As reported by the Sacramento Bee, a very good—though long overdue—move by the city council; gives a little more flavor and character to our fair city’s downtown/midtown neighborhoods.
An excerpt, with a map at the jump.
“From now on, the best way to navigate through midtown Sacramento might be to hop onto Kayak. And someday soon, there might be people living on Eggplant or dining at a hip cafe on Jazz.
“After years of dead ends, the City Council voted Tuesday night to name the alleys of the central city grid. The new names will be a nod to Sacramento's history and character.
“As a result, alleys in most of midtown and downtown will begin with the letter of the street to its north. For example, Blues Alley will run between B and C streets and Victorian Alley will run parallel to V and W.
“City officials are beginning to develop the grid's alleys and hope to one day have cafes, housing and shops lining some of the corridors. In order to develop the passages, the city had to give them names.
"Sacramento's alleyways now have names that reflect their distinctive and fanciful character, helping to further brand the central city," said Councilman Rob Fong, who represents the midtown and downtown areas.
“In addition to aiding in the development of the central city, naming the alleys will help police officers and firefighters respond quickly to emergencies in corridors that until now didn't have names, city officials said.
“Some of the names include:
• Solons Alley, a reference to the minor league baseball team that once called Sacramento home.
• Tomato Alley, named for the city's most recognized agricultural product.
• Democracy and Government alleys. The city is, after all, the capital of California.”
Showing posts with label K Street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label K Street. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
K Street Drama, Act 1345
The plans continue, and though these look very promising, we have been here before; but still, hope does spring eternal.
This article from the Sacramento Bee reports on the latest efforts.
An excerpt.
“Sacramento took a big step Tuesday toward remaking K Street's bleakest stretch into a hub of city life.
“By a unanimous vote, the Sacramento City Council approved the development agreement and financing plan for a $47.7 million project that will bring housing, restaurants, boutiques and live music to the 700 block of the K Street Mall.
“If all goes smoothly, the developer behind the project said he hopes to break ground by the end of the year – and finish by 2014.
"This is going to change the look and feel of K Street," Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said. "It's something the city of Sacramento has been working really hard to get and we're stepping across the threshold."
“City Hall spent years – and $42 million – acquiring 19 properties along the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street. The City Council voted in July to hand over those properties and millions of dollars in redevelopment subsidies to two development teams.
“The financing plan for a project on the 800 block led by downtown developer David Taylor is still being ironed out, and city officials are hoping to present a plan to the council by the end of the summer.
“For now, City Hall's attention will turn to the 700 block – the stretch of mostly empty storefronts bordering Westfield Downtown Plaza.
"We think this project will be a huge catalyst for that area," said developer Bay Miry, who is best known for his red brick restaurant and residential project at 14th and R streets in midtown.
“Miry's D&S Development and CFY Development are proposing 137 moderate-income and market-rate housing units facing both the K Street Mall and the alley between K and L streets.”
This article from the Sacramento Bee reports on the latest efforts.
An excerpt.
“Sacramento took a big step Tuesday toward remaking K Street's bleakest stretch into a hub of city life.
“By a unanimous vote, the Sacramento City Council approved the development agreement and financing plan for a $47.7 million project that will bring housing, restaurants, boutiques and live music to the 700 block of the K Street Mall.
“If all goes smoothly, the developer behind the project said he hopes to break ground by the end of the year – and finish by 2014.
"This is going to change the look and feel of K Street," Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said. "It's something the city of Sacramento has been working really hard to get and we're stepping across the threshold."
“City Hall spent years – and $42 million – acquiring 19 properties along the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street. The City Council voted in July to hand over those properties and millions of dollars in redevelopment subsidies to two development teams.
“The financing plan for a project on the 800 block led by downtown developer David Taylor is still being ironed out, and city officials are hoping to present a plan to the council by the end of the summer.
“For now, City Hall's attention will turn to the 700 block – the stretch of mostly empty storefronts bordering Westfield Downtown Plaza.
"We think this project will be a huge catalyst for that area," said developer Bay Miry, who is best known for his red brick restaurant and residential project at 14th and R streets in midtown.
“Miry's D&S Development and CFY Development are proposing 137 moderate-income and market-rate housing units facing both the K Street Mall and the alley between K and L streets.”
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
K Street Drama: Act 2399
The problems with the Westfield Mall anchor to K Street is a reflection of the problems with K Street, and this latest angst-ridden lack-of-causation (it’s unsafe and unsightly) article from the Sacramento Bee keeps their normative anti-business-society’s-fault narrative going.
An excerpt.
“Undermined by the economy and suburban competition, Sacramento's Downtown Plaza shopping mall has been losing luster and customers for years.
“Now, news that owner Westfield Group has put the mall up for sale has launched a fresh round of hope and concern – and has prompted some local leaders to say it may be time for a complete knockdown and do-over at the site.
“Among the key questions: Who will buy Sacramento's "forgotten mall," and will that company have the resources, creativity and political chops to reinvent the plaza, or at least to stop the downhill slide?
“Westfield, a mammoth international company, is offering little public information about its sales plan. Retail analysts say Downtown Plaza is one of 17 poorer-performing U.S. shopping centers the Australia-based company wants to unload to raise cash for expansions at more successful malls, including four in California.
"They're pruning the lower end of their portfolio," said Benjamin Yang, a retail analyst who tracks Westfield for Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, a securities brokerage firm.
“Whoever buys the 18-year-old mall will get it cheap.
“When Downtown Plaza reopened in 1993 after a $157 million revamp, Sacramentans flocked to the urban amenity and upscale stores such as J. Crew, Ann Taylor, Z Gallerie, Banana Republic and the Museum Co. Today, most of those tenants are gone. And so are the shoppers.
“Westfield's holdings at the downtown site, which do not include the two Macy's stores, have plummeted in value from $207 million to $55 million in four years, company reports show. Downtown Plaza is now worth one-tenth the value of Westfield's other local mall, Roseville Galleria.”
An excerpt.
“Undermined by the economy and suburban competition, Sacramento's Downtown Plaza shopping mall has been losing luster and customers for years.
“Now, news that owner Westfield Group has put the mall up for sale has launched a fresh round of hope and concern – and has prompted some local leaders to say it may be time for a complete knockdown and do-over at the site.
“Among the key questions: Who will buy Sacramento's "forgotten mall," and will that company have the resources, creativity and political chops to reinvent the plaza, or at least to stop the downhill slide?
“Westfield, a mammoth international company, is offering little public information about its sales plan. Retail analysts say Downtown Plaza is one of 17 poorer-performing U.S. shopping centers the Australia-based company wants to unload to raise cash for expansions at more successful malls, including four in California.
"They're pruning the lower end of their portfolio," said Benjamin Yang, a retail analyst who tracks Westfield for Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, a securities brokerage firm.
“Whoever buys the 18-year-old mall will get it cheap.
“When Downtown Plaza reopened in 1993 after a $157 million revamp, Sacramentans flocked to the urban amenity and upscale stores such as J. Crew, Ann Taylor, Z Gallerie, Banana Republic and the Museum Co. Today, most of those tenants are gone. And so are the shoppers.
