City of Sacramento

Incoming Councilmembers are sworn in at at City Hall

2012-12-12T03:27:55Z

To much cheer and applause, Councilmembers Warren Allen and Steve Hansen were sworn in for District 2 and 4, respectively, on Dec. 11, 2012. A large crowd gathered inside City Hall for an opening reception prior to the council meeting at 7 p.m., with seats packed after in the chambers themselves.

Mayor Kevin Johnson announced the new Councilmembers, who joined Kevin McCarty and Bonnie Pannell as incumbent reelects. Johnson himself, who was reelected for his second term, celebrated by making a lap around the chambers.

For more photos of the event, head to the City's Facebook page.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason specializes in creative outreach for the City of Sacramento.

It's your turn to Envision Sacramento

2012-12-07T18:53:43Z

Envision Sacramento. What is it?

Coming in January is a public engagement tool designed to gather your ideas and opinions to further the effort of creating Sacramento as aa involved community. You, as part of the community, will have the opportunity to share your ideas from the comfort of your own home. What’s on your mind Sacramento? You can tell us starting January 10. Create a profile today at www.envisionsacramento.com.

Check out a quick teaser video below:

http://youtu.be/qPxCIomodS8

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason specializes in creative outreach for the City of Sacramento.

Firefighters give safety tips this Thanksgiving

2012-11-20T18:12:33Z

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, the Sacramento Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy holiday, and remind residents to be mindful when cooking.

“Thanksgiving Day is a time where people are cooking and spending a lot of time in the kitchen,” said Chief Ray Jones. ”Safety in the kitchen is very important, especially with so many in the home and so many items being cooked at the same time. People should take their time.”

Please consider these tips as you enjoy your holiday to ensure that it is a safe holiday for everyone.

Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check it frequently.
Outdoor cooking should occur outdoors and NOT in garage or under a low covered patio.
Make sure candles are not left unattended while burning and are placed in holders that will catch the melting wax.
Use a large pan when using a turkey roaster to contain the grease.
Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay at least three feet away.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason specializes in creative outreach for the City of Sacramento.

Ready? Set. Scavange! Scavenger hunt planned for downtown November 10

2012-10-15T19:44:48Z

A scavenger hunt is being organized to get you acquainted with Sacramento's sustainable side!

Get your walking shoes and "green" thinking caps on as well as have your smart phones ready, and join the City of Sacramento, Greenwise Joint Venture, and 350 Sacramento at the free "Cut Your Cubes" scavenger hunt on November 10 beginning at 1 p.m. Teams of two to four will vie for gift baskets valued at $500, and will include gift cards to local businesses and more.

"As part of the scavenger hunt, we want people to discover what sustainable features are downtown, in Old Sacramento, and in midtown," said Maurice Chaney, media and communications specialist with the City of Sacramento. "We have a real opportunity, in a fun way, to showcase the city and its businesses, as well as educate people on how green Sacramento really is."

Did you know that the Crest Theatre marquee on K Street stretches a whopping two miles? After it was renovated several years ago, a timer was installed to make the iconic sign more energy efficient. These and more than 40 other clues will be the feature of the scavenger hunt.

The scavenger hunt will also feature businesses that have incorporated sustainability and green features into their business operations. For example, Pizza Rock has a bike-only pizza delivery service, and will be highlighted during the hunt.

There are other ways participants can win. Teams participating are encouraged to dress up creatively or capture the best photo during the hunt for a chance to win additional prizes.

This hunt is part of the "Cut Your Cubes" campaign aimed to encourage residents and businesses to take action by adopting simple lifestyle changes for the environment. Cut Your Cubes envisions informing, educating and engaging Sacramententans on how to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions at the household level, or how to cut their cubes. Ultimately, this campaign also encourages Sacramento (and unincorporated county residents) to join the Cool California Challenge, a statewide competition between nine other cities.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

Urban experts provide insight on connectivity to the Depot District

2012-10-15T18:32:14Z

A national panel of experts brought to Sacramento by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) made a third visit to Sacramento, last week, to provide insight on how to connect the Depot District in the Downtown Railyards—one of the largest infill sites in the nation—to the riverfront, Old Sacramento, Downtown and West Sacramento.

