"What's going on Sacramento" Chit-Chat

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by SacTownAndy

^^ I actually noticed that the other day as well driving south on I-5. It is new. I thought the capitol view protection ordinance prohibited this? 555 Cap Mall has had BofA and Visit CA signage for a while now but it's a much shorter building.

Somebody on here said those rules prohibiting signage were relaxed.

[urban_encounter]

There’s a good front page article in today’s SF Chronicle that dives into the high costs of building residential units in San Francisco. Of course anything that happens in San Francisco reverberates in Sacramento when it comes to rising construction costs, shortage of construction labor and of course rising demand for housing.

In the article Developer Anthony Kennedy points out that to make residential projects economically feasible; they would have to charge perspective tenants $5,000 a month. Of course in a tech city like San Francisco that’s not a problem for a lot of people (which is why we’ve seen so many residential towers go up inn SF). But it also helps to underscore why we haven’t seen any residential towers yet in Sacramento. We still have high construction costs and a shortage of construction labor but very few people able to pay those kind of rents that would help a project pencil out.

I know we’ve beat this subject to death here in our Sacramento forum, but it was just interesting to read that even in San Francisco, developers have a difficult time getting projects to pencil out.

[enigma99a]

Originally Posted by SacTownAndy

^^ I actually noticed that the other day as well driving south on I-5. It is new. I thought the capitol view protection ordinance prohibited this? 555 Cap Mall has had BofA and Visit CA signage for a while now but it's a much shorter building.

Took a photo the other day..

[ltsmotorsport]

Every night this week the crown lighting on the Federal Courthouse has been lit. Definitely enjoyed seeing it and hope it continues.

[SacSFChi]

The Federal Courthouse crown lights and south facade wash have been lit up for a couple of weeks now. They are on a timer, 5pm to 10pm.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by SacSFChi

The Federal Courthouse crown lights and south facade wash have been lit up for a couple of weeks now. They are on a timer, 5pm to 10pm.

I’m glad they’re lighting it up again. I hope they keep it going.
Wish the Ziggurat lights would be turned on regularly.

[Korey]

Or CalEPA. Is there going to be any lighting on the new Natural Resources building? Doesn't look like it from what I remember from the renders.

[SacTownAndy]

Originally Posted by Korey

Or CalEPA. Is there going to be any lighting on the new Natural Resources building? Doesn't look like it from what I remember from the renders.

I believe there's a V-shaped acrhitectual inset on the north side of the building that looks to be lit from the renderings. On that same note, I'm surprised how much of the building is visible when driving I-5 south in downtown. It's turning out to look better than I expected. The night lighting is at 2:08 on the youtube flyover video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhxFF22tTNQ

[Majin]

Originally Posted by SacTownAndy

I believe there's a V-shaped acrhitectual inset on the north side of the building that looks to be lit from the renderings. On that same note, I'm surprised how much of the building is visible when driving I-5 south in downtown. It's turning out to look better than I expected. The night lighting is at 2:08 on the youtube flyover video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhxFF22tTNQ

I really hate how a lot of state buildings have those stupid plazas. It's a waste of space.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by Majin

I really hate how a lot of state buildings have those stupid plazas. It's a waste of space.

[Majin]

Originally Posted by urban_encounter

You don't agree its a waste of space or don't agree that most state buildings have them?

[Korey]

To be fair, the Natural Archives plaza looks better than most. And that stretch of O Street east to 16th will be getting a nice face-lift soon.

Originally Posted by SacTownAndy

I believe there's a V-shaped acrhitectual inset on the north side of the building that looks to be lit from the renderings. On that same note, I'm surprised how much of the building is visible when driving I-5 south in downtown. It's turning out to look better than I expected. The night lighting is at 2:08 on the youtube flyover video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhxFF22tTNQ

Its subtle, and I hope the south side has a similar lighted cut-out (and they actual turn the lights on), but I like it. And I agree, the view from the North is much better than I was expecting, there's a good angle from Township 9 area too where it fills in a skyline gap well.