“Westfield's holdings at the downtown site, which do not include the two Macy's stores, have plummeted in value from $207 million to $55 million in four years, company reports show. Downtown Plaza is now worth one-tenth the value of Westfield's other local mall, Roseville Galleria.”
Monday, May 23, 2011
K Street Drama, Act ???
Well, here we go again, the latest in K Street Dream On’s are reported in the Sacramento Press, and everyone who has followed this issue over the past several years, knows that the inability of the city to provide basic public safety/order in the downtown area, lies at the heart of the continued failure to reawaken K Street.
That being said, we hope that this latest effort is joined with a vigorous public safety/order component, and leads to eventual success.
An excerpt.
“Redevelopment projects for the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street cleared a final hurdle on their way to the Sacramento City Council when the city's Preservation Commission approved both Thursday night.
“The commission called a special meeting to consider the final major design components after both projects were approved by the Planning Commission last week. A City Council vote of approval, which will be set for sometime in June, would mean groundbreaking could finally begin on two key blocks of K Street Mall that have long been eyesores.
“The projects will add 337 mixed-income apartments in the downtown core, rehab the landmark Bel-Vue Apartments and restore all but one of the building façades on the south side of the 700 block of K Street. The projects were both approved unanimously by the five commissioners present.
“Activists in the city's preservation and housing communities have worked long and hard for housing and historic preservation there. The community raised an outcry over a previous project that proposed tearing down the Bel-Vue, recalled Preservation Commission Chair Karen Jacques.
"Finally, we are going to see some really nice development on both the 700 and the 800 blocks of K Street. That's a huge boost for this city," she said. "Those two blocks have been a disaster for so long. With these projects, the historic buildings are getting saved."
“The special meeting was held Thursday, rather than waiting for the commission's next scheduled meeting in June, to get the projects to the council as soon as possible. The projects may qualify for redevelopment funding that is at risk of being lost if Gov. Jerry Brown abolishes redevelopment agencies to help solve the state's budget woes.
“No one is certain when that might happen. Some officials and developers fear it could be as soon as June 30.”
That being said, we hope that this latest effort is joined with a vigorous public safety/order component, and leads to eventual success.
An excerpt.
“Redevelopment projects for the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street cleared a final hurdle on their way to the Sacramento City Council when the city's Preservation Commission approved both Thursday night.
“The commission called a special meeting to consider the final major design components after both projects were approved by the Planning Commission last week. A City Council vote of approval, which will be set for sometime in June, would mean groundbreaking could finally begin on two key blocks of K Street Mall that have long been eyesores.
“The projects will add 337 mixed-income apartments in the downtown core, rehab the landmark Bel-Vue Apartments and restore all but one of the building façades on the south side of the 700 block of K Street. The projects were both approved unanimously by the five commissioners present.
“Activists in the city's preservation and housing communities have worked long and hard for housing and historic preservation there. The community raised an outcry over a previous project that proposed tearing down the Bel-Vue, recalled Preservation Commission Chair Karen Jacques.
"Finally, we are going to see some really nice development on both the 700 and the 800 blocks of K Street. That's a huge boost for this city," she said. "Those two blocks have been a disaster for so long. With these projects, the historic buildings are getting saved."
“The special meeting was held Thursday, rather than waiting for the commission's next scheduled meeting in June, to get the projects to the council as soon as possible. The projects may qualify for redevelopment funding that is at risk of being lost if Gov. Jerry Brown abolishes redevelopment agencies to help solve the state's budget woes.
“No one is certain when that might happen. Some officials and developers fear it could be as soon as June 30.”
Friday, February 11, 2011
K Street Drama, Act 6000
Though in a recent post it appeared things were looking up—and time will tell on the mermaid/merman infusion—this new plan, as reported by Sacramento Press, appears to be another act in the ongoing drama.
An excerpt.
“D & S Development, Inc., and CFY Development Inc. – led by David Miry and his son, Bay Miry, and Cyrus Youssefi and his son, Ali Youssefi – are currently working with the city on plans to redevelop the south side of the 700 block of K Street.
“The developers propose a mix of adaptive reuse and new construction that would include a music club, four restaurants with bars and other retail, second-floor apartments, sidewalk patio seating, rooftop decks for dining and residential use, and a six-story apartment building on the alley.
“The developers also plan to restore historic brick and wood storefronts facing K Street.
“City staffers expect to bring the project back before the Preservation and Planning commissions and the City Council for final action in May and June. The developers hope to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2011 and open the completed development two and a half years from now.”
An excerpt.
“D & S Development, Inc., and CFY Development Inc. – led by David Miry and his son, Bay Miry, and Cyrus Youssefi and his son, Ali Youssefi – are currently working with the city on plans to redevelop the south side of the 700 block of K Street.
“The developers propose a mix of adaptive reuse and new construction that would include a music club, four restaurants with bars and other retail, second-floor apartments, sidewalk patio seating, rooftop decks for dining and residential use, and a six-story apartment building on the alley.
“The developers also plan to restore historic brick and wood storefronts facing K Street.
“City staffers expect to bring the project back before the Preservation and Planning commissions and the City Council for final action in May and June. The developers hope to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2011 and open the completed development two and a half years from now.”
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
K Street Comeback?
Has it finally happened, the right combination of current projects and soon-to-become projects creating the destination entertainment/restaurant hub envisioned for years?
We certainly hope so, but after all the years of redevelopment drama, we will have to wait a little longer to say, with any confidence, yes.
An excerpt from the recent article in the Sacramento Bee.
“Maybe you've heard about the mermaid? (She can smile underwater while bubbles come out of her nose.)
“Perhaps you've heard about the mammoth truck coming out of the wall? (I sat at the bar under the ultraclean chassis and lived to tell about it.)
“And surely you've heard about the millions in city funds spent on rehabilitating a section of downtown Sacramento's K Street that used to be really dead (and a tad scary).
“Yes, Pizza Rock and the Dive Bar right next door have opened with a flourish and, yes, they have rejuvenated the block faster than you can say, "Hold the anchovies."
“We made two trips there in recent days to gather a few impressions and see whether all that work, all that money and all that water in the mermaid tank have been worth it. The project is spearheaded by Bay Area impressario George Karpaty, who doesn't just dream – he dreams big.
“On our first visit, on a Sunday night, I was startled to see the K Street Mall teeming with energy, even if the Broiler and Ella Dining Room and Bar were closed.
“Inside, Pizza Rock was packed with folks of all ages. The music was upbeat and spanned the spectrum from old favorites to new hits. I remember Neil Diamond followed by Pearl Jam.
“On our next visit, a Tuesday, there was a 30-minute wait for a table. This, in a once-dilapidated building that sat empty for two decades while everyone debated how K Street should be revived.
“Pizza and mermaids and millions are not the entire answer, but they are certainly giving the K Street Mall an oversize dose of momentum. Nearby Ambrosia Cafe, a popular spot for lunch and breakfast, has already announced it will stay open most nights until 11:30 and focus on serving desserts.