The Depot District is home to the planned intermodal transportation hub for the region as well as additional land for future development, but current access to the site is constrained.

Since 2011, the City has been working with national experts from the ULI’s Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use to provide insight and assistance on planning efforts to redevelop the Downtown Railyards.

During their third visit the panel focused on improving access to and enhancing economic development opportunities within the Depot District, the area south of the new tracks which contains the Historic Depot building as well as space for other intermodal transportation facilities and transit-supportive development.

The panelists spent two days in Sacramento, focusing on opportunities to enhance the connections between the District and the Sacramento River waterfront, Old Sacramento, Downtown, and West Sacramento.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

More bike lanes coming to downtown

2012-08-31T20:33:34Z

To improve bicycle transportation downtown, the Department of Public Works is adding bike lanes to eight well connected streets. For the first time, bicyclists will have the opportunity to have designated roadway space to travel on the streets in designated lanes just as do motor vehicles.

Streets targeted for bike lanes are:

G Street between 8th and 16th streets
H Street between 6th and 16th streets
I Street between 5th and 13th streets
J Street between 4th and 13th streets
Capitol Mall between 5th and 9th streets
5th Street between I Street and Broadway
9th Street between I Street and Broadway
10th Street between H Street and Broadway

Work is expected to take place on weekends to reduce any construction related delays to traffic. Work is scheduled to take place the second and third weekends in September.

The project will underscore the City’s commitment to being bicycle friendly, and encourage sustainable, non-polluting, energy efficient and health conscious transportation. The City has risen in recent years from a bronze to silver status as a Bicycle Friendly Community from the American League of Bicyclists.

“These new bike lanes will help fill the need for better connectivity to the neighborhoods south of Broadway, connections to downtown destinations such as the State Capitol, nearby State offices, the Downtown Plaza, the Central Library and City and County office buildings. New east-west bike lanes on G and H Streets will provide the missing links between Midtown/East Sacramento and key downtown destinations, including the future railyards development,” said Jerry Way director of public works. “We heard from bicyclists about the need and we are proud to be able now to address it.”

The bike lanes are made possible either by placing the street on a “road diet,” meaning reduce the one-way street from three lanes to two, or by narrowing the travel lanes to accommodate bike lanes. Traffic studies indicate neither approach is expected to add to traffic congestion downtown.

For a complete schedule of City streets being resurfaced this year and to register to receive an email alert about Traffic Alert messages from the City, go here.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

A day in the life of a Code Enforcement Officer

2012-08-28T23:26:11Z

Each year, the City’s code compliance division handles about 23,000 cases. That’s more than 60 cases a day, on average. Most residents and businesses never see code compliance, only if City and state codes and ordinances are violated. Code Compliance is an important community benefit because staff preserve and promote public safety and welfare.

This division, comprising code enforcement officers, building inspectors and support staff, handle a variety of cases—from dealing with abandoned vehicles, junk and debris, and housing and dangerous buildings, to enforcing zoning codes and handling noise and graffiti abatement.

Get a firsthand look as Maurice Chaney takes an up and close look at two code cases in the City with code compliance staffers Belinda Rogers and Maurice Schranz.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

City, Sac Tree Foundation come to the rescue of urban wood

2012-08-21T20:37:38Z

The City and the Sacramento Tree Foundation are now able to do what has been frequently asked, particularly after a storm brings down large branches or a majestic dying tree needs to come down: “Can we have the wood?”

Today, the answer is yes. The Sacramento Tree Foundation is ramping up the first Urban Wood Rescue Program in the City. Having received a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the time was ideal for the foundation to partner with the City.

So, when the giant camphor tree at 18th and Capitol must come down beginning Wednesday morning, Aug. 22, starting at 8 a.m., its trunk may live on in a piece of furniture through the program. The camphor tree needs to come down because it has been slowly dying over the last two years. Its removal is a matter of public safety.

