

Speaking of 621..anyone heard anything about any retail tennats? Other than US Bank opening a branch there.

[kryptos]

does anyone know if 621 will have any lighting effects on the exterior?

[wburg]

Here are some plans for the latest version of the building planned for 3030 T Street. The building is still four stories tall, but stepped back to either side. There are 12 units (I think the earlier version had 15) and 12 parking spaces.
http://newtonbooth.org/img041.jpg
http://newtonbooth.org/img042.jpg

[arod74]

does anyone know if 621 will have any lighting effects on the exterior?

Yup. The building is supposed to have some special lighting treatment according to the pdf file on the building specs on their website. What it will be is anyone's guess..

[innov8]

621 Capitol Mall (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=86268&page=26)

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/4414/621cm120070807fns1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3367/621cm520070803fuz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4989/621cm820070807fob6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[innov8]

Improvement district approved for midtown
By Melanie Turner of The Sacramento Business Journal

August 14, 2007

Midtown merchants and property owners have voted to create a business-improvement district that would levy a tax on property to finance safety, marketing and infrastructure improvements.

The Midtown Business Association conducted a petition drive, winning backing from property owners who pay at least 50 percent of the assessment in the planned district, then captured enough votes from merchants and property owners in balloting by mail.

Votes were weighted according to how much property owners pay for their assessment. All votes were due Thursday. The district won approval with 69 percent voting in favor. Ballots were counted during a City Council hearing Thursday. The district would have a budget of $575,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008.

More than 56 percent of the potential votes were cast, said Connie Miottel, executive director of the association. "It was a huge turnout," Miottel said. "Probably one of the biggest turnouts in Property and Business Improvement District history in Sacramento."

The City Council voted 8-0 Thursday to approve the district. Councilman Robbie Waters was absent.

"I'm elated. It's something we've been working on for many years to really take midtown to the next level," said Councilman Steve Cohn, reached after the vote while celebrating at Zocalo restaurant.

"It's doing great, but it still has a few things to work on," Cohn said of midtown. "This PBID is really going to help us organize together and bring some resources to midtown," such as parking and lighting. "It will make it an even better place for business."

A similar effort failed five years ago. But this time there were more businesses in midtown. Also the new attempt focused on a smaller geographic area and organizers brought in Miottel, a leader with experience, to spearhead the drive that was launched last summer.

"I love midtown and I'm really glad to be a part of this," she said Thursday.

The district will be concentrated along the commercial corridors. While the boundary is jagged, the district takes in property roughly from 16th Street to 28th Street, and concentrated along J, K and L streets and Capitol Avenue.

The Midtown Business Association conducted public workshops to build consensus over what types of services and improvements people were willing to pay for. The district's priorities will be under three headings: 'clean and safe' programs, marketing and advocacy, and parking and infrastructure, Miottel said.

Programs will include daytime and nighttime security, trash pickup, marketing and branding for midtown, political advocacy for midtown, special events, and parking and other infrastructure improvements, she said.

The county will send out property tax bills in the fall that include a levy for the district, and the new district will begin providing services in January. The PBID will last for five years, from Jan 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2012.

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/08/06/daily50.html?surround=lfn

[Majin]

Nighttime security and trash pickup? I wish they'd spend some real money and make real improvements to improving midtown's pedrestian friendlyness. Things like improving sidewalks and adding lighting.

[TowerDistrict]

Nighttime security and trash pickup? I wish they'd spend some real money and make real improvements to improving midtown's pedrestian friendlyness. Things like improving sidewalks and adding lighting.

Read through that again... it's all there. parking, lighting, infrastructure, marketing, security, etc. Sidewalk improvement is probably on the agenda too.

--

The Greater Broadway PBID passed last month as well. Hopefully Midtown and Broadway will see a bit less obstruction and controversy than the Downtown Partnership has recently.

Resolution approving the GBPBID (http://sacramento.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=1346&meta_id=120925)

[Majin]

Great... broadway REALLY needs massive improvements to the sidewalks and lighting.