“On our Tuesday visit, we took a short stroll with a Pizza Rock beeper in hand while waiting for our table. Looking around the area, we were able to see the pieces coming together. Just around the corner, on 10th Street toward J Street, were Temple Coffee and Grange Restaurant & Bar in the Citizen Hotel, which was also part of a restoration story. Also in the mix was Bud's Buffet, the legendary lunch spot that could and should become a really cool late-night hangover-abatement eatery. The Cosmopolitan. The Crest Theatre. The Esquire Imax. Pyramid Alehouse. Esquire Grill.
“There's a movement afoot. It's not a full-fledged entertainment district yet, but it's beginning to look and feel like one.”
We certainly hope so, but after all the years of redevelopment drama, we will have to wait a little longer to say, with any confidence, yes.
An excerpt from the recent article in the Sacramento Bee.
“Maybe you've heard about the mermaid? (She can smile underwater while bubbles come out of her nose.)
“Perhaps you've heard about the mammoth truck coming out of the wall? (I sat at the bar under the ultraclean chassis and lived to tell about it.)
“And surely you've heard about the millions in city funds spent on rehabilitating a section of downtown Sacramento's K Street that used to be really dead (and a tad scary).
“Yes, Pizza Rock and the Dive Bar right next door have opened with a flourish and, yes, they have rejuvenated the block faster than you can say, "Hold the anchovies."
“We made two trips there in recent days to gather a few impressions and see whether all that work, all that money and all that water in the mermaid tank have been worth it. The project is spearheaded by Bay Area impressario George Karpaty, who doesn't just dream – he dreams big.
“On our first visit, on a Sunday night, I was startled to see the K Street Mall teeming with energy, even if the Broiler and Ella Dining Room and Bar were closed.
“Inside, Pizza Rock was packed with folks of all ages. The music was upbeat and spanned the spectrum from old favorites to new hits. I remember Neil Diamond followed by Pearl Jam.
“On our next visit, a Tuesday, there was a 30-minute wait for a table. This, in a once-dilapidated building that sat empty for two decades while everyone debated how K Street should be revived.
“Pizza and mermaids and millions are not the entire answer, but they are certainly giving the K Street Mall an oversize dose of momentum. Nearby Ambrosia Cafe, a popular spot for lunch and breakfast, has already announced it will stay open most nights until 11:30 and focus on serving desserts.
“On our Tuesday visit, we took a short stroll with a Pizza Rock beeper in hand while waiting for our table. Looking around the area, we were able to see the pieces coming together. Just around the corner, on 10th Street toward J Street, were Temple Coffee and Grange Restaurant & Bar in the Citizen Hotel, which was also part of a restoration story. Also in the mix was Bud's Buffet, the legendary lunch spot that could and should become a really cool late-night hangover-abatement eatery. The Cosmopolitan. The Crest Theatre. The Esquire Imax. Pyramid Alehouse. Esquire Grill.
“There's a movement afoot. It's not a full-fledged entertainment district yet, but it's beginning to look and feel like one.”
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Another Downtown Drama?
Well, it looks like the railyards project is entering into that rather bizarre territory that has plagued K street for so long; one idea after another with none really working—the jury is still out on the latest K Street mermaid venture.
I really love this town, but we live in the suburbs and rarely venture downtown where all the drama seems to be occurring, so we're not impacted much; but for those folks who are trying to make a business work or who live there, it must be frustrating.
An excerpt from the Sacramento Bee article.
“Sacramento's two-decade quest to turn its empty downtown railyard into a bustling community has seemed a slog at times, marked by false starts, failed schemes and foreclosures.
“This week, though, the project got a double shot of momentum, suggesting the city's dreams are not as unlikely as appearances sometimes suggest.
“The city put out for bid Wednesday a long-stalled project to move the rail tracks that separate the railyard from downtown, a key step to opening the site for development.
“And, on Friday, city leaders pronounced themselves energized after a national urban planning group offered ideas on how to make the site an attractive regional destination – and how to start sooner by starting smaller.
“The panel's most dramatic idea: Ditch plans for a block-long, multi-story bus and train concourse between downtown and the center of the railyard.
"It may be more of a divider than a connector," said Danny Pleasant, transportation chief for the city of Charlotte, N.C. "We're afraid you're going to lose that visual connection" to the railyard.
“Instead, panelists advised turning the area behind the existing I Street depot into a transit village, where commuters would walk short distances from bus to light rail to train stations in an urban setting, possibly centered on a green open space.
“The panel, sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, made its recommendations after touring the railyard and interviewing local officials, developers and real estate experts.
“Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said he was relieved by the transit idea. The city's current concept for a $300 million transit center had been the product of numerous political compromises over the past decade, but its size is "disconcerting," Johnson said.
“He said future Sacramentans might view it as a mistake, similar to how people now perceive Interstate 5 as cutting off downtown from the Sacramento River.
“Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said the transit neighborhood and the group's other ideas would help break down railyard development into more easily financed, bite-sized chunks, incrementally knitting the site and downtown together.
"I love it," Dangberg said. "I hadn't thought of that."
I really love this town, but we live in the suburbs and rarely venture downtown where all the drama seems to be occurring, so we're not impacted much; but for those folks who are trying to make a business work or who live there, it must be frustrating.
An excerpt from the Sacramento Bee article.
“Sacramento's two-decade quest to turn its empty downtown railyard into a bustling community has seemed a slog at times, marked by false starts, failed schemes and foreclosures.
“This week, though, the project got a double shot of momentum, suggesting the city's dreams are not as unlikely as appearances sometimes suggest.
“The city put out for bid Wednesday a long-stalled project to move the rail tracks that separate the railyard from downtown, a key step to opening the site for development.
“And, on Friday, city leaders pronounced themselves energized after a national urban planning group offered ideas on how to make the site an attractive regional destination – and how to start sooner by starting smaller.
“The panel's most dramatic idea: Ditch plans for a block-long, multi-story bus and train concourse between downtown and the center of the railyard.
"It may be more of a divider than a connector," said Danny Pleasant, transportation chief for the city of Charlotte, N.C. "We're afraid you're going to lose that visual connection" to the railyard.
“Instead, panelists advised turning the area behind the existing I Street depot into a transit village, where commuters would walk short distances from bus to light rail to train stations in an urban setting, possibly centered on a green open space.
“The panel, sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, made its recommendations after touring the railyard and interviewing local officials, developers and real estate experts.
“Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said he was relieved by the transit idea. The city's current concept for a $300 million transit center had been the product of numerous political compromises over the past decade, but its size is "disconcerting," Johnson said.
“He said future Sacramentans might view it as a mistake, similar to how people now perceive Interstate 5 as cutting off downtown from the Sacramento River.
“Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said the transit neighborhood and the group's other ideas would help break down railyard development into more easily financed, bite-sized chunks, incrementally knitting the site and downtown together.
"I love it," Dangberg said. "I hadn't thought of that."
