Sacramento Proposal/Approval/Construction Thread - III

[wburg]

One thing that should probably be mentioned:

WE ALREADY HAVE A FUNCTIONING INTERMODAL STATION.

All "intermodal" means is a place where multiple modes of transportation meet. Right now, Capitol Corridor trains, Amtrak long-haul trains, Amtrak buses, RT buses, RT trains and taxis all meet in the same place. That is an intermodal station.

Which means that if, in twenty years, nothing else is done on the site, we will continue to have a functioning intermodal station, just not a new one.

If your argument is "when will we see the NEW intermodal station," rather than the one we already have, that's a different story. It has been a couple of years, and one of the major obstacles to progress has been the fact that Union Pacific owned the land, and had no interest whatsoever in doing anything with the passenger station or the Shops that they didn't have to. Things took so long because UP is a big, fat bureaucracy, plus it took a while to find someone willing to take on the project. Now that the station and adjacent land are city property, there are some other things that need to get done first, like the planning process for the Railyards and environmental cleanup details. Most of the obstacles involved in this project, like most other projects, are questions of money and planning: where is the money come, and how does the project have to work? It seems like many here assume that money should simply appear out of nowhere because you like the project, but that isn't the way it works in the real world--and is a far more realistic problem than imaginary armies of N____ cabals skulking around with poisoned daggers.

The lighting of the Railyards buildings is a PR stunt that is only intended to last a couple of days. And of course the "they" lighting up those buildings is not the same "they" as the folks who own the ziggurat etcetera, so they may be operating under different assumptions. If the state or feds decided they needed to focus attention on those buildings as part of a PR move, you bet they'd light 'em up.

Sidewalks on the Tower Bridge: Work on the sidewalks started just a few months ago, and should be done in a few months. Not sure where the "eight years" part works in.

[innov8]

It seems like many here assume that money should simply appear out of nowhere because you like the project, but that isn't the way it works in the real world--and is a far more realistic problem than imaginary armies of N____ cabals skulking around with poisoned daggers.

Sidewalks on the Tower Bridge: Work on the sidewalks started just a few months ago, and should be done in a few months. Not sure where the "eight years" part works in.

HA! You now consider your band of NIMBY friends imaginary? I guess when
you deny to everyone that you are NIMBY, imaginary becomes a relative term
when you wberg can’t see the forest from the trees.

The eight years refers to how many years of talk, talk, and more talk
occurred before anything actually happen to physically widen the bridge.

[BrianSac]

Sidewalks on the Tower Bridge: Work on the sidewalks started just a few months ago, and should be done in a few months. Not sure where the "eight years" part works in.

wburg,
Opening day for Raley field was May 15, 2000. There was immediate serious discussion about widening the Tower Bridge to pedestrian traffic as a result of Raley Field.

Notice the date at the bottom of the report completed for the city....and its still not done, thats 8years, count them, that's 8 baseball seasons. That means little baby boy baseball fan that was born in 2000 and had to be wheeled across the tower bridge in a stroller just completed his second year of little league. also, 10 year old jonny baseball fan is now 18 yrs old and attending UC Davis.

Reconnection Alternatives
A broad range of possible reconnection alternatives were identified for
consideration in the study. The three alternative approaches include:
Alternative A: Widened Bridge(s). This approach includes the prospect of
pier and structure widening to the Capitol Mall and “O” Street
bridges primarily to accommodate increased pedestrian and
bicycle circulation (this approach could also include widening
the “R” Street rail overcrossing). Typically this approach is
called mini-decking and would extend 25 to 50 feet on either
side of the two existing bridge spans.Range of Cost: $2,500,000 - 5,000,000 / bridge

Downtown to the
Riverfront
Reconnection
FINAL REPORT
July 26, 2001

[Deno]

How long have they been talking about this, 10/15 yrs? :)

Sort of like the Tower Bridge Sidewalk......we are going on 8yrs now to complete that project....geez.

I'm on a rant........if they can light the Railyards buildings all night long, then turn on the friggin Ziggurat Building lights, the EPA building lights and the Fed courthouse lights all night long. ;)

I totally agree, some lights would make the whole area more appealing. When the Ziggurat building was lite people coming in from out of town would always comment on how great it looked. :banana: :banana: :banana:

[ltsmotorsport]

One thing that should probably be mentioned:

WE ALREADY HAVE A FUNCTIONING INTERMODAL STATION.

All "intermodal" means is a place where multiple modes of transportation meet. Right now, Capitol Corridor trains, Amtrak long-haul trains, Amtrak buses, RT buses, RT trains and taxis all meet in the same place. That is an intermodal station.

Which means that if, in twenty years, nothing else is done on the site, we will continue to have a functioning intermodal station, just not a new one...


...The lighting of the Railyards buildings is a PR stunt that is only intended to last a couple of days. And of course the "they" lighting up those buildings is not the same "they" as the folks who own the ziggurat etcetera, so they may be operating under different assumptions.


Captain Obvious.
http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/large/captainobvious-30189.jpg

[wburg]

itsmotorsport: I guess I just get sick of people saying things like "why don't we have an intermodal station yet?" when, well, we obviously have one. And the argument that if someone can shine spotlights on the Shops buildings for a couple of days then other buildings should be lit up is just a non sequitur--the two things really don't have anything to do with each other.

As to the eight-year delay: Maybe there were other things that needed doing? It's not as though the bridge was impassable for eight years--people have been walking across the bridge since 1935. The tacit assumption is that action should take place immediately, even if there isn't yet money or means to do it--Someone should just snap their fingers and do it, without planning or forethought! I don't get that.

innov8: That's exactly what I'm saying. If you think there's a secret gang of people dedicated to never allowing any project ever to be constructed in Sacramento (and that I am a member of that gang,) then you're delusional.

[BrianSac]

itsmotorsport: I guess I just get sick of people saying things like "why don't we have an intermodal station yet?" when, well, we obviously have one. And the argument that if someone can shine spotlights on the Shops buildings for a couple of days then other buildings should be lit up is just a non sequitur--the two things really don't have anything to do with each other.

As to the eight-year delay: Maybe there were other things that needed doing? It's not as though the bridge was impassable for eight years--people have been walking across the bridge since 1935. The tacit assumption is that action should take place immediately, even if there isn't yet money or means to do it--Someone should just snap their fingers and do it, without planning or forethought! I don't get that.

innov8: That's exactly what I'm saying. If you think there's a secret gang of people dedicated to never allowing any project ever to be constructed in Sacramento (and that I am a member of that gang,) then you're delusional.

ok, so you wet your pants when you discovered the railyards would be lite up, but the thought of lighting up the ziggurat is somehow unacceptable, why?.....Sactown Rob already made the case how inexpensive it would be to power it daily.

omg, so now you admit to the 8 year delay, but that is somehow acceptable to you.. we’re not talking about rebuilding the world trade center site, incroyable!

Regarding the gang….me croire (believe me) its not a secret.

[innov8]

innov8: That's exactly what I'm saying. If you think there's a secret gang of people dedicated to never allowing any project ever to be constructed in Sacramento (and that I am a member of that gang,) then you're delusional.

Who said they were a secret? What’s bizarre is that you keep saying they
don’t exist… but anybody who has been paying attention to anything
development wise in Sacramento will have noticed that Sacramento has
more than it’s fair share of hindrances to development.

The L Street Lofts had neighborhood opposition, the Towers had opposition
from Dan Visnich and members of the Capitol Historic Preservation Society,
the LPCA oppose everything on or near Broadway, the McKinley East
Sacramento Neighborhood Association oppose Mercy hospital expansion, the
Service Employees International Union oppose Sutter Medical Expansion, and
I’m just getting started. There are many small groups out there that scratch
each others backs by getting together depending on what’s being proposed
to slow or kill a project. Just ask any developer who has been around a while
if this is true. Trust me, it’s TRUE.

You find it acceptable that Kathy Daigle of the California State Railroad
Museum Foundation as well as the Sacramento Old City Association and
other preservation groups now start to (haggle as you call it) to get an
additional 25 acres along with the 14 they already being given for their local
preservation district. This demand could stall the project long enough to kill
the Railyard project altogether. And like I said, your okay with this.