As for midtown, I hope parking improvements doesnt mean surface lots.

[ozone]

As a member of the MBA (my biz is in West Midtown -Capitol Ave-J St, 16th-21st) I support the improvment district but I don't have a lot of faith in some of the people involved in the MBA. Many of the merchants do not live in Midtown so there is somewhat of a discontect with the neighborhood they do buisness in. (Of course this is typical) but it affects their judgement as to what is really helpful for all who have the most at stake. I'm hopeful but we'll just have to wait and see. And whoever came up with the lame name "Midtown Boutique District" for the J/K corridor -:yuck: should be forced to have lunch at Chipotle with Mayor-esque Fargo every day for a year.

In addtion all the things the article said I would like to see a neon "MIDTOWN" sign, like the ones they have in San Diego, hung over J Street at 17th Street.

[kryptos]

private security? lol great....

i remember back in 1993 when my sister lived in greenhaven off of pocket road and there was a private security force that would target minorities and try to make them go back across I-5 to meadowview...
of course meadowview/the garden/29th st. was a dangerous place back then, but i still think they let their jobs go to their heads

hopefully a private security force in MT will show more restraint....id rather see real law enforcement doing that job

[kryptos]

In addtion all the things the article said I would like to see a neon "MIDTOWN" sign, like the ones they have in San Diego, hung over J Street at 17th Street.

i like the sign they have in the gaslamp quarter of SD
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1040242_041011186.jpg (http://www.imagehosting.com)

[sacamenna kid]

Anybody know anything? I'm just guessing that with the mortgage meltdown, this one is well nigh impossible now.

[wburg]

While there are definitely some nighttime lighting gaps in midtown, it's hard to imagine how it could be more walkable, other than replacing some of those parking lots with mixed-use buildings. Although I get a little concerned when every project that comes down the pike gets a parking waiver. We're supposed to have a new downtown parking strategy, with lofty concepts like more effective use of existing surface lots, but there isn't much implementation of these new parking strategies. Hopefully the midtown PBID will address that.

One of those lots is slated for just such a building, behind the Midtown Building at 20th and O...more details once I find 'em out.

td: What sort of obstruction and controversy has the Downtown Partnership experienced recently?

[TowerDistrict]

td: What sort of obstruction and controversy has the Downtown Partnership experienced recently?

I phrased that poorly. I don't necessarily mean the DTP has experience difficulties directly - more like every single project they've backed has languished or failed.

Actually one instance where the Downtown Partnership has been directly impacted is when Mohanna put his gaggle of legal goons to work on the organization after they backed the St. Rose of Lima Park/K Street/Lightrail improvements and alterations. He wasn't happy that the organization chose to ignore his visionary quest to single handedly rejuvenate K Street. So he put the screws to the DTP and they were forced to employ legal consultants to cover their bases.

Obviously contributing more money to legal battles and less money to the downtown... which is entirely against the point of a PBID.

[econgrad]

Marcos Bretón: A leader for city -- please stand up
By Marcos Bretón - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, August 19, 2007

Leadership.

Where is it in Sacramento? Who has vision and political clout?

Sadly, the answer is nobody.

Apparently, local political leadership is a bridge too far. Or in this case, it's a new Sacramento Kings arena too far. It's a 53-story downtown skyscraper too far. It's a revitalized K Street mall too far.

One by one, the big civic projects that gave Sacramento reason to hope have failed or been endlessly delayed.

The latest was a legal setback related to K Street, vital downtown real estate condemned to being slumlike, maybe for years to come.

City officials want to redevelop the 700 block of K Street by installing the Z Gallerie furniture chain. Joe Zeiden, owner of Z Gallerie, had pledged to attract other high-end businesses to transform the entire block of decayed, though historic buildings.

But the owner of huge swaths of K Street -- a gentleman named Moe Mohanna -- is standing in the way, prevailing over the city in court last week, promising further legal battles.

Meanwhile, parts of K Street remain a toilet where potential is getting flushed.

Yes. One man with impeccable manners is mightier than Sacramento City Hall.