Monday, August 02, 2010
Downtown Planning, K Street
As revealed in these photos of K Street, the 700-800 blocks, downtown development hasn’t moved much, and part of the cause may be the assumptions around downtown development, as we noted in a December 26, 2007 E-letter to our membership.
Sacramento Downtown Development: Too Monocentric?
An important insight concerning development that has not yet been understood by local leadership is that noted by Bogart (2006):
“The dominant intellectual approach to describing cities during the twentieth century was the monocentric city model. In a monocentric city, all commercial and industrial activity takes place in the central business district, while the rest of the city consists of residential areas. This description was reasonably accurate as recently as 1950 in most cities…
“Even by 1960 observers such as Jane Jacobs and Jean Gottman had discerned a new structure for metropolitan areas, although popular interpreters of their work have neglected this insight. This new structure was called the polycentric city, in recognition of the multiple centers of economic activity that now comprised the metropolitan area. While some people have recognized this change for more than forty years, it still has surpassingly little impact on the design of public policy.” (p.9)
Sacramento is a text-book example of this thinking with the over-focused approach to the Sacramento downtown area’s development as somehow the key to the region’s well being, while the suburban areas of Arden Arcade, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova, develop into thriving centers of their own virtually unrelated to what occurs in downtown Sacramento, unless their residents happen to work there.
The impact this has on the planning around the Parkway is also significant, from the virtual giving over of its Lower Reach section—Discovery Park to Cal Expo—to homeless encampments by downtown Sacramento interests, to the discouragement of the desire on Rancho Cordova’s part, to revitalize its section of the Parkway for the enhanced recreational and enjoyment of the natural setting envisioned by the Parkway founders; destroying the congruence many, including our organization, see as the optimal future of the Parkway.
Given that the suburban regions in question all lie within the boundaries of Sacramento County, one would naturally expect that entity to play a leading role in planning that could bring the differing regions together around the one area they share, the Parkway.
Bogart, W. (2006). Don’t call it sprawl: Metropolitan structure in the twenty first century. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Sacramento Downtown Development: Too Monocentric?
An important insight concerning development that has not yet been understood by local leadership is that noted by Bogart (2006):
“The dominant intellectual approach to describing cities during the twentieth century was the monocentric city model. In a monocentric city, all commercial and industrial activity takes place in the central business district, while the rest of the city consists of residential areas. This description was reasonably accurate as recently as 1950 in most cities…
“Even by 1960 observers such as Jane Jacobs and Jean Gottman had discerned a new structure for metropolitan areas, although popular interpreters of their work have neglected this insight. This new structure was called the polycentric city, in recognition of the multiple centers of economic activity that now comprised the metropolitan area. While some people have recognized this change for more than forty years, it still has surpassingly little impact on the design of public policy.” (p.9)
Sacramento is a text-book example of this thinking with the over-focused approach to the Sacramento downtown area’s development as somehow the key to the region’s well being, while the suburban areas of Arden Arcade, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova, develop into thriving centers of their own virtually unrelated to what occurs in downtown Sacramento, unless their residents happen to work there.
The impact this has on the planning around the Parkway is also significant, from the virtual giving over of its Lower Reach section—Discovery Park to Cal Expo—to homeless encampments by downtown Sacramento interests, to the discouragement of the desire on Rancho Cordova’s part, to revitalize its section of the Parkway for the enhanced recreational and enjoyment of the natural setting envisioned by the Parkway founders; destroying the congruence many, including our organization, see as the optimal future of the Parkway.
Given that the suburban regions in question all lie within the boundaries of Sacramento County, one would naturally expect that entity to play a leading role in planning that could bring the differing regions together around the one area they share, the Parkway.
Bogart, W. (2006). Don’t call it sprawl: Metropolitan structure in the twenty first century. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Friday, July 16, 2010
K Street Drama Continues
In the never-ending futility of developing the lower-end of K Street, the City Council has chosen an approach I dearly hope brings my hometown the downtown it deserves, as reported by the Sacramento Bee.
An excerpt.
“The decades-long effort to revitalize downtown Sacramento's K Street got a second wind Tuesday night.
“The City Council voted 5-4 to negotiate with two development teams proposing to build more than 200 housing units, shops and restaurants along two downtrodden blocks of the K Street Mall.
“The vote spurned a more elaborate proposal by developer Rubicon Partners to bring a year-round market similar to San Francisco's Ferry Building, a music venue and a 10-story housing complex to K Street. That plan faced at least a $50 million funding gap.
"We need to be more realistic," Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said.
“By voting to negotiate with local developers D&S and David Taylor for a combined proposal for the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street, the city in essence agreed to hand the firms $42 million worth of downtown properties it has spent years acquiring.
“Officials with both D&S and Taylor's firm told city officials they could complete their projects by 2012. In the end, that quick turnaround – along with proposals described as more modest than Rubicon's – pushed the council vote.
“For at least a decade, the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street have been a source of hope and frustration for city officials.
“In 2005, the city chose Joe Zeiden, owner of the Z Gallerie furniture chain, to redevelop the worn 700 block with upscale retail shops. At the same time, it picked a team including longtime property owner Moe Mohanna to develop the even more devastated 800 block.
“The city spent about $24 million acquiring properties to help with a complicated property swap, but Mohanna balked when it came time to turn his buildings in the 700 block over for Zeiden's use. In late 2008, after the city sued him, Mohanna agreed to sell his K Street properties to the city for $18.6 million.
“But by that time the economy was starting to falter, and Zeiden backed away. In 2009, his furniture company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
“The proposals by Rubicon, D&S and Taylor were the latest chapter in the city's fight to bring life to K Street.”
An excerpt.
“The decades-long effort to revitalize downtown Sacramento's K Street got a second wind Tuesday night.
“The City Council voted 5-4 to negotiate with two development teams proposing to build more than 200 housing units, shops and restaurants along two downtrodden blocks of the K Street Mall.
“The vote spurned a more elaborate proposal by developer Rubicon Partners to bring a year-round market similar to San Francisco's Ferry Building, a music venue and a 10-story housing complex to K Street. That plan faced at least a $50 million funding gap.
"We need to be more realistic," Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said.
“By voting to negotiate with local developers D&S and David Taylor for a combined proposal for the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street, the city in essence agreed to hand the firms $42 million worth of downtown properties it has spent years acquiring.
“Officials with both D&S and Taylor's firm told city officials they could complete their projects by 2012. In the end, that quick turnaround – along with proposals described as more modest than Rubicon's – pushed the council vote.
“For at least a decade, the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street have been a source of hope and frustration for city officials.
“In 2005, the city chose Joe Zeiden, owner of the Z Gallerie furniture chain, to redevelop the worn 700 block with upscale retail shops. At the same time, it picked a team including longtime property owner Moe Mohanna to develop the even more devastated 800 block.
“The city spent about $24 million acquiring properties to help with a complicated property swap, but Mohanna balked when it came time to turn his buildings in the 700 block over for Zeiden's use. In late 2008, after the city sued him, Mohanna agreed to sell his K Street properties to the city for $18.6 million.