Like I said wberg, you can’t see the forest from the trees...you're delusional :yes:

[Web]

This is not Houston Texas.........
And yes someone needs to oversee most developers whose main goal is one thing $$$........(how many corners are cut on construction product and safety would be allowed if there were NO oversight or questions).......

also a lot of Gov money goes to redevelop cities etc and this comes froms various streams of money including taxes and this states attitude is lacking in "paying" their way......(I have my castle and I don't want to contribute to the "public' improvements".....just look at infrastructure)

and speaking of chicago......how much does the mayor slip to his buddies and vice versa.......

I am definitely no NIMBY but if I was being overrun by a snakey developer I would question the motives also......

and No not all developers are snakes but some are.(giving carte blanche MONEY and total say is insane)

[ltsmotorsport]

I think the point is though, there are already so many regulations to prevent developers from building whatever they want, that these groups that come along and obstruct new projects are simply started by people afraid of change, and nothing else.

[innov8]

^
^ Web, sometimes I wonder if your even reading what is posted?

The city has several layers of government to over see developers.
There is the Environmental Planning Review, Design Review, The Planning
Commission and wberg's favorite, Historic Preservation which I agree we need.

Web, do you think Sacramento has a large number of NIMBY groups or what?

[innov8]

Friday, October 12, 2007
AKT reveals plans for proposed Meridian II office tower project
Developer hopes 24-story building's features will earn LEED certification

By Michael Shaw of The Sacramento Business Journal

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5985/998304000qr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rendering courtesy of AKT Investments Inc.
Plans for the 24-story Meridian II office tower include a curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants.

A curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants seven stories high are a few of the design features divulged by AKT Investments Inc. and the Tsakopoulos family for their Meridian II office tower at 15th and K streets.

AKT expects to submit an application to the city of Sacramento within the week for the 24-story building at the southwest corner of that intersection, now an empty lot.

The owners say it will be the first privately funded and privately occupied "green" office building in Sacramento. They're aiming for silver certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a system that awards points for energy- and water-saving features.

"We're excited to be a part of the ongoing revitalization of downtown Sacramento," AKT president Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased that Meridian Plaza II supports the vision of a vital downtown."

The building will have sun shading for the southern exposure to reduce air conditioning use, but it will also get points for its proximity to light rail.

While negotiations are continuing with possible tenants, none have signed on, the company said. It declined to disclose the estimated construction cost for the tower.

If history is any indication of future success, the 300,000-square-foot building should fare well compared to other downtown property.

Two new office towers are hitting the market on Capitol Mall, including Tsakopoulos Investments' 500 Capitol Mall building. Those buildings won't compete with Meridian II for the same tenants.

The Capitol Mall office market serves law firms and finance, while the area near Capitol Park sees lobbyists and other state-related tenants, said John Frisch, managing partner of Cornish & Carey Commercial's Sacramento office.

Capitol Park-area "buildings lease faster than the other parts of downtown," he said. "That type of demand -- I don't know if that continues, but the other buildings that have gone up, they've all outperformed the market in other areas."

They also have been smaller than the proposed Meridian II.

The site is adjacent to AKT's 12-story Meridian Plaza, which the company purchased in 2004. That building is entirely leased.

AKT is also renovating the building immediately to the west, 1414K St., the former home of Pacific Bell. That building is being turned into office lofts, also designed for tenants such as lobbyists and organizations that want close access to the Capitol.

[Sacdelicious]

^
^ Web, sometimes I wonder if your even reading what is posted?

The city has several layers of government to over see developers.
There is the Environmental Planning Review, Design Review, The Planning
Commission and wberg's favorite, Historic Preservation which I agree we need.

Web, do you think Sacramento has a large number of NIMBY groups or what?

I used to think the NIMBYs of Sac were bad....then I moved to NYC. For a city of towers, you'd be very very surprised to see of all the NIMBYism. Check out any of the proposed/constructed threads (especially the Columbia expansion), and you'll see real NIMBYs attempting to block any all and projects.

[creamcityleo79]

Friday, October 12, 2007
AKT reveals plans for proposed Meridian II office tower project
Developer hopes 24-story building's features will earn LEED certification

By Michael Shaw of The Sacramento Business Journal

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5985/998304000qr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rendering courtesy of AKT Investments Inc.
Plans for the 24-story Meridian II office tower include a curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants.

A curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants seven stories high are a few of the design features divulged by AKT Investments Inc. and the Tsakopoulos family for their Meridian II office tower at 15th and K streets.

AKT expects to submit an application to the city of Sacramento within the week for the 24-story building at the southwest corner of that intersection, now an empty lot.

The owners say it will be the first privately funded and privately occupied "green" office building in Sacramento. They're aiming for silver certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a system that awards points for energy- and water-saving features.

"We're excited to be a part of the ongoing revitalization of downtown Sacramento," AKT president Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased that Meridian Plaza II supports the vision of a vital downtown."

The building will have sun shading for the southern exposure to reduce air conditioning use, but it will also get points for its proximity to light rail.

While negotiations are continuing with possible tenants, none have signed on, the company said. It declined to disclose the estimated construction cost for the tower.

If history is any indication of future success, the 300,000-square-foot building should fare well compared to other downtown property.

Two new office towers are hitting the market on Capitol Mall, including Tsakopoulos Investments' 500 Capitol Mall building. Those buildings won't compete with Meridian II for the same tenants.

The Capitol Mall office market serves law firms and finance, while the area near Capitol Park sees lobbyists and other state-related tenants, said John Frisch, managing partner of Cornish & Carey Commercial's Sacramento office.

Capitol Park-area "buildings lease faster than the other parts of downtown," he said. "That type of demand -- I don't know if that continues, but the other buildings that have gone up, they've all outperformed the market in other areas."

They also have been smaller than the proposed Meridian II.

The site is adjacent to AKT's 12-story Meridian Plaza, which the company purchased in 2004. That building is entirely leased.

AKT is also renovating the building immediately to the west, 1414K St., the former home of Pacific Bell. That building is being turned into office lofts, also designed for tenants such as lobbyists and organizations that want close access to the Capitol.
FINALLY! I think it'll be a nice addition to the skyline. I like it!

[kryptos]

Friday, October 12, 2007
AKT reveals plans for proposed Meridian II office tower project
Developer hopes 24-story building's features will earn LEED certification

By Michael Shaw of The Sacramento Business Journal

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5985/998304000qr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rendering courtesy of AKT Investments Inc.
Plans for the 24-story Meridian II office tower include a curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants.

A curved glass façade, a spire and a wall of plants seven stories high are a few of the design features divulged by AKT Investments Inc. and the Tsakopoulos family for their Meridian II office tower at 15th and K streets.

AKT expects to submit an application to the city of Sacramento within the week for the 24-story building at the southwest corner of that intersection, now an empty lot.

The owners say it will be the first privately funded and privately occupied "green" office building in Sacramento. They're aiming for silver certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a system that awards points for energy- and water-saving features.

"We're excited to be a part of the ongoing revitalization of downtown Sacramento," AKT president Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased that Meridian Plaza II supports the vision of a vital downtown."

The building will have sun shading for the southern exposure to reduce air conditioning use, but it will also get points for its proximity to light rail.

While negotiations are continuing with possible tenants, none have signed on, the company said. It declined to disclose the estimated construction cost for the tower.

If history is any indication of future success, the 300,000-square-foot building should fare well compared to other downtown property.

Two new office towers are hitting the market on Capitol Mall, including Tsakopoulos Investments' 500 Capitol Mall building. Those buildings won't compete with Meridian II for the same tenants.

The Capitol Mall office market serves law firms and finance, while the area near Capitol Park sees lobbyists and other state-related tenants, said John Frisch, managing partner of Cornish & Carey Commercial's Sacramento office.

Capitol Park-area "buildings lease faster than the other parts of downtown," he said. "That type of demand -- I don't know if that continues, but the other buildings that have gone up, they've all outperformed the market in other areas."

They also have been smaller than the proposed Meridian II.

The site is adjacent to AKT's 12-story Meridian Plaza, which the company purchased in 2004. That building is entirely leased.