Mohanna initially agreed to a K Street deal but later backed out, claiming he'd be getting a raw deal financially. Developers such as David Taylor say this is a pattern, killing deals at the last minute out of nerves or mistrust.

Mohanna hasn't developed a single new project in 20 years. He poses as a champion of downtrodden tenants in these threadbare buildings, but employs multiple lawyers for his City Hall battles.

But it gets better. The city is spending $5 million to renovate the Berry Hotel, next to the Greyhound station at L and Eighth streets.

In doing so, the city is forgiving $1 million in loan payments from the current owners. Guess who is getting $1 million for his option on the Berry?

You betcha. Is Mr. Mohanna using that million to feed the homeless? Or to fund his legal fight with the city?

Good questions. The Bee had many related to Mohanna for Mayor Heather Fargo last week.

But we were told that she couldn't comment because she hadn't been briefed yet.

Briefed? For the love of Joe Serna. Do you see what we're talking about here?

Can you hear the deafening silence from the rest of Sacramento's elected officials?

In the vacuum of that silence, people like Mohanna flourish. And now he could become a poster child in a statewide eminent domain fight.

If the city pursues eminent domain against Mohanna, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association might use him as the face of the little guy fighting City Hall in a statewide ballot measure campaign.

Talk about building a righteous house on a shaky foundation. And think of the briefings Mayor Fargo would require if that happens.

A leader would have dealt with Mohanna long ago. A leader would have had the stature to soothe the volatile Kings owners during failed arena negotiations. A leader would have bought time for the now-shelved 53-story towers on Third and Capitol Mall.

Maybe even the late Mayor Serna, who died in 1999, would have struggled on these fronts.

But on critical issues facing Sacramento, he didn't need a briefing to know how to lead.

Go to: Sacbee / Back to story

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[ozone]

While there are definitely some nighttime lighting gaps in midtown, it's hard to imagine how it could be more walkable, other than replacing some of those parking lots with mixed-use buildings. Although I get a little concerned when every project that comes down the pike gets a parking waiver. We're supposed to have a new downtown parking strategy, with lofty concepts like more effective use of existing surface lots, but there isn't much implementation of these new parking strategies. Hopefully the midtown PBID will address that.

One of those lots is slated for just such a building, behind the Midtown Building at 20th and O...more details once I find 'em out.

td: What sort of obstruction and controversy has the Downtown Partnership experienced recently?

What is a "more effective use of surface (parking) lots anyway? Isn't a parking lot just a parking lot? And excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by parking waiver? Also does the downtown parking strategy have anything to do with midtown?

20th and O hum..trying to think. I live just down the street and my biz is 21/2 blks away but I just don't know what that project is.

[wburg]

What is a "more effective use of surface (parking) lots anyway? Isn't a parking lot just a parking lot? And excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by parking waiver? Also does the downtown parking strategy have anything to do with midtown?

20th and O hum..trying to think. I live just down the street and my biz is 21/2 blks away but I just don't know what that project is.

More effective use of surface lots: Many lots are filled during the day and vacant at night, or vice-versa. Effective strategies to more effectively use these lots means things like getting businesses together to double up so more people can park off-street. Signage indicating where the parking is for non-central-city residents is also part of such a strategy.

Parking waivers: The city has rules regarding parking requirements for things like businesses and residences: you have to have X number of parking spaces per Y number of restaurant tables or square feet of floor space etcetera. If a project wants to have less parking than the city asks for, a waiver is required. The restaurants on L Street in the 1801 building, for example, have no parking lots. They asked the city to waive their parking requirements, exempting them from the required number of parking spaces, and the city did so.

The "downtown parking strategy" refers to the central city parking strategy, which includes midtown.

The 20th and O project is a deal in the works, the sale isn't finalized but what it looks like is a condo building 4 stories tall on a parking lot, plus ground-floor retail added to an existing office building.