“But by that time the economy was starting to falter, and Zeiden backed away. In 2009, his furniture company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
“The proposals by Rubicon, D&S and Taylor were the latest chapter in the city's fight to bring life to K Street.”
Friday, July 02, 2010
K Street Drama, Act 3,333
Another plan to redo the apparently unredoable, but hope springs eternal, as reported by the Sacramento Press.
An excerpt.
“They brought Sacramento the Citizen Hotel and its restaurant, Grange.
“Now that same team is proposing an even more ambitious downtown project. Calling themselves the Sacramento Alliance Team, the partners behind the Citizen Hotel are seeking Sacramento City Council approval to redevelop the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street Mall.
“Two weeks before a council vote on the matter, they held an open meeting on the plan's centerpiece: a 35,000-square-foot public market, tentatively called the California Boqueria, that would showcase the state's food and wine at the corner of Eighth and K streets.
“Two of the partners, Rubicon Partners co-founder Kipp Blewett and Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy, encouraged about 120 people at the meeting to sign an online petition, e-mail the council and tell their friends about the project.
"What we really need is your support to move forward with this," Tuohy said at a Citizen Hotel reception featuring California wine, artisan cheeses and local produce. "It's about telling the city of Sacramento that this is very important and this is what we need and this is what you want."
“Four teams — including the Sacramento Alliance Team — answered the city's request for proposals to redevelop the troubled K Street Mall blocks and submitted ideas in March. Last month, a selection committee created by the city recommended two other teams to develop those blocks. Those teams, led by developers David Taylor and Cyrus Youssefi, were also endorsed earlier this month by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership board, of which Blewett is president.”
An excerpt.
“They brought Sacramento the Citizen Hotel and its restaurant, Grange.
“Now that same team is proposing an even more ambitious downtown project. Calling themselves the Sacramento Alliance Team, the partners behind the Citizen Hotel are seeking Sacramento City Council approval to redevelop the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street Mall.
“Two weeks before a council vote on the matter, they held an open meeting on the plan's centerpiece: a 35,000-square-foot public market, tentatively called the California Boqueria, that would showcase the state's food and wine at the corner of Eighth and K streets.
“Two of the partners, Rubicon Partners co-founder Kipp Blewett and Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy, encouraged about 120 people at the meeting to sign an online petition, e-mail the council and tell their friends about the project.
"What we really need is your support to move forward with this," Tuohy said at a Citizen Hotel reception featuring California wine, artisan cheeses and local produce. "It's about telling the city of Sacramento that this is very important and this is what we need and this is what you want."
“Four teams — including the Sacramento Alliance Team — answered the city's request for proposals to redevelop the troubled K Street Mall blocks and submitted ideas in March. Last month, a selection committee created by the city recommended two other teams to develop those blocks. Those teams, led by developers David Taylor and Cyrus Youssefi, were also endorsed earlier this month by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership board, of which Blewett is president.”
Monday, May 17, 2010
Downtown & Suburbs
As we have been blogging on for years, here and here for example—inspired by the premium suburban narrative and data blog, New Geography—people prefer suburbs to downtowns for a whole bunch of reasons, and fighting that obvious trend is city suicide…with the endless K Street drama as case one.
Dan Walters, as usual, nails it.
An excerpt.
“California's population exploded in the post-World War II era, thanks to a wave of migration from other states and the postwar baby boom. It nearly tripled from 6.9 million in 1940 to 19.9 million, the largest in the nation, by 1970.
“As the state's metropolitan areas expanded, agricultural fields evolved into vast housing tracts. A new phenomenon, the sprawling suburban shopping center, sprang up to serve the appetite of young families for consumer goods.
“The trend petrified traditional downtown retailers and property owners, who saw suburban rivals as not merely serving growth but luring away existing customer bases. They desperately sought ways to dam the outgoing tide of trade.
“Fresno offered one of the earliest responses in the mid-1960s, erasing auto traffic and parking along Fulton Street, its chief retail boulevard, and converting it into a pedestrian mall with ample off-street parking. The Fulton project's backers theorized that if the suburban mall's chief attractions were free parking and the ability to stroll from store to store without dodging cars, they could be matched in a downtown setting.
“Fresno was not alone. While larger cities shunned the downtown mall concept, some smaller ones embraced it – most notably Sacramento, which soon followed Fresno's Fulton Mall with its own K Street Mall, decorated with a series of concrete fountains.”
Dan Walters, as usual, nails it.
An excerpt.
“California's population exploded in the post-World War II era, thanks to a wave of migration from other states and the postwar baby boom. It nearly tripled from 6.9 million in 1940 to 19.9 million, the largest in the nation, by 1970.
“As the state's metropolitan areas expanded, agricultural fields evolved into vast housing tracts. A new phenomenon, the sprawling suburban shopping center, sprang up to serve the appetite of young families for consumer goods.
“The trend petrified traditional downtown retailers and property owners, who saw suburban rivals as not merely serving growth but luring away existing customer bases. They desperately sought ways to dam the outgoing tide of trade.
“Fresno offered one of the earliest responses in the mid-1960s, erasing auto traffic and parking along Fulton Street, its chief retail boulevard, and converting it into a pedestrian mall with ample off-street parking. The Fulton project's backers theorized that if the suburban mall's chief attractions were free parking and the ability to stroll from store to store without dodging cars, they could be matched in a downtown setting.
“Fresno was not alone. While larger cities shunned the downtown mall concept, some smaller ones embraced it – most notably Sacramento, which soon followed Fresno's Fulton Mall with its own K Street Mall, decorated with a series of concrete fountains.”
Saturday, May 08, 2010
K Street Update #5,999
A proposal, reported by the Sacramento Press, to increase the already over-burdened and struggling businesses in the corridor by adding to the homeless population congregating there by building 75 units for homeless people; adding to the underlying problem many observers feel is responsible for the long-term degradation of K Street and one major reason why people will not go there unless they have to.
An excerpt.
“A proposal is in the works to create one of the largest permanent supportive housing projects in the city.
“The $41 million building at Seventh and H streets also is poised to become the city's newest single-resident occupancy, or SRO, structure. The infill project would feature sustainable design and materials, so the developers and architects will ask the U.S. Green Building Council to certify it as a sustainable building.
“But perhaps most unique about the public-private project being developed by Mercy Housing and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is that it would offer support services to formerly homeless people in innovative and mixed-population permanent housing. Its architects are Mogavero Notestine Associates of Sacramento and SERA Architects of Portland.
“Half of the mid-rise's 150 units will be set aside as for homeless people. The other half will become home to the working poor: low-income workers who earn 40 percent to 50 percent of the median income, or $20,000 to $25,000 a year.
“The 7th and H Mixed-Use Affordable Housing project differs from transitional housing, such as Mercy Housing's Quinn Cottages, which provide up to two years of transitional housing close to downtown.”
An excerpt.
“A proposal is in the works to create one of the largest permanent supportive housing projects in the city.