AKT is also renovating the building immediately to the west, 1414K St., the former home of Pacific Bell. That building is being turned into office lofts, also designed for tenants such as lobbyists and organizations that want close access to the Capitol.


any word on the proposed height?

[sugit]

Looks cool toward the top..but is that an exposed parking garage on the first few floors though? If so, I hate that.

I have to think there is a bit of retail space as well. Even a little on 15th would work since the ground is dead on that side of the street from Mason's down a couple blocks to Zen Toro and the upcoming Dream Lounge. Most office buildings not built by the state tend to, so I think its okay on that level.

As for tenants, Bullivant Houser Bailey Law Firm has been rumored to take more space at M2 after they took the last room at M1

[TowerDistrict]

If that's just parking on the bottom half, it's a lot of it... I count eight floors.
Actually I don't think it is parking. The article talks about the sun shading
on the south elevation, so maybe that's what we're looking at towards
the bottom?

That's a tough rendering to make out clearly. Overall, the design looks
intriguing and I'd love to see a few more angles. The restaurant corner
there is going to look awfully short in comparison to both Meridians and
the Marriott.

[sugit]

any word on the proposed height?

THe height limit in that area is 300', so I assume it's that tall.

[sugit]

If that's just parking on the bottom half, it's a lot of it... I count eight floors.
Actually I don't think it is parking. The article talks about the sun shading
on the south elevation, so maybe that's what we're looking at towards
the bottom?

That's a tough rendering to make out clearly. Overall, the design looks
intriguing and I'd love to see a few more angles. The restaurant corner
there is going to look awfully short in comparison to both Meridians and
the Marriott.

I hope you are right about the parking.

The owner of the land where Mason's sits has always said eventual they are going to do high-rise housing there since its one of the best locations in the city overlooking Capitol Park, but that won't be for a while now.

[arod74]

I think the design is decent with some nice accents. If it goes up it will be a good addition, i just wish we could get something built past the 350-400 foot ceiling that every building here hits.

[innov8]

If that's just parking on the bottom half, it's a lot of it... I count eight floors.
Actually I don't think it is parking. The article talks about the sun shading
on the south elevation, so maybe that's what we're looking at towards
the bottom?

That's a tough rendering to make out clearly. Overall, the design looks
intriguing and I'd love to see a few more angles. The restaurant corner
there is going to look awfully short in comparison to both Meridians and
the Marriott.

I think the garage is 8 floors because I don't see them digging a hole deep
enough to hold the required amount of parking need for this building. To me
the areas where the planter boxes are facing the alley and most likely the
west is where parking will be visible. At least they don't have the parking
visible from 15th street and K Street.

I wonder why they have the spire facing the alley instead of the corner of
15th and K Streets? Also, the Esquire Plaza has 22 floors and tops out at
322 feet with the spire, so I'm not sure how they are going to
squeeze 24 floors under 300 feet. We need to see some other angles to
make out what's going on here. This rendering only shows the alley side.

[sugit]

Parking garage floors are pretty short..so I have to think it would be do able

[innov8]

The Esquire has six floors of parking.

[sugit]

Shorter floors maybe? Whatever it is, I assume they have to keep it under 300 feet or maybe a small height variance. I can't imagine they would design something knowing they won't be able to build it.

[innov8]

I wonder if they will ask for a height change for the area?

[sugit]

I wonder if they will ask for a height change for the area?

A request for height change in the Capitol View Corridor (or what ever its called)?!?!?!

*In my best Dan Visnich voice*

Alert! Alert! Alert! Deploy! Deploy! Deploy!

The Dome! The Dome!

http://www.chairforce.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/normal_paratroopers.jpg

[TowerDistrict]

^^ hehe

yeah... after looking at a larger rendering, that must be parking. But is it also
parking on the 15th Street side? Where is the parking for Meridian I? It's kinda
funny that they get points towards LEED certification for the proximity to
light rail, but the thing has eight levels of parking menacing the street.

It's still a pretty cool looking building. I like it. Just a bit of a shame about
the bulkiness of the garage.

[kryptos]

A request for height change in the Capitol View Corridor (or what ever its called)?!?!?!

*In my best Dan Visnich voice*

Alert! Alert! Alert! Deploy! Deploy! Deploy!

The Dome! The Dome!

http://www.chairforce.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/normal_paratroopers.jpg

lol..i dont think the NIMBYS jump from planes...they seem to be afraid of "height"

[ozone]

One point I would make about the parking garage business. You know I'm not a big fan of the USB garage but this site overlooks the loading docks on the backside of the Convention Center and a multi-level parking garage next to the Marriott. So it's not exactly like it's destoying streetlife or views. In fact it'll have ground floor retail which will enliven the area. Hey if the garage makes it more salebale and we get rid of one more empty lot then I could care less. Plus the LEED cert. is moving in the right direction.

[friedpez]

lol..i dont think the NIMBYS jump from planes...they seem to be afraid of "height"

LOL!!

[TowerDistrict]

Has ground floor retail been included in the project now?

Last we heard there was none, but this is a totally different building...

[foxmtbr]

Wow!! I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I absolutely love that design!

[ozone]

Has ground floor retail been included in the project now?

Last we heard there was none, but this is a totally different building...

Well I'm making the asumption that it will have some. I would be very surprised if it did not.

Of course the "wall of plants seven stories high" is all about disguising the parking garage -especially the side facing Capitol Park. I mean the design doesn't make sense otherwise.

[wburg]

ok, so you wet your pants when you discovered the railyards would be lite up, but the thought of lighting up the ziggurat is somehow unacceptable, why?.....Sactown Rob already made the case how inexpensive it would be to power it daily.

omg, so now you admit to the 8 year delay, but that is somehow acceptable to you.. we’re not talking about rebuilding the world trade center site, incroyable!

Regarding the gang….me croire (believe me) its not a secret.

I don't consider the lighting up of the railyards or the ziggurat to be unacceptable, I don't even have a problem with it, I just don't see how they have anything to do with each other.

I'm not admitting to the "8 year delay" as though some entity was actively resisting making modifications to the bridge for 8 years. I'll take you at your word that the idea came up 8 years ago, but I question the assumption that the bridge should have been modified immediately, as though the city didn't have other things to consider or other funding priorities.

And I suppose I'll re-state it for you: If you think there is a unified non-secret gang of folks who resist every development, you're delusional. I'm sure that, if you look, every proposal or project will have someone who opposes it, but it isn't necessarily the same people. Either that, or your threshold of opposition is waaay too low: sometimes it seems like people here get upset and insulted not because someone has made positive efforts to oppose a project, but simply because they don't wholeheartedly support it.

[wburg]

Who said they were a secret?
You find it acceptable that Kathy Daigle of the California State Railroad
Museum Foundation as well as the Sacramento Old City Association and
other preservation groups now start to (haggle as you call it) to get an
additional 25 acres along with the 14 they already being given for their local
preservation district. This demand could stall the project long enough to kill
the Railyard project altogether. And like I said, your okay with this.


Actually, that negotiation has already concluded and a compromise was established, so there's really no delay at all. Keep in mind that the size of the historic preservation district has nothing to do with ownership of the land. Nobody is being "given" anything: historic preservation districts have to do with building preservation and design, not ownership of land.

[Tenebrist]

i'm looking at that rendering... does the curved side face south? toward the alley? and capital park?

[snfenoc]

Actually, that negotiation has already concluded and a compromise was established, so there's really no delay at all. Keep in mind that the size of the historic preservation district has nothing to do with ownership of the land. Nobody is being "given" anything: historic preservation districts have to do with building preservation and design, not ownership of land.

I'm glad there will be no delay. I seriously doubted this whole thing would cause any noticeable slowdown in an already really slow process. However, I am still annoyed, and my annoyance is based on principle. It bothers me that a compromise had to be made. (I certainly hope this compromise does not affect Thomas Enterprises' plan to build waterfront high rises.) I believe Daigle and the "Suck It! Brigade" had no right to make a historic claim on land they do not own. Even if they will eventually control a portion of the land, that portion (or any other historic area, for that matter) is not entitled to a buffer. In addition, I don't believe the government has the authority to enforce the preservation of historic sites.