[ozone]

Well I'm very much opposed to any parking requirements. My biz in the Cap/18th area which is the area that's probably the hardest place to find a parking space. I have to make sure my clients have parking and it costs me to buy parking spaces (and they are available) so I understand fully the parking crunch. However, I also understand that if we are going to ever achieve a true urban, walkable central city we can no longer make concessions for the car. Parking is a bitch in the heart of every real city on this planet. That's just the way it is. You can not have the convenience of the suburbs and the vitality of the city- the two are incompatible. We've tried that to do that and failed so many times over the years so you'd think we would know this by now? Do some business suffer for lack of parking -yeah they do. But other business suffer for lack of foot traffic. The fact is that there more people walking around Capitol and 18th than any other area in Midtown and yet it's one of the hardest places to find a parking space. Parking problems are actually a good thing. It means people want to be there. And they want to be there because other people are there and because they don't have to walk through a sea of cars to get where their going.

If you require parking spaces that will just take up valuable commerical/residential space it makes developing a small lot more difficult and expensive. I am in favor of more effective use of surface lots but I'm opposed to adding any new ones. I would rather see a couple of city-owned multi-level parking garage in Midtown (with street-level retail -like the one on H Street). I would prefer a city-owned gargage because they seem to be better maintained than private ones.

[TowerDistrict]

Parking lots can be done well though. Look at the city-owned lot on 14th & H. That lot fills to the gills with convention center, music circus and general restaurant/nightlife crowds. It also houses a Starbucks cafe, Brew It Up restaurant/bar, Byuti salon, and the The Melting Pot restaurant.

Hopefully we'll see that kind of success at the garage under construction at 28th and N in the Sutter complex.

[wburg]

Current parking standards, and the current parking situation in midtown, is nothing like the convenience of the suburbs. We do have to make allowances for the car, albeit fewer than in a suburban context, just as we have to make allowances for bicycles, public transit and pedestrians. The secret is the right mix--which is where smarter parking strategies can help. The idea is to do more with fewer parking spaces, while other strategies (like having people live close to work, and having properly run public transit) reduce incentives for car trips.

[Majin]

Well I'm very much opposed to any parking requirements. My biz in the Cap/18th area which is the area that's probably the hardest place to find a parking space. I have to make sure my clients have parking and it costs me to buy parking spaces (and they are available) so I understand fully the parking crunch. However, I also understand that if we are going to ever achieve a true urban, walkable central city we can no longer make concessions for the car. Parking is a bitch in the heart of every real city on this planet. That's just the way it is. You can not have the convenience of the suburbs and the vitality of the city- the two are incompatible. We've tried that to do that and failed so many times over the years so you'd think we would know this by now? Do some business suffer for lack of parking -yeah they do. But other business suffer for lack of foot traffic. The fact is that there more people walking around Capitol and 18th than any other area in Midtown and yet it's one of the hardest places to find a parking space. Parking problems are actually a good thing. It means people want to be there. And they want to be there because other people are there and because they don't have to walk through a sea of cars to get where their going.

If you require parking spaces that will just take up valuable commerical/residential space it makes developing a small lot more difficult and expensive. I am in favor of more effective use of surface lots but I'm opposed to adding any new ones. I would rather see a couple of city-owned multi-level parking garage in Midtown (with street-level retail -like the one on H Street). I would prefer a city-owned gargage because they seem to be better maintained than private ones.

Very well said.

I'm actually very glad the city is making all the concessions they are making as far as parking requirements. In all reality they just need to get the parking requirements off the books completely and let it be up to the developer to decide if their project needs parking and how much they should provide.

[TowerDistrict]

Portland Oregon project removes cars from the equation
Posted on November 13, 2006

PORTLAND, Ore.
Peter Yates for The New York Times

http://www.theurbanbrain.com/blog/12nati.2.600.jpg

There are no parking spaces for Mary Stonecypher-Howell at the Moda condominiums in Seattle. ANNEMIEKE CLARK and her boyfriend, Daniel Pasley, do not spend a lot of time driving. Ms. Clark, a 29-year-old nursing student at Oregon Health and Science University, takes the bus to school. Her boyfriend is a “crazy bike rider,” she said.