The Midtown Business Association, The Handle District, and Paesanos and Mangia restaurants are throwing a special event to recognize the tree’s majestic canopy and its century old life of giving to the City on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The $10 donation includes beverages and light food to benefit the wood rescue program. People are invited to stop by and “tie a yellow ribbon ‘round the ole camphor tree” beginning at 5 p.m. as part of the celebration.

Under the agreement with the foundation, the City will give wood at least 30 inches in diameter and 10 feet long to the foundation. Smaller pieces of high quality wood such as alder wood and walnut will also be turned over for the nonprofit to pass on to craftsman organizations at little or no charge. Larger pieces, sought after by businesses who want slabs, will likely be sold at a to-be-determined cost. The City chips its green waste and sends what it doesn’t use in its streetscapes to a co-generation power plant, where it provides fuel. Of the City’s annual loads, at least three tractor trailers full of large trunks and branches previously trucked to the power plant will be rescued and serve a new purpose.

“We’ve often been asked what becomes of the wood, particularly from the removals of some of the City’s oldest and most prominent trees that we are sad to lose. We have not had the resources or expertise to run a program like this with City property, so we’re happy to partner with the Sacramento Tree Foundation who can,” said Joe Benassini, the City’s Urban Forester, adding “This is a sustainable program in its infancy, but may serve as a pilot effort for other cities to follow.”

According to Ray Tretheway, the foundation’s executive director, “few cities have logs the size of Sacramento’s.” He expects a growing demand for Sacramento’s wood once the word gets out.

“The City and the foundation is doing everything we can to protect and manage our urban trees. The foundation is working with local tree businesses, non profit woodworking groups, schools and artists to bring the wood of
these majestic trees back as beautiful tabletops, benches and other works of art.”

The grant is also providing the foundation with the loan of a portable saw mill and kiln for drying to allow communities to investigate, demonstrate, and/or research the feasibility of urban wood milling as a business venture.

For more information about the availability of wood from the City’s urban forest, please call the Sacramento Tree Foundation at 916-924-8733.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

City welcomes rail passengers first time use on new depot facility

2012-08-13T16:33:16Z

Commuters using the Sacramento Valley Station experienced the City's new Path to Progress this morning on its first official opening day. Although some passengers used the new 500 foot walkway Friday night, the majority of commuters took their first steps on the concrete pathway Monday morning. There to greet passengers from about 4:30 to 8:30 a.m. were representatives of the City of Sacramento as well as Councilmember Steve Cohn, and other elected officials.

The New Union Pacific Railroad tracks were relocated 500 feet north to make room for the City’s future Intermodal. The new track alignment also improves safety and efficiency of train operations and will connect the Railyards with the rest of the downtown grid.

The $48 million project includes a half-mile of new railroad tracks, two of three pedestrian tunnels, a new water main and new passenger platforms. The project also includes an estimated $10 million in Union Pacific track and signal improvements. Funding came from federal stimulus programs, state Proposition 1B and state Proposition 1C.

Visit www.pathtoprogress.info for more information and updates.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

Rebuilding McKinley: A City response

2012-08-01T00:06:37Z

-- Press Release from the City of Sacramento Office of Media & Communications --

Councilmember Steve Cohn has already received an outpouring of support in response to a suspected arson fire at the McKinley Village playground. The fire destroyed about one-third of the play area early Saturday morning.

The donations range from a total of $10,000 coming from State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Councilmember Cohn’s Pops in the Park fund, to a 7-year-old girl who delivered lemon-aide stand money to the Councilmember in her piggy bank.

“I have been touched by the outpouring of community support. My initial reaction to the fire was one of anger, giving way to sadness, giving way to a steely determination to get this playground rebuilt as soon as possible,” Cohn said. Cohn is heading the rebuild effort together with Parks and Recreation Department staff.

To donate, make your checks payable to: "Gifts to Share/Rebuild McKinley " (Tax ID #94-2985546) and send to: Gifts to Share, Inc., 915 I Street, 5th floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Or, donate online at www.giftstoshare.org and choose Rebuild McKinley from the pull-down menu. All donations are tax deductible and no fees are deducted. The entire donation goes toward rebuilding the playground.