You say historic preservation has nothing to do with ownership of the land: Does that mean you think historic preservation is more important than property rights??? I hope not. Don't get me wrong, I love historic buildings and historic areas, but individual rights are very important to me (heck, it's the reason our country was founded), and the "needs" of preservationists should never get in the way an individual's (or, in this case, a company's) right to do what he wants with his land.


You may want to take what I say with a grain of salt...I'm voting for Ron Paul. ;)

[BrianSac]

I don't consider the lighting up of the railyards or the ziggurat to be unacceptable, I don't even have a problem with it, I just don't see how they have anything to do with each other.

I'm not admitting to the "8 year delay" as though some entity was actively resisting making modifications to the bridge for 8 years. I'll take you at your word that the idea came up 8 years ago, but I question the assumption that the bridge should have been modified immediately, as though the city didn't have other things to consider or other funding priorities.

And I suppose I'll re-state it for you: If you think there is a unified non-secret gang of folks who resist every development, you're delusional. I'm sure that, if you look, every proposal or project will have someone who opposes it, but it isn't necessarily the same people. Either that, or your threshold of opposition is waaay too low: sometimes it seems like people here get upset and insulted not because someone has made positive efforts to oppose a project, but simply because they don't wholeheartedly support it.

I never said anything about an "entity", and I never said they wanted to widen the bridge immediately. I said there was immediate discussion after the opening of Raley Field. You have a way of twisting my words...have you thought of going to law school? ;)

I never said there was a gang that was you or someone else that suggested that...I was just being facetious on that point once it was brought up. Our process is designed to allow for opposition based on just about anything and encourages it. Serious opposition occurs with just about every single major project proposed in Sacramento, and I'm not one of those that gets "upset" if a project is not wholeheartedly supported, serious grass roots opposition is another matter.

[ltsmotorsport]

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5985/998304000qr2.jpg

Well, I don't want to make a final decision about the design until I see the building from the 15th and K side, but it does look good from this side.

And I would hope that there would be some ground floor retail. It would really help complete that block with Mason's and Capitol Garage.

[urban_encounter]

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5985/998304000qr2.jpg

Well, I don't want to make a final decision about the design until I see the building from the 15th and K side, but it does look good from this side.

And I would hope that there would be some ground floor retail. It would really help complete that block with Mason's and Capitol Garage.


I agree with everything you wrote Mike.

My one concern, is the pattern of highrise development in Sacramento is for the design to highlight one side of the building and leave the remaining three to mediocrity.

I hope that they don't intend to do the same with MII.

[jsf8278]

I agree with everything you wrote Mike.

My one concern, is the pattern of highrise development in Sacramento is for the design to highlight one side of the building and leave the remaining three to mediocrity.

I hope that they don't intend to do the same with MII.

I've noticed that. Most notably I guess would be with US Bank. I wondered why they put so much effort into the design facing Capitol Mall, and the rear looks really awkward.

[wburg]

I'm glad there will be no delay. I seriously doubted this whole thing would cause any noticeable slowdown in an already really slow process. However, I am still annoyed, and my annoyance is based on principle. It bothers me that a compromise had to be made. (I certainly hope this compromise does not affect Thomas Enterprises' plan to build waterfront high rises.) I believe Daigle and the "Suck It! Brigade" had no right to make a historic claim on land they do not own. Even if they will eventually control a portion of the land, that portion (or any other historic area, for that matter) is not entitled to a buffer. In addition, I don't believe the government has the authority to enforce the preservation of historic sites.

You say historic preservation has nothing to do with ownership of the land: Does that mean you think historic preservation is more important than property rights??? I hope not. Don't get me wrong, I love historic buildings and historic areas, but individual rights are very important to me (heck, it's the reason our country was founded), and the "needs" of preservationists should never get in the way an individual's (or, in this case, a company's) right to do what he wants with his land.


From the demands here to use eminent domain on Mo Mohanna's land, it sounds like people don't mind usurping Mo's rights to his property if it serves the public interest. This isn't quite the same, but the theory works the same: preserving the Railyards serves the public good. This isn't merely a demand made by a handful of agitators, but following policies set down in state, federal and local law that specify the importance of preserving aspects of our naional heritage.

Historic preservation districts are not nominated based on land ownership: they are, maybe not surprisingly, based on the historic character of the buildings. In the case of the Railyards area, the historic district listing also has to do with the importance of historic events that took place there, as well as the architectural character of the buildings. Generally, they are based on architecture and regulate modification, demolition and protection of buildings. If the city ever gets off its butt (see, I don't entirely disagree with you cats that the city does stuff very slowly) and implements the Mills Act, there will also be property-tax incentives to maintaining historic buildings within these districts, and other "carrots" to go along with the "stick."

The nice thing about the Railyards discussions is that Thomas Enterprises were the ones who initially nominated a portion of the railyards, and then created a "transition zone" around the railyards. What they didn't know at the time, but they have since learned, is that the features of this "transition zone" were in no way at odds with the features of historic preservation districts. The portion by the river will not be part of the district, except for the route of the Transcontinental Railroad itself. This will be commemorated by a historic walk (another idea that Thomas put forth) that will lead from the river and Old Sacramento through the heart of the Railyards' new shopping district, and will end up adjacent to the historic buildings.

Thomas, I think, assumed that an HPD meant that buildings had to look faux-old, like in Old Sac, when in fact, Secretary of Interior standards discourage this strongly, except in very specific circumstances. Their plans, to build these buildings within specific height limits and follow Secretary of Interior standards regarding structures near historic buildings, actually fit very well--so there's no harm done by adding the historic district specification.

The purpose of the preservation district proposal was NEVER to slow down the process: all of the preservation groups involved want to see the Railyards buildings stabilized, maintained and preserved, as do Thomas Enterprises. They just want to see it done right.

[snfenoc]

So what you are saying is preservation of historic areas trumps ownership rights. And you are happy with that? Not me. Something needs to change.

You keep harping on Thomas Enterprises' nomination of the shops area. But that was never the problem (although, I maintain it is not purview government to maintain (enforce onerous regulations) the historic nature of an area). The issue is the nomination of a larger area than preferred by Thomas Enterprises (the property owner) by the "Suck It! Brigade". Thomas Enterprises' nomination of 14 acres (I think) of land does not justify the unwanted nomination of 39 acres by the "Suck It! Brigade".


By the way, I do not support the use of ED on Moe Mohanna's property. Individual rights are far more important than the public good.

[wburg]

snefnoc: You have a right to your opinion regarding government's power to create historic districts, but they disagree with current law. And yes, to a limited extent, preservation trumps property rights. I am aware that this doesn't sit well with everyone.

For example, I live in a historic preservation district; my home is a contributing structure. Because of this status, I am limited in the sort of exterior modifications I make on this house. This is because while I am the owner of the property, I am also the steward of a historic structure.

As to the nomination: Actually, the nomination was for a National Register Historic District, not an expansion of the city preservation district. The two are very different things: for starters, a National Register Historic District nomination requires the approval of a majority of the property owners in the district. If the district has one owner, and they say no, a district cannot be established.

[travis bickle]

Been away for more than a week and haven't had a chance to read all of the posts, but this just jumped out at me...

The purpose of the preservation district proposal was NEVER to slow down the process: all of the preservation groups involved want to see the Railyards buildings stabilized, maintained and preserved, as do Thomas Enterprises. They just want to see it done right.

This, of course, is pure bullshit. Sorry for the language, but sometimes I just get tired of wburg's "who-'lil ole me?" shtick. It is ALWAYS the purpose of opposition groups to threaten - either directly or indirectly - to delay a project. They know that delay can be, and often is, fatal to any project. They know that nothing frightens a developer more than delay and uncertainty. Despite what wburg would have you believe, opposition groups have become masters of the process and well know-how to manipulate it.

Kathy Dongle and her goose-stepping preservationist goons are no exception. I'd like to see what this compromise entails before I comment on the specifics, but to claim that delay was NEVER in the opposition plans is simply laughable. It's part of the way people like her work. It's what they do. I'm sure Ms. Dangle had attorneys ready to go if Thomas didn't jump through this hoop.

If her efforts were all in good faith, then why did they make the request for additional land without Thomas's knowledge? Wouldn't it have been easier, and more ethical, to just call Thomas and express their concerns? Of course it would have... but that's not the way you operate if you want to be able to threaten to delay a project. And Doogle wanted to have that hammer in her hand before she began talks with Thomas.