So when they decided to buy their first home last winter, they chose a one-bedroom unit in the Civic, one of the first new developments in Portland to market condominiums without parking spaces. Ms. Clark said they bought the $175,000 condo, which will be ready next summer, because “it was absolutely the cheapest one selling.” Mr. Pasley also hoped a unit without parking would inspire Ms. Clark to sell her 1992 Subaru.

“So, part of it was idealism — that we would get rid of the car,” Ms. Clark said.

Although condominiums without parking are common in Manhattan and the downtowns of a few other East Coast cities, they are the exception to the rule in most of the country. In fact, almost all local governments require developers to provide a minimum number of parking spaces for each unit — and to fold the cost of the space into the housing price. The exact regulations, which are intended to prevent clogged streets and provide sufficient parking, vary by city. Houston’s code requires a minimum of 1.33 parking spaces for a one-bedroom and 2 spaces for a three-bedroom. Downtown Los Angeles mandates 2.25 parking spaces per unit, regardless of size.

Today, city planners around the country are trying to change or eliminate these standards, opting to promote mass transit and find a way to lower housing costs. Minimum parking requirements became popular in the 1950s with the growth of suburbia, said Donald Shoup, a professor of urban planning at the University of California at Los Angeles and the author of “The High Cost of Free Parking” (American Planning Association, 2005). “They spread like wildfire,” he said.

But in the 21st century, skyrocketing housing prices and the move toward high-density urban development are bringing scrutiny to the ways in which cities and developers manage the relationship between parking and residential real estate. Once a tool of government, parking requirements are increasingly driven by the market.

Last year, for example, Seattle reduced parking requirements for multifamily housing in three of the city’s major commercial corridors. Next month, the City Council will vote on a proposal to eliminate minimum parking requirements in Seattle’s six core urban districts and near light-rail stations. In June, San Francisco replaced minimum requirements downtown with maximum standards allowing no more than 0.75 parking spaces per unit. In Portland, where central city parking minimums were eliminated six years ago, developers are breaking ground on projects with restricted parking.

“In the future,” Dr. Shoup said, “we will look back at minimum parking requirements as a colossal mistake. Change will be slow, but it’s happening now.”

The Civic, a 261-unit project, includes 24 condos without parking. The building is six blocks from downtown and near a major bus and light-rail line, and will offer residents a rental-car-sharing arrangement.
“We’re always looking for ways to promote smart growth,” said Tom Cody, a project manager of the Gerding/Edlen Development Company, which developed the Civic. “We decided to test the water and see if there was a market for units without parking spaces.” The 24 condos sold out, he said.
In San Francisco, more downtown housing has been approved over the last few years than in the last 20 years combined, said Joshua Switzky, a city planner. The booming real estate market there inspired local officials to revoke minimum-parking requirements in the central core, Mr. Switzky said. “The city’s modus operandi is ‘transit first,’ ” he said. “Everyone recognized the existing rules didn’t match the policy.”

Under San Francisco’s new parking maximums, downtown developers are also required to “unbundle” the price of parking from the price of the condo. “Buyers aren’t obligated to buy a parking space, and developers don’t have the incentive to build spaces they can’t sell,” Mr. Switzky said.
Sustainable development is not the only factor driving changes to parking standards. “We talk about affordable housing as the most critical thing facing cities and the nation,” Mr. Cody said. “But we never talk about the costs of the automobile.” Since individual parking spaces cost about $40,000, reducing or eliminating parking is an effective way to lower housing prices, he said.

At the Moda condominiums, a development under construction in Seattle, only 43 out of 251 units have assigned parking. Eighty-three units have no parking and the remainder have access to a permit parking system. The building is in the downtown Belltown neighborhood, where the average condo has one and a half parking spaces.