“The $41 million building at Seventh and H streets also is poised to become the city's newest single-resident occupancy, or SRO, structure. The infill project would feature sustainable design and materials, so the developers and architects will ask the U.S. Green Building Council to certify it as a sustainable building.
“But perhaps most unique about the public-private project being developed by Mercy Housing and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is that it would offer support services to formerly homeless people in innovative and mixed-population permanent housing. Its architects are Mogavero Notestine Associates of Sacramento and SERA Architects of Portland.
“Half of the mid-rise's 150 units will be set aside as for homeless people. The other half will become home to the working poor: low-income workers who earn 40 percent to 50 percent of the median income, or $20,000 to $25,000 a year.
“The 7th and H Mixed-Use Affordable Housing project differs from transitional housing, such as Mercy Housing's Quinn Cottages, which provide up to two years of transitional housing close to downtown.”
Monday, April 26, 2010
K Street Update 5,113
Cars coming back?
The Sacramento Bee reports that may be so.
An excerpt.
“Slowly, ever so slowly, Sacramento is edging toward allowing cars back on the K Street Mall downtown.
“The City Council on Tuesday will consider freeing up $2.7 million to reopen Eighth through 12th streets.
“The plan: One lane in each direction, probably a 15 mph speed limit and no parking, but some drop-off turnouts.
“The 700 and 1200 blocks are too crowded, however, to allow cars, officials said.
“The changeover isn't expected until next year. First thing, officials will check to see how cars interact with light rail.
“If the plan works, it marks the end of Sacramento's failed pedestrian mall era.”
The Sacramento Bee reports that may be so.
An excerpt.
“Slowly, ever so slowly, Sacramento is edging toward allowing cars back on the K Street Mall downtown.
“The City Council on Tuesday will consider freeing up $2.7 million to reopen Eighth through 12th streets.
“The plan: One lane in each direction, probably a 15 mph speed limit and no parking, but some drop-off turnouts.
“The 700 and 1200 blocks are too crowded, however, to allow cars, officials said.
“The changeover isn't expected until next year. First thing, officials will check to see how cars interact with light rail.
“If the plan works, it marks the end of Sacramento's failed pedestrian mall era.”
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
K Street Update #4,150
As reported by the Sacramento Press, it is now bike friendly, so keep a watch out when walking down there.
An excerpt.
“From now on, Doug Koleada will be a law-abiding citizen when he rides his bicycle on the K Street Mall.
“The city of Sacramento has installed new signs on K Street that list rules for bike riding. Cycling can now commence legally on the Mall from Seventh to 13th Streets and in the tunnel between Second and Fourth Streets.
“Koleada was riding his bike near the Westfield Downtown Plaza Wednesday afternoon. He readily admitted to biking on K Street in the evenings; his nighttime rides will now be perfectly legal.
“The Pyramid Alehouse Brewery employee said he knew about the city’s former ban on bicycling on K Street Mall, so he didn’t bike there when police officers were in sight.
“Koleada also didn’t bike when children were walking on the Mall. “If some idiot’s speeding on their bike, it could lead to an ugly accident (with a child),” he said.”
An excerpt.
“From now on, Doug Koleada will be a law-abiding citizen when he rides his bicycle on the K Street Mall.
“The city of Sacramento has installed new signs on K Street that list rules for bike riding. Cycling can now commence legally on the Mall from Seventh to 13th Streets and in the tunnel between Second and Fourth Streets.
“Koleada was riding his bike near the Westfield Downtown Plaza Wednesday afternoon. He readily admitted to biking on K Street in the evenings; his nighttime rides will now be perfectly legal.
“The Pyramid Alehouse Brewery employee said he knew about the city’s former ban on bicycling on K Street Mall, so he didn’t bike there when police officers were in sight.
“Koleada also didn’t bike when children were walking on the Mall. “If some idiot’s speeding on their bike, it could lead to an ugly accident (with a child),” he said.”
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
K Street Plan #4,398
At this point, for those of us who have been here since the beginning—when K Street was still a great main street everyone enjoyed—this continuing bumbly-fumbly attempt to do something about it that actually has people wanting to be there, has become one of those endless metro dramas that almost doesn't make much difference anymore; though we must say, that hope does spring eternal, that some day, some way, Sacramento will have a downtown we can all be proud of.
The Sacramento Bee reports on the latest plans.
An excerpt.
“Four proposals to revamp the K Street Mall released Monday range from a subtle infusion of retail and housing to a near total remake of the downtown corridor.
“All the development teams told the city they could begin site work by next year. Financing details remained vague, however.
“The City Council is expected to vote in mid-May on which team it wants city staff to work with.
“City officials hope that this round of proposals produces some concrete results in a bleak stretch of turf that includes several demolished and many vacant buildings.
“In the past decade, the city spent $40 million to buy roughly a dozen properties for another development plan. This plan, led by Southern California furniture retailer Joe Zeiden, fell apart after the city spent four years haggling with one major property owner and the economy soured.
“Mayor Kevin Johnson Monday said it will pay off for the city to have those parcels in the bank. Thanks to those acquisitions, he said, "downtown and the J, K, L corridor is a gold mine."
The Sacramento Bee reports on the latest plans.
An excerpt.
“Four proposals to revamp the K Street Mall released Monday range from a subtle infusion of retail and housing to a near total remake of the downtown corridor.
“All the development teams told the city they could begin site work by next year. Financing details remained vague, however.
“The City Council is expected to vote in mid-May on which team it wants city staff to work with.
“City officials hope that this round of proposals produces some concrete results in a bleak stretch of turf that includes several demolished and many vacant buildings.
“In the past decade, the city spent $40 million to buy roughly a dozen properties for another development plan. This plan, led by Southern California furniture retailer Joe Zeiden, fell apart after the city spent four years haggling with one major property owner and the economy soured.
“Mayor Kevin Johnson Monday said it will pay off for the city to have those parcels in the bank. Thanks to those acquisitions, he said, "downtown and the J, K, L corridor is a gold mine."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
K Street Update
Some work on K Street—and in the spirit of hope-springs-eternal—we wish them the very best, as reported by the Sacramento Press.
An excerpt.
“K Street Mall is getting some activity after work began again on a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues.
“San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty originally hoped to open Dive Bar, a dance club named District 30 and a gourmet pizza restaurant, Pizza Rock, near 10th and K streets by late 2009. The $6 million-plus project was delayed at least in part by opposition, including a lawsuit to stop it that was thrown out of court last summer.
“Saying he wanted to move forward, Karpaty declined to discuss the reasons the project on the blighted mall was thrown off schedule. But, he said, he now expects to open all three sites by late summer.
"We had some delays. But we're coming," he said.
“Developers David Taylor and Los Angeles-based CIM Group have begun work on the shell and core of the building they now own at 1016, 1020 and 1022 K St. Crews are working to make the building structurally sound and to repair the roof, said Ellen Warner, a partner at David Taylor Interests.
"K Street still really needs a lot of revitalization," she said. "We think that's important for our community."
"Late last year, the city's Redevelopment Agency transferred ownership of the building, which is divided into three suites, and one next door at 1012 K St. — and the land under both — to Taylor and CIM.