So just save it wburg. No one's buyin...

[wburg]

travis: Did the tinfoil fall out of your hat or something? Thomas Enterprises and the Railroad Museum have been in constant communication throughout the process. If anyone wanted to use a delaying tactic, there are probably better ways than a historic-district nomination process that expressly requires the consent of the property owner!

You're also wrong in assuming that any of the groups involved oppose development of the Railyards. Nobody wants to see the Railyards land sit unused, least of all the Railroad Museum, whose future plans center around two of the Shops buildings.

[travis bickle]

travis: Did the tinfoil fall out of your hat or something? Thomas Enterprises and the Railroad Museum have been in constant communication throughout the process. If anyone wanted to use a delaying tactic, there are probably better ways than a historic-district nomination process that expressly requires the consent of the property owner!

You're also wrong in assuming that any of the groups involved oppose development of the Railyards. Nobody wants to see the Railyards land sit unused, least of all the Railroad Museum, whose future plans center around two of the Shops buildings.

Apparently during all of that "constant communication," Dogle and her group somehow failed to mention that tiny detail that they were applying for an additional 25 acres for Historic Designation. "Oops! I guess it just slipped our minds..."

Thomas has indicated that they had no idea that Ms. Dogs and her group had applied or were applying for the designation until it became public.

That's not exactly good-faith communications now is it? Of course, it wasn't supposed to be.

And where exactly do I assume any of the groups oppose development of the railyards? I'm talking about the threat of delay here and you're laughably ridiculous assertion that that was "NEVER" part of the plan. Be specific and do try to hurry, I have to be on the road in a few.

As usual wburg, you're claiming people say things that they haven't. Another typical tactic of opposition groups.

Try again...

[innov8]

Sutter Medical Foundation Building check out the Time Lapse here (http://sutterhealth.oxblue.com/smcsacramento/)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1217/suttermedicalcenteryj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[innov8]

I've noticed that. Most notably I guess would be with US Bank. I wondered why they put so much effort into the design facing Capitol Mall, and the rear looks really awkward.

I totally agree... I have been stumping this issue since 99'. The Fed Court
building and the EPA tower on I Street have been built the same way. My letters
the Design Commission have fallen on def ears. I might have to bring this to their
attention again, but with photos to show them what exactly were talking about.
It's not like these building are a few stories, their 350' or taller and can be seen from nearly every direction.

[snfenoc]

Varied interests vie for inside track at railyard
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, September 13, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A16

Print | E-Mail | Comments (0)| Digg it | del.icio.us


Sacramento's downtown railyard is a blank slate, and everybody wants to write on it.

History buffs have asked for a 39-acre historic district surrounding the old railroad shops. Chinese leaders want a museum and perhaps a Chinese garden. Local arts groups envision a complex with performing arts venues and a kindergarten-12th grade arts conservatory.

A year after a failed city-county effort to build an arena in the railyard, a planned development of up to 12,000 housing units, a historic and cultural district, and millions of square feet of office and retail space is working its way through the approval process.

As it moves closer to approval, more people are trying to stake their claim on what's considered one of the most significant "infill" sites in the country.

The plans are big. And so are the problems.

Not only must developer Thomas Enterprises juggle the competing agendas of interest groups clamoring for a piece of the railyard, it must figure out how to come up with hundreds of millions of dollars needed to extend roads, utilities and other infrastructure to the site.

To that end, the Atlanta company is working with the city for quick approval of its development plan and environmental impact report, which was released last month.

If the project obtains the city's blessing by November, Suheil Totah, Thomas Enterprises vice president, said the project stands a better chance of winning up to $200 million in state bond funds.

"One of the criteria for the money is project readiness," Totah said. "We want to show that we're ready."

The situation in the railyard is still uncertain enough that the NBA has turned its sights to Cal Expo instead of the railyard as a possible arena location.

Still, Totah and community leaders who appeared at the city's first formal hearing on the railyard proposal Tuesday expressed considerable excitement.

If it obtains money from the state's $2.85 billion housing bond, Totah said that could pay for enough public improvements for the first phase to proceed.

He called the railyard a "marquee project" for the infill and transit-oriented pots of money in the state bond fund.

"The mayor has appeared before the Legislature to present the railyards as an example of a project that could be funded under them," he said. "We've had meetings with the Governor's Office. We're hoping that we can secure $100 million, but perhaps up to $200 million."

It took Thomas Enterprises six years to reach an agreement with Union Pacific to buy the railyard. Since the sale closed in December, the planning process has picked up steam.

On Tuesday, the city held the first of three joint hearings by its Planning, Design and Preservation commissions at the Sheraton Hotel. Normally, a developer would have to go before each commission separately, which can take many months.

City officials said it was the first time they knew of that the commissions had met jointly to consider a project. The idea is to get the railyard plan to the City Council by November -- warp speed by city standards.

Opening the meeting, Councilman Ray Tretheway said the redeveloped railyard would redefine Sacramento as the region's hub.

"It's going to have its own signature, its own specialness, and that's what we're going to try to carve out over these next couple of months," he said.

People have different ideas about what makes the railyard special, however.

Appearing before the commission, Steve Yee recalled its history as the site of Sacramento's former Chinatown -- Yee Fow -- on the banks of a slough filled in by Union Pacific. He is leading an effort to build a museum in the railyard.

"We cannot exclude the Chinese from this discussion," Yee said.

Richard Rich, development director for Thomas Enterprises, said he's enthused about the idea of a Chinese history museum. The development firm also has embraced the idea of a performing arts complex.

But Thomas Enterprises takes issue with an application filed last month by the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, the Sacramento Old City Association and other preservation groups to have 39 acres around the shops designated as a federally protected historic district.

The proposed district would stretch to the Sacramento River, where Thomas Enterprises proposes to build high-rises.

Totah said Thomas Enterprises already has filed to have about 14 acres designated as a local preservation district. This land encompasses the historic shops, two of which have been earmarked for the state to use as an extension of the Railroad Museum.

The developer also was considering a federal filing, but the museum foundation beat the company to the punch. The foundation is seeking a larger historic district that includes now vacant sites such as the former right of way of the transcontinental railroad tracks.

Kathy Daigle, associate director of the foundation, said the groups want to spur public discussion over the appropriate boundaries for the historic area.

"We think we have only one chance to get this right," she said.

Daigle said having a historic designation would not prevent Thomas Enterprises from building on the land around the shops, but would limit the height of buildings in the district, requiring that they be compatible with the 19th-century shop buildings.

"It just means you can't build high-rise buildings right next to these historic buildings," she said.

Representatives for Thomas Enterprises disagreed. They said the historic district designation could impose another layer of delay and bureaucracy on a project that's on the edge of being mired in difficulty.

Totah said his company already has spent nearly $150 million to plan the railyard development, buy the property and clean up contaminants left by a century of dumping.

"We want to build this plan, and it's got to be economically feasible," he said.

About the writer:
The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@ sacbee.com.

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2007/09/12/22/739-railyard.standalone.prod_affiliate.4.jpg

Copyright © The Sacramento Bee
2100 Q St. P.O. Box 15779 Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 321-1000


I agree, the "Suck It! Brigade" is not seeking to delay the project. They just want to make sure it is done their way; because, of course, they know best.

Clearly, the Suck It! Brigade's federal nomination of 39 acres was unwanted by Thomas Enterprises (which was seeking to have 14 acres designated a local preservation district and was considering a federal filing).

wburg, you imply the federal nomination by the Suck It! Brigade carries little weight because it must be approved by the property owner (Thomas Enterprises). This seems to be the case (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_district_%28United_States%29#_note-nrhp).

Question: What was the purpose of the behind the back federal nomination??? Was it simply symbolic? There's got to be more to it than that.

[wburg]

Sounds like this should be moved over to the Railyards thread.

[econgrad]

Sounds like this should be moved over to the Railyards thread.

Why? :shrug:
We have too many threads as it is...
The Railyards are the most important development in Sacramento's history.

[wburg]

Why? :shrug:
We have too many threads as it is...
The Railyards are the most important development in Sacramento's history.

