Sacramento Proposal/Approval/Construction Thread - III

[Mr. Ozo]

Originally Posted by wburg

It sounds like the plan has changed a lot since LJ Urban first proposed it in 2007; modular off-site construction instead of being built on site, and some changes to layout. There is a lot of infill going into vacant lots and alleys in that corner of Newton Booth, although we're seeing it happen all over the central city. The relocation of the Co-Op to 28th and R Street, now under construction, may be spurring some folks to move lots they have been sitting on for years.

Yes, it would be nice some more interesting businesses move in some of the commercial business along 28th and R in that area. Build on the Temple complex for a more "mellow" section of Midtown, but still with some more life.

[creamcityleo79]

Kaiser Permanente announces plans for medical center in railyard

Kaiser Permanente has announced plans for a new medical center on 18 acres in the Sacramento railyard.
The nonprofit medical provider’s senior vice president and area manager, Ron Groepper, said in an email announcement Kaiser has entered a purchase and sale agreement for the site in the railyard. Kaiser now begins a two-year due diligence and entitlement phase for the project, according to the email announcement. The announcement did not give a start date for construction.

“We are excited about the potential that this land holds for a new hospital and are looking forward to completing the due diligence and entitlement work that is already underway,” the announcement stated. Kaiser negotiated the deal with Downtown Railyard Venture LLC, the entity controlled by Larry Kelley and his family that will develop the 200-acre railyard north of downtown Sacramento.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/ne...jAiEl5DcXYSI67dxb4F9e33mJsZ&t=1435253886

[Majin]

I hope it's another high rise hospital.

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by Majin

I hope it's another high rise hospital.

Let's hope so and hope that it's not a sea of parking lots. If so, I hope KJ and the city council vote it down! That would be so disappointing.

[creamcityleo79]

Kaiser buys 18 acres in downtown railyard for new hospital

Kaiser Permanente announced Thursday that it has purchased 18 acres in the downtown Sacramento railyard.

In announcing the deal with Downtown Railyard Venture LLC, Kaiser officials said the healthcare giant intends to use the site for a new hospital.

“We are excited about the potential that this land holds for a new hospital,” said Ron Groepper, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser.

The land buy continues Kaiser’s investment in downtown. Last year, Kaiser purchased a six-story, 195,000-square-foot building at Fifth and J streets, close to the historic railyard. Kaiser intends to the use the structure at 501 J Street as a medical office building.

Kaiser represents the first commercial entity to buy land in the railyard, said Downtown Railyard Venture principal Larry Kelley. He said having Kaiser onboard will help jumpstart the process of developing the railyard.

“It’s going to be a state-of-the-art facility and it’s going bring a high job count,” Kelley said. “You’re talking thousands of workers.” The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.

Kelley’s firm is in the process of buying the 240-acre railyard from an Illinois real estate firm, a purchase that is expected to close in about 60 days. Kelley said the Kaiser hospital is probably two years away.

“Today’s announcement of a new hospital at the railyards is a big deal for Sacramento and we could not be more pleased to be partnering with Kaiser Permanente,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson in a prepared statement.


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article25494463.html#storylink=cpy

[Mr. Ozo]

Originally Posted by Majin

I hope it's another high rise hospital.

An 18 acre highrise? 18 acres is 7 or 8 grid blocks.

Hello sea of parking

[Surefiresacto]

I don't have a link, but I saw on Twitter earlier today that the Kaiser development plan would not impede on the possible soccer stadium or world food center. However, it did mention that the original estimate/plan of 10,000 housing units in the rail yards would be heavily scaled back in favor of commercial & medical buildings (campuses?). Sounds like Natomas/Rancho Cordova to me.

[Majin]

Originally Posted by Surefiresacto

I don't have a link, but I saw on Twitter earlier today that the Kaiser development plan would not impede on the possible soccer stadium or world food center. However, it did mention that the original estimate/plan of 10,000 housing units in the rail yards would be heavily scaled back in favor of commercial & medical buildings (campuses?). Sounds like Natomas/Rancho Cordova to me.

I would consider KJ a failure if he really lets that happen. In fact, I would be extremely disappointed if there is a single surface parking lot in the entire railyards.

[Deno]

Natomas would be a better fit. Sounds like the railyards are going to look more like the expo area than a part of downtown and not that pedestrian friendly. What other plans are there for the old arena site.

[wburg]

Surface parking lots pretty much fly in the face of every current city planning code, not to mention the specific plan for the Railyards. But yeah, I'm a bit worried about the Railyards becoming the anti-Natomas, a bunch of offices that close at 5 PM and depend entirely on commuters from other parts of the region instead of a high-population neighborhood connected by transit to the rest of downtown.

[ltsmotorsport]

As others have mentioned, I think it's the acreage of the purchase that is worrisome. 18 acres in an urban context is a HUGE campus, and would be very difficult to keep pedestrian friendly. Hopefully the city will push the application to adhere as closely to the 2007 plan as possible, but I fear for the great street grid proposed in that plan.

Staying closer to the 12,000 unit number would be nice too. Hope the Kelly's see the light on that point.