“Fabricators in various studios are now building the giant aquarium that will hold "mermaids" of both genders, as well as other big pieces for Karpaty's new businesses.
"It's going to be far more over-the-top than people think," Karpaty said. "It's going to be insane."
An excerpt.
“K Street Mall is getting some activity after work began again on a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues.
“San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty originally hoped to open Dive Bar, a dance club named District 30 and a gourmet pizza restaurant, Pizza Rock, near 10th and K streets by late 2009. The $6 million-plus project was delayed at least in part by opposition, including a lawsuit to stop it that was thrown out of court last summer.
“Saying he wanted to move forward, Karpaty declined to discuss the reasons the project on the blighted mall was thrown off schedule. But, he said, he now expects to open all three sites by late summer.
"We had some delays. But we're coming," he said.
“Developers David Taylor and Los Angeles-based CIM Group have begun work on the shell and core of the building they now own at 1016, 1020 and 1022 K St. Crews are working to make the building structurally sound and to repair the roof, said Ellen Warner, a partner at David Taylor Interests.
"K Street still really needs a lot of revitalization," she said. "We think that's important for our community."
"Late last year, the city's Redevelopment Agency transferred ownership of the building, which is divided into three suites, and one next door at 1012 K St. — and the land under both — to Taylor and CIM.
“Fabricators in various studios are now building the giant aquarium that will hold "mermaids" of both genders, as well as other big pieces for Karpaty's new businesses.
"It's going to be far more over-the-top than people think," Karpaty said. "It's going to be insane."
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Make K Street Two Way?
In the seemingly eternal discussion on what to do with K Street, the success of making Main Street in Vancouver’s downtown a two way—and information from some American cities—as reported in this article from Governing, might be considered.
An excerpt.
“Over the past couple of decades, Vancouver, Washington, has spent millions of dollars trying to revitalize its downtown, and especially the area around Main Street that used to be the primary commercial center. Just how much the city has spent isn’t easy to determine. But it’s been an ambitious program. Vancouver has totally refurbished a downtown park, subsidized condos and apartment buildings overlooking it and built a new downtown Hilton hotel.
“Some of these investments have been successful, but they did next to nothing for Main Street itself. Through most of this decade, the street remained about as dreary as ever. Then, a year ago, the city council tried a new strategy. Rather than wait for the $14 million more in state and federal money it was planning to spend on projects on and around Main Street, it opted for something much simpler. It painted yellow lines in the middle of the road, took down some signs and put up others, and installed some new traffic lights. In other words, it took a one-way street and opened it up to two-way traffic.
“The merchants on Main Street had high hopes for this change. But none of them were prepared for what actually happened following the changeover on November 16, 2008. In the midst of a severe recession, Main Street in Vancouver seemed to come back to life almost overnight.
“Within a few weeks, the entire business community was celebrating. “We have twice as many people going by as they did before,” one of the employees at an antique store told a local reporter. The chairman of the Vancouver Downtown Association, Lee Coulthard, sounded more excited than almost anyone else. “It’s like, wow,” he exclaimed, “why did it take us so long to figure this out?”
“A year later, the success of the project is even more apparent. Twice as many cars drive down Main Street every day, without traffic jams or serious congestion. The merchants are still happy. “One-way streets should not be allowed in prime downtown retail areas,” says Rebecca Ocken, executive director of Vancouver’s Downtown Association. “We’ve proven that.”
“The debate over one-way versus two-way streets has been going on for more than half a century now in American cities, and it is far from resolved even yet. But the evidence seems to suggest that the two-way side is winning. A growing number of cities, including big ones such as Minneapolis, Louisville and Oklahoma City, have converted the traffic flow of major streets to two-way or laid out plans to do so. There has been virtually no movement in the other direction.”
An excerpt.
“Over the past couple of decades, Vancouver, Washington, has spent millions of dollars trying to revitalize its downtown, and especially the area around Main Street that used to be the primary commercial center. Just how much the city has spent isn’t easy to determine. But it’s been an ambitious program. Vancouver has totally refurbished a downtown park, subsidized condos and apartment buildings overlooking it and built a new downtown Hilton hotel.
“Some of these investments have been successful, but they did next to nothing for Main Street itself. Through most of this decade, the street remained about as dreary as ever. Then, a year ago, the city council tried a new strategy. Rather than wait for the $14 million more in state and federal money it was planning to spend on projects on and around Main Street, it opted for something much simpler. It painted yellow lines in the middle of the road, took down some signs and put up others, and installed some new traffic lights. In other words, it took a one-way street and opened it up to two-way traffic.
“The merchants on Main Street had high hopes for this change. But none of them were prepared for what actually happened following the changeover on November 16, 2008. In the midst of a severe recession, Main Street in Vancouver seemed to come back to life almost overnight.
“Within a few weeks, the entire business community was celebrating. “We have twice as many people going by as they did before,” one of the employees at an antique store told a local reporter. The chairman of the Vancouver Downtown Association, Lee Coulthard, sounded more excited than almost anyone else. “It’s like, wow,” he exclaimed, “why did it take us so long to figure this out?”
“A year later, the success of the project is even more apparent. Twice as many cars drive down Main Street every day, without traffic jams or serious congestion. The merchants are still happy. “One-way streets should not be allowed in prime downtown retail areas,” says Rebecca Ocken, executive director of Vancouver’s Downtown Association. “We’ve proven that.”
“The debate over one-way versus two-way streets has been going on for more than half a century now in American cities, and it is far from resolved even yet. But the evidence seems to suggest that the two-way side is winning. A growing number of cities, including big ones such as Minneapolis, Louisville and Oklahoma City, have converted the traffic flow of major streets to two-way or laid out plans to do so. There has been virtually no movement in the other direction.”
Friday, July 17, 2009
K Street Traffic
We agree with this recent editorial from the Sacramento Bee that K Street should have another hotel and be reopened to automobile traffic, as it will finally rectify a very bad idea to close the street so many years ago.
The model for downtown Sacramento has to be that of a bustling state capitol of the largest state in the nation, where the preponderance of business comes from the resident state legislature, state administrative offices, and the numerous lobbyists, attorneys, association and organization professionals, and all of the other services connected to them.
And we can add to the governmental mix the administrations of the city of Sacramento and Sacramento County.
This necessarily imposes some restrictions as to the hours the city is occupied to any degree, but a bustling day-time and early evening city is preferable to what we now have; an uncertain downtown struggling to be something it is not nor probably can ever be, a 24 hour city.
The acceptance of the strengths of our fair city—its status as the capitol and its lovely downtown and midtown grid so interestingly mixed with residential and commercial development all beautifully embraced by our two rivers—is long over-due.
An excerpt.
“Over the years, Sacramento's central shopping district has struggled to get foot traffic beyond the 8-to-5 weekday workday.
“That's largely because the core city has lots of government and office buildings but less in the way of housing and hotels. And the city cut off K Street car traffic downtown and created a pedestrian/transit-only area.
