Sunday, December 28, 2008

Capital Mall Beautified

Well, yes, of course, it is a great idea floated in the Sacramento Bee, but how many great ideas to beautify Downtown Sacramento have gone aborning in the past several years.

Perhaps current public leadership, with the new changes in place, will actually do this, and that would be wonderful.

An excerpt.

“Capitol Mall could use a makeover, city officials are saying. They're thinking … Paris.

"We can make it our own Champs-Elysées!" said an enthusiastic Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn.

“Cohn, who's pushed the idea for years, is part of a city-sponsored group looking at enlivening what many say is a beautiful, yet oddly bland boulevard.

"It has beautiful vistas, but there's hardly anybody on it," said Cohn.

“He envisions cafes and restaurants on extra-wide, tree-shaded sidewalks, clanging trolley cars and a big fountain at the west end to mirror the one in front of the state Capitol.

“It would mean getting rid of those do-nothing grass medians in the middle of the street, he said.

“Others are talking about a museum, new art and performance spaces, and even some stores.

“In 2009, the public will be invited to offer ideas. Officials then hope to launch an international design competition, inviting architects to create visions of what Capitol Mall could become.”