If you’re interested in being put on a list to volunteer for the future rebuild, please contact Cyndia Castro, the parks volunteer coordinator, at 916-808-2285, or ccastro@cityofsacramento.org.

The City is exploring the availability of park funds and has started the process of filing an insurance claim, however, the insurance is expected only to cover the cost of replacing the damaged section. Yet, wood throughout the entire playground has aged and is due for replacement. Restoring the playground may run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Meetings with community members are being planned to get feedback about potential rebuilding plans and associated costs.

In the meantime, demolition of the charred remains will begin in August and is expected to be completed by Labor Day.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

City of Sacramento, Chongqing China formalize partnership

2012-07-24T15:54:03Z

-- Press Release from the City of Sacramento Office of Media & Communications --

Partnership agreement signed focuses on mutual collaboration, shared opportunities to encourage economic development activity and job creation

Sacramento, CA (July 23, 2012) – In an effort to promote international economic development opportunities, officials of City of Sacramento and Chongqing, China today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining their plans to work together to encourage trade, investment and job creation, as well as explore ways to collaborate and work for mutual economic development.

Councilmember Rob Fong spearheaded this effort and worked diligently the past six months to make this opportunity a reality. The MOU was signed at Sacramento’s Historic City Hall by Sacramento City Manager John F. Shirey and Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Commission’s President Wang Yi. The City of Chongqing, with a population of 32 million, is the leading transportation hub of Southwestern China and leads China in gross domestic product growth.

“Sacramento and Chongqing share the common goals of creating vibrant and diversified economies that focus on emerging growth sectors, including the green sector and education,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said. “As the state policy headquarters of California, Sacramento is a leader in sustainability, with a rich history in farming and manufacturing and world-class research and development potential. This is a global collaboration that aligns perfectly.”

“Today, we took a large step forward for the City of Sacramento in forging this relationship with Chongqing, a city located in a country with one of the largest and bustling economies in the world,” said John Shirey, City Manager. “This unprecedented collaboration will bring worldwide recognition to Sacramento, open up dialogue with Chongqing on how we can work together and learn from each other, and create ways to partner on shared initiatives.”

The MOU between Sacramento and Chongqing creates a framework for potential investment opportunities focused on clean energy technology, agriculture and food safety, and education. It will also look at ways to create partnerships between the public, private and educational institutions in both cities.

As part of the MOU, the City of Sacramento will determine the feasibility of opening up a trade and education office in the heart of Chongqing, China. There may also be the creation of an alternating festival between the two cities that would focus on activities aimed at exchanging economic, educational, cultural, and government operational information.

“This cooperation agreement with Chongqing truly represents a win-win for both cities,” said Councilmember Rob Fong. “Creating this relationship will allow the city to use its existing assets, resources and human capital in a way that will ultimately spur direct and reciprocal investment opportunities with our Far East partner.”

Chongqing has a strong presence in the state and throughout the nation already, having partnership agreements with UC Davis and other areas in the nation. Chongqing is a major manufacturing center and transportation hub.

"Chongqing Municipality is looking forward to a long term relationship with the California State Capital City of Sacramento,” said Wang Yi, President of Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Commission. "Together, we will work diligently to build a solid foundation that will be mutually beneficial to both cities, its people, its businesses, and its educational institutions.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

City, PG&E kicks off Cut Your Cubes Campaign by unveiling the meaning behind the 30-foot cube

2012-06-26T22:21:03Z

Media Release from the City of Sacramento Office of Media & Communications

SACRAMENTO, CA. – The meaning of a large, 30-foot cube was finally revealed today, at Cathedral Square in downtown Sacramento. The giant cube, representing the volume of one metric ton of carbon dioxide gas, was the centerpiece at a kickoff event for the Cut Your Cubes campaign. The campaign is geared to build awareness of how Sacramento residents and businesses can reduce their contribution to climate change by adopting simple changes in lifestyle.