“All this is beginning to turn around. The city now has more hotels and housing options downtown. And a couple of new developments on K Street are promising.
“One is that the City Council in May approved urban design guidelines that call for reintroducing "low-volume, low-speed automobile traffic" to K Street "to create the pass-by traffic that main street retailers so depend on." The idea would be to allow car traffic to share street space with light rail and include on-street parking. A consultant is expected to present options by October.”
The model for downtown Sacramento has to be that of a bustling state capitol of the largest state in the nation, where the preponderance of business comes from the resident state legislature, state administrative offices, and the numerous lobbyists, attorneys, association and organization professionals, and all of the other services connected to them.
And we can add to the governmental mix the administrations of the city of Sacramento and Sacramento County.
This necessarily imposes some restrictions as to the hours the city is occupied to any degree, but a bustling day-time and early evening city is preferable to what we now have; an uncertain downtown struggling to be something it is not nor probably can ever be, a 24 hour city.
The acceptance of the strengths of our fair city—its status as the capitol and its lovely downtown and midtown grid so interestingly mixed with residential and commercial development all beautifully embraced by our two rivers—is long over-due.
An excerpt.
“Over the years, Sacramento's central shopping district has struggled to get foot traffic beyond the 8-to-5 weekday workday.
“That's largely because the core city has lots of government and office buildings but less in the way of housing and hotels. And the city cut off K Street car traffic downtown and created a pedestrian/transit-only area.
“All this is beginning to turn around. The city now has more hotels and housing options downtown. And a couple of new developments on K Street are promising.
“One is that the City Council in May approved urban design guidelines that call for reintroducing "low-volume, low-speed automobile traffic" to K Street "to create the pass-by traffic that main street retailers so depend on." The idea would be to allow car traffic to share street space with light rail and include on-street parking. A consultant is expected to present options by October.”
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
K Street Party
This editorial from the Sacramento Bee supporting keeping the New Year Eve’s party on K Street is welcome support and one hopes city leadership acts on it.
It is one of the few good activities that an essentially closed—but outdoor—mall can provide, and with proper security it can become a major party drawing people from all over.
An excerpt.
“The downtown folks who sponsored Sacramento's first New Year's Eve ball drop last year have posed a challenge for New Year's 2010.
“They want a "bigger, better, safer" event on K Street – with barricaded streets, two live stages between Seventh and 13th streets, sectioned areas for food and drink consumption, vendors and more portable toilets. They hope to double last year's attendance from 25,000 to 50,000.
“To achieve this more ambitious goal, they have issued a $100,000 challenge. Edaddywarbucks Inc., an electronic advertising firm, and the Paragary Restaurant Group have pledged to raise one-third of the amount – $33,333 – if the Downtown Partnership and the city will each match it.
“Norm Alvis, president of Edaddywarbucks, has said the challenge must be accepted by July 30 to allow time for planning and fundraising. Last year, the organizers had only three weeks to prepare for the New Year's Eve event. That should not happen ever again.”
It is one of the few good activities that an essentially closed—but outdoor—mall can provide, and with proper security it can become a major party drawing people from all over.
An excerpt.
“The downtown folks who sponsored Sacramento's first New Year's Eve ball drop last year have posed a challenge for New Year's 2010.
“They want a "bigger, better, safer" event on K Street – with barricaded streets, two live stages between Seventh and 13th streets, sectioned areas for food and drink consumption, vendors and more portable toilets. They hope to double last year's attendance from 25,000 to 50,000.
“To achieve this more ambitious goal, they have issued a $100,000 challenge. Edaddywarbucks Inc., an electronic advertising firm, and the Paragary Restaurant Group have pledged to raise one-third of the amount – $33,333 – if the Downtown Partnership and the city will each match it.
“Norm Alvis, president of Edaddywarbucks, has said the challenge must be accepted by July 30 to allow time for planning and fundraising. Last year, the organizers had only three weeks to prepare for the New Year's Eve event. That should not happen ever again.”
Monday, June 01, 2009
Cars On K Street?
As one who remembers cruising K Street back in the day when it was the cruise street, the idea of returning cars to K Street is probably a good idea, if for nothing else than to get people on K Street—even if just driving through—who won’t go down there now for any reason other than absolute necessity…yours truly being one.
And as Sacramento considers returning cars to the main street of downtown, New York is restricting them on Times Square, and the results have been interesting, as reported by the New York Times.
An excerpt.
“The difference between the old, frenetic Times Square and the newly reconfigured, still frenetic Times Square became clear on Tuesday: now you can pull up a chair to watch the show.
“Traffic still flowed on Seventh Avenue, without any obvious bottlenecks, two days after the city shut Broadway to traffic between 47th and 42nd Streets.
“The electronic billboards still flashed, the news zippers zipped and the giant video screens played on.
“And thousands of people bustled by, as always, on what was the first workday test of the city’s new Times Square configuration.
“But hundreds of people also took the opportunity to pause, linger or even take up temporary residence at the Crossroads of the World — a previously inconceivable idea.
“This is like a sanctuary,” said Yesim Bilgic, 36, a Swedish novelist who was sitting in one of hundreds of lawn chairs set out in the center of Broadway, where vehicular traffic is no longer allowed. She had her laptop open and was trying to find a free Wi-Fi connection. “It is chaos and you have your oasis in the middle of it,” she said. “I love it.”
“On Sunday, the city sealed off Broadway to traffic at Times Square and at Herald Square, from 35th to 33rd Streets, where it intersects with the Avenue of Americas. On Monday, which was Memorial Day, the Times Square Alliance, a group that represents local businesses, set out 350 lawn chairs and 26 chaise longues where cars had previously held sway.”
And as Sacramento considers returning cars to the main street of downtown, New York is restricting them on Times Square, and the results have been interesting, as reported by the New York Times.
An excerpt.
“The difference between the old, frenetic Times Square and the newly reconfigured, still frenetic Times Square became clear on Tuesday: now you can pull up a chair to watch the show.
“Traffic still flowed on Seventh Avenue, without any obvious bottlenecks, two days after the city shut Broadway to traffic between 47th and 42nd Streets.
“The electronic billboards still flashed, the news zippers zipped and the giant video screens played on.
“And thousands of people bustled by, as always, on what was the first workday test of the city’s new Times Square configuration.
“But hundreds of people also took the opportunity to pause, linger or even take up temporary residence at the Crossroads of the World — a previously inconceivable idea.
“This is like a sanctuary,” said Yesim Bilgic, 36, a Swedish novelist who was sitting in one of hundreds of lawn chairs set out in the center of Broadway, where vehicular traffic is no longer allowed. She had her laptop open and was trying to find a free Wi-Fi connection. “It is chaos and you have your oasis in the middle of it,” she said. “I love it.”
“On Sunday, the city sealed off Broadway to traffic at Times Square and at Herald Square, from 35th to 33rd Streets, where it intersects with the Avenue of Americas. On Monday, which was Memorial Day, the Times Square Alliance, a group that represents local businesses, set out 350 lawn chairs and 26 chaise longues where cars had previously held sway.”
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