Obviously, so I can bamboozle you all with doublespeak I learned in Sociology 101.

[innov8]

I found this intresting, I never knew a building had to meet so many guidelines
to be Certified LEED. Click on the Gateway Tower PowerPoint Presentation (http://www.aguerhavelock.com/showprop.php?pid=220)to learn all about it



http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/7708/natomasgatewaytowermb1.png (http://imageshack.us)

[reggiesquared]

Been away for a while. Ho-LEE crap. wburg continues to spam the board with his chronicles of narcissism. So much fluff, so little time...

Guess the preservationists boards are a less exciting place to blow up 20 times a day... :slob:

[econgrad]

Obviously, so I can bamboozle you all with doublespeak I learned in Sociology 101.

:haha:
bamboozle is a word I have not heard many peeps my age say...way cool, I need to start using that too. :yes:
:cheers:

I am on a search for some good, non-speculative news for us all...wish me luck!

[ltsmotorsport]

I found this intresting, I never knew a building had to meet so many guidelines
to be Certified LEED. Click on the Gateway Tower PowerPoint Presentation (http://www.aguerhavelock.com/showprop.php?pid=220)to learn all about it



http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/7708/natomasgatewaytowermb1.png (http://imageshack.us)

So the time line they have says it was supposed to start construction in August, but I haven't heard anything about it. Is it still at least going to start this year?

[innov8]

It did start in August. The land has been groomed and marked with flags
and I think they have also finished driving the piles. The piles from the
freeway looked to be about 30 feet long.

[kryptos]

Been away for a while. Ho-LEE crap. wburg continues to spam the board with his chronicles of narcissism. So much fluff, so little time...

Guess the preservationists boards are a less exciting place to blow up 20 times a day... :slob:

as a preservationist, he probably still uses the Apple IIe

[wburg]

If there's a Sacramento preservationist message board around I'd love to know about it, but so far I haven't seen one...I don't have an Apple IIe but I do still have my TRS-80 Model 100 proto-laptop. I used to have a Model II with 8" disk drives and 64K of RAM, I even used it for a while to access the Internet via text-only dialup connection, thanks to its 9600 baud RS-232 port and an external modem.

[Ryan@CU]

I’m not sure if anyone has posted these or if there’s an actual Metropolitan thread, but here are some renderings I found online.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/MagnaRyan/m1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/MagnaRyan/m2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/MagnaRyan/m3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/MagnaRyan/m4.jpg

[goldcntry]

Ahhhh.... those were the days! Remember when 14.4 was slick lightning in a bottle? Just to make this a non-troll post, here's an update on 301 Cap Mall.

Work crews were pouring cement yesterday.... to shore up the west and north sidewalks. Most of the rebar has been cut off of the exposed pilings with the noteable exception of a plot on the the east side of the lot that was located just north of the SE tower. Not sure what they're waiting for on those. They have really cleaned up the NW tower pilings... didn't realize that there were that many actually in the ground as many of them were covered in dirt and other debris.

:tomato:


oooooooo!!!! Just saw Ryan's post. I Like It! :D

[wburg]

Maybe it's just the bare-wireframe rendering but the Met looks kind of "meh" in those renderings. I do kind of like the structures along 10th Street that would provide a little shade/rain protection along the walking route. I suppose that the effort here is to go for a more conventional, conservative sort of building in order to minimize controversy, although the last time people decided they wanted something more conservative we got 800 J. Me, I'd like something that looked more radical with a conservative financial plan to build it.

[innov8]

Urban Encounter started a Metropolitan Thread here (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=133718). Thoses look to be old rendering before
it was changed to a blueish color.

It's a still just an average tower to me.

[TowerDistrict]

There are no shadows, reflections or texture shown in those renderings or
the ones in the separate Metro thread. In fact it's really more of a detailed
diagram of the building placed awkwardly in a real photo.

Contemporary architecture, like that, is all about the materials. Take away
the contrast and texture of the materials and all you have is a bunch of
rectangles like above.

I think it's really tough to judge it from what we've seen so far.

[innov8]

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4269/curtisparkvillagesm9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Curtis Park Village

It appears Curtis Park Village is still moving forward. There is continuing
remediation work at the site. If you happen to be driving on the
Sutterville Road overpass, take a look over at the former West Pacific
Railroad site where you'll see large piles of dirt being moved around. It's
anticipated that the soil clean-up work will last till the summer of 2008.
The project will likely be heard at the City Council late winter or early spring
and construction will commence in the latter half of 2008.

There are plans for 48 residential units above commercial buildings. The
orange area on the map will be apartments living in three story buildings with
a clubhouse, swimming pool, and out door living spaces for the residents.

The Curtis Park Village project consists of 72 acres, with most of the
property being contaminated with toxic and hazardous substances.
A majority of the site will be excavated in varying degrees up to 40 feet in
depth and the contaminated soil will be removed to a federally controlled
toxic dumping site in Utah.

The current plan for the village is to have 225 residential units and 160,000sf
of commercial use.

[TWAK]

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4269/curtisparkvillagesm9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Curtis Park Village

It appears Curtis Park Village is still moving forward. There is continuing
remediation work at the site. If you happen to be driving on the
Sutterville Road overpass, take a look over at the former West Pacific
Railroad site where you'll see large piles of dirt being moved around. It's
anticipated that the soil clean-up work will last till the summer of 2008.
The project will likely be heard at the City Council late winter or early spring
and construction will commence in the latter half of 2008.

There are plans for 48 residential units above commercial buildings. The
orange area on the map will be apartments living in three story buildings with
a clubhouse, swimming pool, and out door living spaces for the residents.

The Curtis Park Village project consists of 72 acres, with most of the
property being contaminated with toxic and hazardous substances.
A majority of the site will be excavated in varying degrees up to 40 feet in
depth and the contaminated soil will be removed to a federally controlled
toxic dumping site in Utah.

The current plan for the village is to have 225 residential units and 160,000sf
of commercial use.
I'll take some pics of the site tomorrow if my math class tomorrow is skippable.

[innov8]

Swedish company to build $181M utility plant for state offices
Sacramento Business Journal - by Celia Lamb
Friday, October 19, 2007

A Swedish company has won a contract to build a central utility plant to serve state office buildings in downtown Sacramento.
Skanska AB expects to complete the $181 million plant by April 2010.

The facility will provide steam heat and chilled air for the 5.5 million square feet of state office space in 23 downtown Sacramento buildings. "It's going to really provide more reliability and redundancy the current plant doesn't have," said state Department of General Services spokesman Eric Lamoureux.

It will be constructed around the 40-year-old state utility building at 625 Q St. When the new building is finished, the old building will be torn down and replaced with a cooling tower. The tower will help the state comply with a state Water Resources Control Board order to cool off heated water before releasing it to the Sacramento River.

The new building will also feature a tank for storing chilled water, enabling the state to run the chiller plant at night when statewide power demand and prices are lower, said Joel Griffith, project manager for the state Department of General Services.

The contract starts Monday.

The company has worked on other projects in California, including a seven-story hospital at the Modesto Memorial Medical Center completed in June and a patient tower under construction at the San Jose Regional Medical Center.

Skanska AB (Stockholm Stock Exchange: SKAB) has a building subsidiary, Skanska USA Building Inc. , based in Parsippany, N.J., and an engineering unit, Skanska Civil, based in Whitestone, N.Y.

Skanska AB has 56,000 employees in Europe, the United States and Latin America. It's 2006 sales totaled $19.6 billion. Skanska USA Building has about 3,900 employees and had 2006 sales of $4.7 billion.

[ltsmotorsport]

So far, this is the only west-end project that has come to fruition. Hopefully the city can get it together and keep the rest of the project downtown.

[sactown_2007]

Hey it looks like 500 Capitol Mall (Or Bank Of The West Tower) finally has a web site :banaride:


http://www.500capitolmall.com/



But as you can tell -- it is still under construction. Hope it does not take as long as the foundation to build :haha:

[arod74]

Nice find sactown! No kidding about the foundation, hopefully the finished website will give us as much info as 621's did.

[Web]

Skanska AB (Stockholm Stock Exchange: SKAB) has a building subsidiary, Skanska USA Building Inc. , based in Parsippany, N.J., and an engineering unit, Skanska Civil, based in Whitestone, N.Y.