This large cube helps residents visualize the significant volume of greenhouse gases generated by a typical four-person household in one year—which equates to 40 cubes. That means that the average Sacramento resident generates 10 of these cubes per year; five come from vehicle emissions, four from household energy, and one cube is from water-related uses.

“So much of what we do to conserve energy and reduce our carbon footprint happens in small invisible ways,” said Vice Mayor Ashby. “This cube is a visual reminder that each of us has an opportunity to collectively make a big difference for our communities.”

The Cut Your Cubes Campaign, sponsored by PG&E, is part of a larger effort to empower residents to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a household level. Residents can also join the CoolCalifornia Challenge. The City is one of nine California communities participating in this contest—a statewide competition to motivate households to cut their carbon and promote sustainable communities.

“Climate change means we all have to 'cut our cubes',” said Mary Nichols Air Resources Board Chairman. “The good news is that it's not hard to do—and the CoolCalifornia Challenge shows how simple, everyday solutions can help everyone, and every household, be a creative part of this new cubist movement. "

“Sacramento’s Cut Your Cubes campaign and the statewide CoolCalifornia Challenge can encourage us to cut our carbon emissions and have fun doing it,” said Laurie Litman of 350 Sacramento, a local grassroots group. “We’re proud to be working with the City of Sacramento to find ways to address climate change at the household and community levels.”

Over the past several years, the City has worked on its Climate Action Plan, an award-winning document containing cost‐effective strategies and programs that will help the City better adapt to climate change. This planning document provides a framework and actions to reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. A key ingredient of the plan is a community empowerment component to encourage residents to adopt sustainable, green practices at home.

“Solar panels and fuel efficient vehicles are lifestyle changes that help us accomplish our goals in big ways, but so are running your dishwasher only when its full, unplugging your toaster when not in use and remembering to turn off lights when you are not home. Every effort matters and we all have an opportunity to make a difference,” Ashby added.

For more information on the Cut Your Cubes campaign, to make a pledge to cut your cubes, how to get involved in the Cool California Challenge, or learn about the benefits to a carbon-lite lifestyle, visit www.cutyourcubes.com.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

City builds mysterious object for Cut Your Cubes campaign

2012-06-25T21:47:25Z

The City of Sacramento has started to construct a mysterious object at Cathedral Square in downtown Sacramento, which will help launch the Cut Your Cubes Campaign designed to ask residents to take action and adopt lifestyle changes for the environment.

The object is a large 30x30x30 foot cube made of scaffolding and mesh fabric. The cube is a visual representation of something that is generated by the average Sacramento household at a rate of 40 of these cubes per year.

Sacramento area residents are encouraged to guess what the cube is by submitting to www.cutyourcubes.com by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 25. Those that guess correctly will have a chance to win a prize valued at $500.

The large cube will be displayed from June 25 through June 28 at Cathedral Square located at 11th and K Streets.

Sponsors of the Cut Your Cubes Campaign include PG&E, Skyline Scaffold, Rudolph and Sletten, Mogavero Notestine Associates, Fast Signs of Natomas, 350 Sacramento and Greenwise Joint Venture and Brower Mechanical.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

Sacramento to receive $15 million for Railyards Project

2012-06-19T21:18:11Z

--Press Release from the Office of Mayor Kevin Johnson--

SACRAMENTO, CA – Mayor Kevin Johnson announced on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, that Sacramento will receive $15 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to rehabilitate the Sacramento Valley Station at the Rail yards.

“This grant is a huge shot in the arm for Sacramento and could not have come at a better time. The City has continued to fight for dollars at the federal level and today’s announcement is the result of those tireless efforts.

“Thanks to the President Obama and Secretary LaHood, Sacramento will continue to transform our Rail yards and build upon the efforts of so many to make us known as a City that delivers on job creation, economic development and big transportation and infrastructure projects.”

The renovation of the Sacramento Valley Station is the next step of the intermodal project. This comes on the heels of the Rail Line Relocation project that utilized $37 million dollars of federal funds and will be completed this fall.