[sactivity]

Hi, everyone. Just letting you all know I'm in town. Showing the misses a good time here. Great pizza at Pizza Rock, did the Crocker, the Capitol and lit some candles at the Cathedral. I'm trying to take lots of pictures but we're vacationing too. This city needs to take care of the homeless situation big time.

[CastleScott]

As a rail fan I've been trying to get the city involved into the idea of installing a cam at the Sacramento Valley Station so us Virtual Rail Fans can check out trains (passenger or freight) passing by downtown Sacramento via youtube. I check out various rail cams and Sacramento would be a great match for one. If on youtube check out La Plata MO-in fact La Plata is so popular that its possible that it brings in some tourists.

Anyway just something I've been working on since I'm now retired.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by Majin

You don't agree its a waste of space or don't agree that most state buildings have them?

Haha,

When I first read your comment I immediately disagreed with you until I started running some of the state building plazas through my mind.

I must admit you have a point that it’s a waste of space.

But if they weren’t wasting the space for a plaza they could make the floor plate larger and the building shorter. Pick the lesser of the two bad options.

[Majin]

Thank you for not letting your hatred of me cloud your judgement, glad we can agree on something.

And yes you're right a plaza is probably a better trade than a shorter building taking up an entire block.

I just don't know why if they do need the plazas, why can't they just have ground floor retail with a plaza on the 2nd level? At least the first floor would go to some use that would not leave the block dead after 5pm.

In the urban core I don't really like thing that even may "look nice" but have absolutely no use after 5pm. At least public parks like Fremont Park is an entire block that is actually used 24 hours a day. State Plaza attached to office towers have zero use.

[snfenoc]

Originally Posted by Majin

Thank you for not letting your hatred of me cloud your judgement, glad we can agree on something.

And yes you're right a plaza is probably a better trade than a shorter building taking up an entire block.

I just don't know why if they do need the plazas, why can't they just have ground floor retail with a plaza on the 2nd level? At least the first floor would go to some use that would not leave the block dead after 5pm.

In the urban core I don't really like thing that even may "look nice" but have absolutely no use after 5pm. At least public parks like Fremont Park is an entire block that is actually used 24 hours a day. State Plaza attached to office towers have zero use.

Honestly, I wish the state would its money where its mouth is, when it comes to housing. Why not put a few levels of housing and retail in those plazas. Then, you have some life after 5 pm. Heck, the state is looking to build a parking garage on R Street, but won't wrap it with housing. What gives?

[Majin]

Originally Posted by snfenoc

Honestly, I wish the state would its money where its mouth is, when it comes to housing. Why not put a few levels of housing and retail in those plazas. Then, you have some life after 5 pm. Heck, the state is looking to build a parking garage on R Street, but won't wrap it with housing. What gives?

I agree. The state is partly complicit in the housing crisis if they waste space like this rather than including housing in projects like these.

[innov8]

Future office needs are going to decline as companies consider permanent
work from home policies.

Colliers International has reported that “At least 20% of Sacramento area restaurants
have already permanently closed due to the current pandemic. The most recent
announcement was PF Chang's at 16th & J Street. Many more small businesses will
close as a result of these new business shutdowns and restrictions.” In addition, “The
State of California has paused new office leasing. And many companies are considering
or are already in the process of downsizing as executives consider implementing
extended or permanent work from home policies.

[Korey]

Originally Posted by snfenoc

Honestly, I wish the state would its money where its mouth is, when it comes to housing. Why not put a few levels of housing and retail in those plazas. Then, you have some life after 5 pm. Heck, the state is looking to build a parking garage on R Street, but won't wrap it with housing. What gives?

My taxpayer dollars going to housing? You commie!

The downtown retail scene is suffering a great recession/furloughs type disaster (maybe even worse) right now. If only the powers that be had listened to us and encouraged a more residential downtown there would be some demand there; hard to charge top dollar rents for Class A when everything around the office is boarded up. Although I wasn't necessarily for the convention center/theater remodel, the timing has worked out well with no revenue possible anyways. Also, I can't wait for the unwrapping of the Paragary hotel, it feels like a present with all that mesh up.