Skanska AB has 56,000 employees in Europe, the United States and Latin America. It's 2006 sales totaled $19.6 billion. Skanska USA Building has about 3,900 employees and had 2006 sales of $4.7 billion.[/QUOTE]


Skanska is big in road repair and road building and has purchased a big company in So Cal E L Yeager of Riverside.

[ozone]

Friday, October 19, 2007
Tensions rise before bidding on huge state project

Off-site developers object to offer of free land downtown
Sacramento Business Journal - by Michael Shaw Staff writer


Developers vying to build the state's largest-ever leased office project were stunned last month when the Capitol Area Development Authority appeared to endorse one likely applicant more than a month before proposals were due.

The endorsement of developer David Taylor in partnership with CIM Group Inc. turned out to be a gaffe, and the item was pulled before a vote, but its appearance on a CADA agenda heightened the tension among the marquee players pursuing the 1.4 million-square-foot complex to house the California Resources Agency.

The stakes -- a project valued by some as high as $700 million -- don't get much higher.

"People are investing tremendous amounts of time and money to formulate proposals," said Mark Friedman, whose Fulcrum Property's partnership with Hines Interests Inc. wants to build it on the West Sacramento riverfront. "Everyone is watching closely that the bid process is conducted in a fair, even-handed fashion. When circumstances like the CADA endorsement happen, it conveys that one side is being favored over another."

Fairness might be in the eye of the beholder when it comes to this project, once known as West End for the property between 7th and 8th streets and N and P streets, where state government wanted to build the project itself. That's because the state is offering that land for free, which some argue is a bounty to those wanting to build there. Developers looking elsewhere will have to factor in land costs, although their sites might have more room to spread out than the cramped, 2½-block, state-owned property.

The latest move by the Department of General Services, which handles state government's real estate needs, is to push back the application deadline from Nov. 6 to early January. The new deadline is at the request of some developers who want the option of tax-exempt financing -- not available in the original offer.

So far, three contending locations have emerged: The original West End site, where several developers may offer proposals; Fulcrum's property in West Sacramento's "Triangle" area; and the Richards Boulevard area controlled by a partnership. Applicants are likely spending between $300,000 and $500,000 each to prepare their applications, according to one insider.

Perhaps the most contentious issue so far has been the state's free land offer because half the decision on who gets the contract will be based on the rent rates. Other considerations, such as experience and financial capacity to build the project, make up the rest of the decision.

West Sacramento redevelopment director Val Toppenberg said the free land offer doesn't make economic sense.

"The state is not getting its best deal with this approach," Toppenberg said. "If they took that land and sold it, they could get a better deal."

But officials at the Department of General Services, which handles state government's real estate needs, said that the state wants to keep the West End site for future expansion should another site be chosen for the Resources Agency project.

"There's a lot of baggage and cost to build on that site," said Anne Cavanagh, program manager with General Services. "The impact of that greatly exceeds the appraised value."

The West End site would likely require underground parking and vertical construction, plus the removal or accommodation of a historic structure, pushing costs up.

Among those interested in building at the downtown site are Taylor, who couldn't be reached for comment, and Panattoni Development Co., which developed the California State Teachers' Retirement System building now under construction by Harbison-Mahony-Higgins Builders Inc. in West Sacramento.

Just like the CalSTRS tower and other new state offices, the Resources building will have to meet environmental quality standards. The state expects designs for a campus that produces 10.5 percent of its own energy and one that will eventually qualify for "silver" certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.

Michelle Azevedo, senior development manager with Panattoni, said it would be effortless to move its team from West Sacramento to downtown. Location is crucial because the complex must have access to mass transit. "Light rail will be the key to all of this," Azevedo said.

Sacramento officials are touting the city's abundant public-transit routes as a decisive asset in the city's favor. Bus and light-rail lines already run past the West End site and a planned, but unbuilt, Downtown-Natomas-Airport light-rail line would go through the Richards Boulevard area.

A partnership that includes Grove Investment Co. and the backers of Township 9, a mixed-use development north of Richards Boulevard, is the interested party in that location.

"We have a lot to offer the state," said Steve Goodwin, a Township 9 partner, noting that the state has operations on at least 30 acres in that neighborhood.

An anchor to revitalization
Officials at the two cities are clear about what the project would mean to their economies. If built to the largest option, the new Resources complex would house 4,000 workers. There's the financial impact of that many workers heading into neighborhoods to eat lunch, but some see the complex as the anchor of a revitalization effort, driving housing, retail and new growth.

Assuming that lawmakers will fund it and that California can afford it, the state wants to occupy the new building by October 2011 and has asked for a 25-year lease with options to purchase. Under a tentative plan, workers would relocate from the current Resources building at 1416 9th St., which office brokers say is in near-ruinous condition; 12 other leased buildings; and one additional state-owned building around Sacramento. The preliminary list of departments affected include Fish and Game, Forestry, Parks and Recreation, and Water Resources. Developers can also pitch a smaller, 700,000-square-foot building.

The complex is important enough that the idea of cutting development fees to lure the campus had been floated by city staffs at early meetings about the project, Cavanagh said. But Toppenberg and Sacramento assistant city manager John Dangberg have declared that their cities won't subsidize a state office building. That's because property tax revenue disappears if the state exercises an option to buy the complex.

Instead, Dangberg said Sacramento would be willing to consider upgrading transit amenities, such as light-rail stops, to help the project and the surrounding community at large.

Land swap?
Some say such a large undertaking warrants considerations beyond the economic ones.

Ken Turton, a commercial broker with CB Richard Ellis who specializes in the urban core, said keeping workers downtown benefits him, but that's not his only interest in following this project.

"I think the Sacramento River is one of the area's most underutilized assets," he said. "If it were not located downtown, then my choice would to see it built where it can benefit the area the most and that would be the Sacramento River. I would also like to see the public property owners like the state do more 'out-of-the-box' thinking. The West End land parcels have significant value regardless of whether they are used for this specific project. By selling the land or including it in trade for another less valuable parcel, the West End site can be used to lower the costs of another site."

The state's Capitol Area Plan calls for the complex to be built at the West End site, so that's why the joint-powers authority CADA supports that location.

CADA executive director Paul Schmidt said the endorsement of David Taylor's proposal was a mistake because he didn't realize when he met with Taylor that others planned to pursue the project there as well. Schmidt said the authority won't endorse a particular development team, but CADA isn't backing off its support of the West End itself. A resolution of support might still be forthcoming, but likely after the developers have submitted their proposals.

[TowerDistrict]

Well before I was hoping they'd pick Township 9 or the Triangle to jump
start those two sites... but they say that they'll hold the downtown sites for
future projects either way?

I can't tell if that's good or bad? I wish the state would heed the advice all
these developers keep handing out and sell their land at the former West-
End site. Build this monster project somewhere where it can be more easily
incorporated into its surroundings.

[ozone]

:previous: I agree. But I'd rather see them sell the West End site to a private developer who will build high-density housing. O Street certianly doesn't need any more 9 to 5 state offices. Isn't it about time the State start respecting their Capitol City?

[innov8]

Nice find sactown! No kidding about the foundation, hopefully the finished website will give us as much info as 621's did.

Steel is scheduled to arrive for erection in the first week of November. It appears the
tower crane is going in on the 5th Street side.

[kryptos]

Steel is scheduled to arrive for erection in the first week of November. It appears the
tower crane is going in on the 5th Street side.

any word on the metropolitan? or meridian II?

[ltsmotorsport]

Meridian II won't happen for a while, and I think the Metropolitan is still jumping through the city's hurdles.

[downtownserg89]

Steel is scheduled to arrive for erection in the first week of November.


i love that sentence sooo much!! :)

anyway, URBAN OUTFITTERS OPENS THIS THURSDAY!!

come come.

i don't work opening day, but i do work this friday from4 to close, and saturday from 2-8, so stop by and say haaaaaaaay!

store looks amazing.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b149/dirtychimp182/mail-1-3.jpg

[Trojan]

Is there a small grand opening sale on the first day?