"President Obama has challenged us to invest in an America that is built to last, and it's clear that communities across America can't afford to wait any longer to get started," said Secretary Ray LaHood. "At a time when gas prices are high, it's more important than ever that we invest in projects that will relieve congestion, improve the safety of our transportation systems, and provide Americans with affordable, efficient options for reaching their destinations."

The $15 million from the TIGER grant will be matched by $15 million of local funding.

For more information visit the Sacramento Intermodal Transit Facility website.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

VIDEO: 'Confluence' lights up the River District

2012-06-11T16:21:59Z

As vehicles whiz past, a pedestrian meanders on the sidewalk. Above him is a gentle pulsing cerulean light. The glow shifts in hue, from a deep blue, to teal, to an intense purple. It falls gently on a series of protruding waves, jutting out from the cement wall they rest upon.

The otherworldly glow now welcomes travelers passing underneath I-5 on Richards Boulevard. The glow, which breathes and moves along a 112 foot long section of molded concrete, is part of the installation piece 'Confluence' by City of Sacramento Senior Architect Gregory B. Taylor.

Included in the Richards to Railyards street and sidewalk improvements, the piece bathes the I-5 underpass in blue and purple tones. The effect is created by mounting energy efficient LEDs above the molded protrusions, which cast light and shadow that celebrates the familiar waves of the Sacramento and American Rivers. It is the City’s first LED colored light display in a transportation project. An actual video of a river is converted to create the effect.

The Richards to Railyards Access Project, as a whole, widened the freeway off-ramps and should improve traffic circulation at Richards Boulevard, Bercut Drive and Jibboom Street. Its completion comes as Township 9 at the River District firms up financing on a five-story, 118-unit, mixed-use housing project, and Regional Transit gets ready to open the first of two light rail stations as part of its future 13-mile Green Line. The Green Line will eventually extend light rail from the River District to the airport.

The project is funded through the Sacramento County Measure A half cent sales tax and federal transportation funds.

Video of the installation in action can be seen here:

Confluence by Gregory B. Taylor from carlos eliason on Vimeo.

For more information on the project, visit the Richards to Railyards project page.

Return of the Fred Mayes Jewelers street clock

2012-05-03T22:38:22Z

The City of Sacramento has returned a completely restored Fred Mayes Jewelers street clock to its home at 10th and J streets. A short event to showcasing the final assembly of the last remaining pieces was held Wednesday, May 2, at 11:30 a.m.

The $24,000 project was made possible through historic grants, downtown redevelopment tax increment funds and federal Community Development Block Grant funds available through the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. No City general funds were spent on the project.

Other donors paying for the electronic clock movement include the Mayes family, the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, former City Councilmember Ray Tretheway, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Trust for Historic Preservation.

The clock is likely more than 100 years old, although the first clear evidence is a 1924 photo of the clock in its original design in front of 1009 K St., its original location.

The restored landmark clock is a small but significant example of the City’s commitment to preserve its heritage. This clock, the nearby Citizen Hotel, the Elks Building, and the Sheraton are fine examples of the great architectural history of Sacramento and testament to how the City is building on history. This public/private partnership ensures that this clock will keep us on time for years to come.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

Sacramento Intermodal to apply for federal funding grant

2012-03-12T20:10:41Z

In the coming weeks, the City of Sacramento will be applying for a federal grant of discretionary funds called the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER IV.) This grant is being applied for with hopes of using the money for rehabilitation and improvements of facilities of the Sacramento Valley Station building.

Although constructed in 1926 with expansive light filled spaces and fine architectural details, decades of neglect are evident. Most of the building’s systems have outlived their useful life, and only 20,000 square feet is currently in use. Proposed upgrades, such as adding heating and air conditioning, elevators, stairs and restrooms will increase usable interior space to 50,000 square feet. Upgraded bicycle facilities will include a bicycle repair and parking station inside a former baggage ramp area.

Concurrently, Phase I of the Intermodal Project, moving the tracks 500 feet north, is clearly progressing in these scenes. Trains are scheduled to be switched over to the new tracks this summer.