[SacTownAndy]

I've heard on numerous media outlets in the last two days that the focus for the railyards has now been shifted from retail/residential to an "employment and innovation center" with the original planned number of housing units being "drastically" reduced.

This has me a little concerned. It sounds like the focus has potentially shifted from more Pearl District-esque to now a slightly more dense Natomas.

[Majin]

Originally Posted by SacTownAndy

I've heard on numerous media outlets in the last two days that the focus for the railyards has now been shifted from retail/residential to an "employment and innovation center" with the original planned number of housing units being "drastically" reduced.

This has me a little concerned. It sounds like the focus has potentially shifted from more Pearl District-esque to now a slightly more dense Natomas.

Good thing no plans are 100% solid yet then as this directly flys in the face of KJ's 10,000 residents number. Midtown residential construction is booming but vast majority of that cannot be just in midtown unless KJ plans to put a ton of residential skyscrapers in midtown alone.

A lot needs to (and should) be spreading to downtown and the railyards. No more office dead zones in the grid anymore.

KJ, by way of the planning commission, needs to start regulating on these developers. They have so far been a rubber stamp on residential development but that better not turn into a general rubber stamp for massive office complexes in the railyards with no residential developments.

[UnclearColt]

18 acres doesn't seem THAT bad to me, since it's really just under 5 square blocks in the Grid. I mean, Sutter General covers about 12 acres around Sutter's Fort and that's far from what I'd consider Natomas.

[LandofFrost]

Every month West Sac starts building more housing, but all those real estate taxes are going to Yolo County, this doesn't bug me much as its actually closer to downtown then Midtown is, what bugs me is that Sacramento has the opportunity to create a major, dense housing area like the Pearl District in Portland, and so far... squander, but maybe I'm jumping the gun.


Edit. Ok after seeing the overhead view of the area that is going to be used for Kaiser, I'm actually mortified, it's a good 1/5th of land and after the soccer stadium, shopping area, rail road museum, there really won't be much room for homes.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Okay, all of these comparisons to the Pearl District in Portland need to end. Not only will the Railyards never be like the Pearl, they can't be like the Pearl.

The Pearl was far more integrated into Portland's central city than the Railyards are. The streets were already there, and all you had to do was cross Burnside and immediately be among the offices and shops of downtown. The Railyards are disconnected from the rest of downtown by the rails and the surrounding neighborhoods, like Alkali Flats. The Pearl is also being developed organically; there's still some light industry in there, from machinists to mechanics. In general, there was a fabric that could steadily be improved upon. The whole street grid for the Railyards has been laid down at once; there's no way that's organic development! Not only that, but you're cut off from downtown by a series of overpasses, rail lines, a water treatment plant, the wasteland under I-5, and whatever's out on Richards.

If any comparison is to be made to the purported planning mecca that is Portland, it would be the South Waterfront. A brand new, fully planned neighborhood that's failed to meet many of its goals developed over a former industrial site, detached and disconnected from all other neighborhoods in SW Portland. Roads were laid down at once, all the buildings were constructed at the same time. Now, it's not as bad with the streetcar connection, the new bridge, and the aerial tram, but it's functionally a dead zone. People don't go there, it's difficult to get into and out of that neighborhood, and there's few sustaining amenities like grocery stores or supermarkets. The neighborhood is steadily improving, but it's vastly fallen short of its overall unit goals and its affordable housing goals. The best chance for the Railyards is to be a better version of the South Waterfront, because organic growth over two decades simply isn't going to work. At least there's the possibility of having multiple anchor developments jumpstart surrounding development, like the Republic stadium and the new Kaiser center.

[Pistola916]

Sac already has a Pearl District developing, on R street. With the emergence of R and projects like the Ice Blocks, that area will become something special.

[wburg]

To be honest, I'd rather have a Kaiser in the railyards than a Bass Pro big-box store...

[Pistola916]

Originally Posted by wburg

To be honest, I'd rather have a Kaiser in the railyards than a Bass Pro big-box store...

Well I hope Kaiser finds a creative way to hide the surface parking (under I-5 maybe?) that will most likely come with the project. If its a high-rise hospital, similar to Sutter's new Anderson Luchetti Childrens hospital, then that's great. But 18 acres seems like a whole lot of land and an indication Kaiser plans to add a swarm of surface lots, which would be a flat out joke to a neighborhood that was supposedly the next big residential and nightlife destination.

I'm not against a downtown hospital - I think having one is a fine idea. I am somewhat worried we're looking at a suburban style campus

[ltsmotorsport]

Originally Posted by wburg

To be honest, I'd rather have a Kaiser in the railyards than a Bass Pro big-box store...

I don't think, and I'd hope, that no one is arguing to latter is better than the former.

But I'm sure you and I and everyone else on this forum agree that the de-emphasis on housing for the Railyards is more than a shame. The grid planned out in 2007 (below) should be built to the furthest extent possible, and as many of the planned units squeezed between the two new institutional uses. Keeping these areas, especially the hospital, a lively urban area will be quite the challenge. Let's just hope the altered vision still sees this area as an extension of a dense, walkable, urban area, and not a series of employment campuses.