Peter DaSilva for The New York Times

In San Francisco, One Rincon Hill allows for one space per unit.
“I wanted the least expensive unit,” said Mary Stonecypher-Howell, a computer database specialist who bought a Moda studio without parking for $170,000. Ms. Stonecypher-Howell said it was the only downtown condo she could find for less than $200,000. “In the city, it’s simpler not to have a car,” she said. Moda units with parking cost about $30,000 more than units without.

Lenders traditionally balk at financing projects without parking, said David Hoy, who developed the Moda condos. The concern is that they would be difficult to resell. “But in a high-density urban environment, there’s a strong demand and a shortage of supply,” Mr. Hoy said. Moda, which is financed by United Commercial Bank, sold out in less than a week, he said.
Other cities are also reconsidering parking standards. In Houston, for example, a committee is reviewing parking minimums along the light-rail line, according to Suzy Hartgrove, a spokeswoman for the city’s planning and development department. But not everybody is enthusiastic about the piecemeal changes taking place around the country, especially because often-arcane parking codes vary from district to district and city to suburb.

In the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, where the new luxury tower One Rincon Hill is selling for $1,000 a square foot, parking standards allow a maximum of one space per unit. Just a few blocks away, downtown requirements undercut that figure by a quarter, making One Rincon Hill more attractive to buyers with cars.

“It gives them a marketing advantage,” said Victor Gonzalez, director of development for Monahan Pacific, a local company that has built condo properties downtown. “You’d be killed if you tried to do a project in the suburbs without parking,” he added.

Others point to the free-market parking situation in Manhattan, where monthly rates now exceed $500 a month. Planners are undeterred. In the United States, “housing is expensive and parking is cheap,” Dr. Shoup said. “We’ve got it the wrong way around.”

[Majin]

Current parking standards, and the current parking situation in midtown, is nothing like the convenience of the suburbs. We do have to make allowances for the car, albeit fewer than in a suburban context, just as we have to make allowances for bicycles, public transit and pedestrians. The secret is the right mix--which is where smarter parking strategies can help. The idea is to do more with fewer parking spaces, while other strategies (like having people live close to work, and having properly run public transit) reduce incentives for car trips.

The only thing that should be allowed in the central city is mixed used parking garages like 14th and H and 28th and N. There shouldn't be any reason to make any additional surface lots anywhere in the central city.

[goldcntry]

The only thing that should be allowed in the central city is mixed used parking garages like 14th and H and 28th and N. There shouldn't be any reason to make any additional surface lots anywhere in the central city.


Absolutely!!! :awesome: Personally, there should be NO surface lots at all. 14th & H is a perfect example of how future parking issues should be handled. Everytime I use 10&H, I am struck by how vibrant it feels! If only the entire downtown were that way.

[wburg]

The only thing that should be allowed in the central city is mixed used parking garages like 14th and H and 28th and N. There shouldn't be any reason to make any additional surface lots anywhere in the central city.

We are of a mind on this. There still needs to be some parking, and it does need to be in places like mixed-use garages rather than lots. You'll also be happy to know that the current residential parking requirement is 1 space per unit in the central city, which puts us far closer to San Francisco than Los Angeles in terms of parking requirements. I'm all for turning Sacramento's parking lots into structures with parking underneath--as I mentioned elsewhere, I just cheered for a local developer who has plans to turn a quarter-block parking lot on 20th and O into a four-story condo structure with submerged parking under the building--one space per unit.

Parking requirements doesn't have to mean creating surface lots. Some new projects have satisfied parking requirements by (gasp) making arrangements with nearby underutilized lots, or taking other measures ranging from transit passes to free scooters. I don't think simply letting builders off the hook for parking, and trying to convince ourselves that bad traffic will make us into a World-Class City (TM), is the right answer.

I get the feeling folks have the impression I want the central city to resemble Elk Grove. Sorry, you've got the wrong guy.

[sugit]

I was checking out Yelp.com and some one posted that Bountiful Market on 13th and I is closed due to illness. The owner posted a note saying that the new owners are turning it into a boutique hotel.

Any one heard anything?

Now that building is a one story structure so there are obviously going to have to change that. Maybe the Sterling is taking it over since it's directly in back of it?