Tasked with creating a cover photo for the grant application I quickly found myself craning 60 feet into the air, on a man-lift located just inside the Railyards site. Facing roughly south west and just after sunset, I composed and exposed accordingly, taking care not to make too many sudden movements. The the exposure requires a few seconds to complete, and any shaking in the lift basket would end up blurring the image.

Special thanks to Granite Construction for helping make the image possible.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

A living project: Sac Railyards Photo Essay

2012-02-21T17:15:26Z

Every time I visit the Railyards it’s as if the earth there itself is churning, a breathing organism. Soil is moved, smoothed over and relocated again. Ditches are dug, tunnels are built and pathways begin to take some semblance. Because I come to the site every few months or so, it’s a surprise every time.

The tunnels, which are taking shape for future pedestrians stand now as cold, hard bored out portions of the ground. Aluminum scaffolding peppers the inside, creating a metal web of sorts for workers. In the future, they may be bustling veins with foot traffic and the sounds of the masses.

Rail signals have also sprouted between the 5th and 6th Street Bridges, waiting for their trains to direct.

Passenger platforms appear as centipedes, with reinforcement bar sticking out of the side, waiting to be chopped off. I myself, along with others, cannot wait to see what happens next.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a designer and photographer working for the City of Sacramento.

Movement: A photo essay of the Sacramento Valley Station

2011-11-06T21:45:57Z

It’s as if the ghosts of all those who have traveled through these halls before us can still be heard... I find myself yet again walking through empty rooms that echo not only my footsteps, but the seeming sounds of the past

The Sacramento Valley Station finds itself as a hub of transportation for the Sacramento area. Currently serving as an intermodal complex, the facility includes Amtrak, light rail, regional bus services and taxi amenities.

The public portions of the building are those that many are familiar with such as the main hall, or passenger waiting area, where customers purchase tickets or pass through to the facilities outside to the north. Outside are the bus berths, passenger tunnel and platforms, areas for taxis, and of course the rail lines themselves.

What the public doesn’t see are the dilapidated and crumbling rooms, once used as restaurants and offices. Light rich rooms, these areas have moods all to themselves. A large main hall that was used as a restaurant area reverberates densely as the building creaks and moans. Smaller offices are calm and quiet in their desolation.

They all sit empty, unusable due to their lack of upkeep, failure to meet building codes and absence of basics, such as elevators, restrooms and heating and cooling systems.

The building, constructed in 1926, marked the terminus of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Over the years, neglect of the facilities took its toll on the aging walls. The materials, though of quality, have simply outlived their life span.

The building itself qualifies as a historic property under the National Historic Preservation Act and is listed in historic registers, including the California Register of Historical Resources and National Register of Historic Places, among others.

More recently the City has put forth a federal grant application, with hopes of receiving approximately 28 million dollars of leverage money. The funds will go towards revitalizing the entire facility, to make use of the 53,000 square feet of space not being used and rehabilitating the historic features.

In the meantime, the City is now retrofitting the station to meet current standards for earthquake safety, as well as adding upgrades for people with disabilities, using an already granted sum of $11 million in federal and state monies.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a photographer/videographer and designer working in the Sacramento area. He is also a creative media intern for the City of Sacramento.

Big things underway at Sacramento Railyards

2011-08-03T19:31:40Z

The Railyards is currently abuzz with activity. I recently had the chance take a short tour of the construction as part of my work with the City and it is a sight to behold. Seeing the massive excavation of dirt is am impressive far cry from what the site looked like only two months earlier, when construction started in May. The progress of the 245 plot of land is a welcome sight.

The earth directly in front of the main shop buildings, north of the Sacramento Amtrak Station, takes a large dip, perhaps twenty feet deep now. Before, this area was a flat expanse of dusty land, reaching to the rail station. Excavators pepper the site, clambering around their newly built depths of soil. Steam leaves the ground where crews have placed lye to evaporate moisture, making the soil more stable. Workers shovel clods of earth in their respective holes. The energy on-site is well into a positive nature.

More information about the Railyards project can be found at the City of Sacramento's Intermodal Transportation Facility webpage.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a photographer, videographer, and designer working in Sacramento, CA. More photographs can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/carloseliason