[downtownserg89]

no, but the first 300 customers get a cute tote bag!

today's the day.

i bet the store is hectic as FECK.

i'm so not looking forward to closing tomorrow night.

word on the street is that sometimes the employees will stay till 2am making sure the store looks "perfect" for the next day.

:yuck:

[goldcntry]

You can do it Serg... You're young and vibrant and not antiquated like the rest of us... ;)

:tomato:

[snfenoc]

Condo project loses its star
Architect Libeskind cuts ties to developer, citing nonpayment.
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mlvellinga@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/454810.html

Billboards featuring the bemused face of star architect Daniel Libeskind have disappeared from downtown street corners, and so have plans by Denver developer Craig Nassi to build two Libeskind buildings here.

First, Nassi's Aura condominium project on the Capitol Mall ran into trouble. Now the head of BCN Development says he can't find financing for the 50-story Epic condo and hotel tower he planned for 12th and I streets, either.

Last week, a lawyer representing Libeskind and the local office of architecture firm Stantec Inc. sent a letter to Nassi terminating their relationship for nonpayment.

"Design professionals do not have the ability to continue working for free," said the letter from lawyer John Condrey, a copy of which was provided to the city.

In an e-mail Thursday, Nassi characterized the letter as a "routine" part of shutting down the city approval process for Epic for lack of funding.

"We still have a great relationship and are in talks about other projects in the country and the world," he said of Libeskind.

"Sacramento's economy is so depressed at the moment, we can't get lenders to consider any projects at this time," he said.

"It's frustrating, but we have to hold off on burning the fire until we know lenders will participate in the projects. We are still working daily to try to find lenders who have the same vision as us."

The break comes less than two weeks after Nassi appeared at the Sacramento City Planning Commission to get input on the Epic project. At the meeting, he showed off a new three-dimensional model of the Libeskind design for Epic that he trundled around the room in a case.

He told the commissioners that he was "off and running" with his sales team, and that Epic had a design and price range that were "achievable to build."

Yet his relationship with Libeskind in Sacramento was nearing an end.

Lawyer Condrey wrote the city Sept. 17, saying Libeskind and Stantec had "terminated" their relationship with Nassi, and were "asserting their right to halt work utilizing their copyrighted intellectual property."

The letter asks that "all plans and renderings" for the Epic project be returned or destroyed.

After that letter was sent, Stantec told the city to disregard the correspondence while it tried to work things out with Nassi, said Planning Manager David Kwong.

But then, on Oct. 19, their lawyer fired off a new letter confirming that Libeskind and Stantec were no longer working for Nassi, and that the application for Epic should be withdrawn.

"Architects of record regret that events have led to this necessary action," the Oct. 19 letter stated.

Aura and Epic were designed by Libeskind, who vaulted to fame after he was chosen to do the master plan for the World Trade Center reconstruction.

On both local buildings, the soaring glass facades were cut by sweeping lines created by balconies and other elements.

Kwong said the application for Epic has been withdrawn, though the city plans to keep Libeskind's drawings on file as part of its public records.

As for the Aura project, Planning Department spokeswoman Jill Scofield said it remains approved and ready to go if and when Nassi decides to build it. The city had agreed to lend Nassi $10 million, but pulled back the offer in August after he failed to meet a deadline to secure his financing.

"We're ready to issue building permits on Aura," Scofield said. "It's up to the developer to come pull them. But we haven't heard about any movement on that, either."

The scrapheap of high-rises planned for Sacramento before the real estate market collapsed is starting to pile up. Libeskind's creations join the twin 53-story hotel and condominium towers formerly planned for the Capitol Mall by local developer John Saca.

********************
So many high rise residential proposals and NOT ONE gets built.

[Fusey]

:previous: Like this is suprising. It's been said on here many times, but you have to wonder how Nassi actually earns money.

[JeffZurn]

Your right its not suprising, but it is still disappointing. Nassi is something else

[SacTownAndy]

I think it's ironic that during one of the biggest housing booms in recent memory, the only highrises going up are office. Hopefully at least Sacramento will now be better poised to reap the benefits when the next boom hits.

[arod74]

I would imagine this would be the last we hear from Mr Nassi. His name has to carry zero credibility in this town considering all the BS he and his sales team have shoveled around here. With Saca, even though his project imploded more spectaularly, at least I got the sense he was always being upfront and honest to the best of his ability about the status. Nassi always seemed to be a used car salesman of a developer.

[TowerDistrict]

Did Nassi/BCN ever own the land where Epic was proposed?

I don't have a vast knowledge of these things, but I wonder if Nassi is the
least successful developer of all time?

[JeffZurn]

Well on the positive side, Saca will have a much easier time getting the Intercontinental if the Metro goes up

[SacTownAndy]

I don't have a vast knowledge of these things, but I wonder if Nassi is the
least successful developer of all time?

Yeah, I would have to think he's up there. I wonder which town he will get run out of next- first Denver, then Reno, and now Sac. Anyone want to place some odds?;)

[Fusey]

$5 says he'll crash in the Big Apple.

[arod74]

Did Nassi/BCN ever own the land where Epic was proposed?

I don't have a vast knowledge of these things, but I wonder if Nassi is the
least successful developer of all time?

I believe Taylor has always held the title with option to sell to Nassi.

[reggiesquared]

I think it's ironic that during one of the biggest housing booms in recent memory, the only highrises going up are office. Hopefully at least Sacramento will now be better poised to reap the benefits when the next boom hits.

A) I like how the article, although very expected, focuses on the architect instead of the main object: the fact that both projects are dead.

B) I don't think a boom is necessarily needed to create high rise living downtown. I really think sustainable growth is the way to go. This town has a very cyclical nature, that I am aware of. But feast or famine creates problems. Maybe a boom will create a high rise or two but when the bust comes they will be empty. I don't think its a "if you build it they will come" kind of downtown yet. Midtown has tremendous pull but downtown is so run down. Not as fashionable as some developers would like you to think it is.

[Majin]

What is the status of The Metropolitan and Cathedral Square? Aren't they both in the 20+ floor range? All we need is a few small projects to be sucessful downtown and it will prove to lenders that downtown condos can be sucessful here.

What we really need is for someone to build one without funding or minimum funding. Isn't Tsakopolis building 500 CM without funding?

[TowerDistrict]

Catherdal Square is on hold because the developers are waiting for that
hypothetical "perfect day" to build their building. Of course as soon as they
smell a boom coming, start building, and two years later are ready to start
selling, that won't sound so brilliant. I'm sure Saca will agree.

[JeffZurn]

Daniel Libeskind Studios and Stantec Consulting Inc. have pulled out of the Epic condominium tower proposed for 12th and J streets in a dispute over pay, effectively killing the financially strapped project.

Libeskind and Stantec were the architects of record for Epic, which was to have been Denver-area developer Craig Nassi's second condo tower in Sacramento after the high-profile Aura on Capitol Mall. In an Oct. 19 letter, provided by the city of Sacramento, they said they had terminated their relationship with Nassi on Epic.

That has led Nassi to pull the Epic out of the city's approval process, staff said.

Nassi had asked the city about a month ago to resume processing of applications for Epic, but he was not able to finance the project or remain in contract with the architects, according to the city.

The Aura project on Capitol Mall, another Libeskind design, is technically still alive, but Nassi and his BCN Development have been unable to secure financing for that project either.

© 2007 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of bizjournals.

[Majin]

Thats right I forgot about that....

Thats so retarded, I am fairly sure they could start selling right now and still succeeed. What is the harm in at least trying to sell now? Don't want spend money on a marketing campaign?

We REALLY need someone to just fund an entire project... hopefully Saca will come through with The Metropolitan.

[TowerDistrict]

and watch Thomas Enterprises and The River District/Township 9 groups put
over 2,000 high density housing units on the downtown market in 5 years.
i wonder what sort of effect that would have on highrise development?

[Majin]

^^ If it were guaranteed (and by high density you mean 5-8 floor minimum each), I'd take that over the "chance" of 2-3 high rise condos.

[TowerDistrict]

That's their plan... and I agree.

My point being that the developers waiting right now may find themselves
dead in the water by the time the market wakes them up. When instead,
they could be working on their next project.

I don't get the wait and see mentality. Nothing is ever accomplished by
sitting on your ass and watching the world go by.