Yesterday, Sacramento Press contributor Tony Sheppard challenged fellow readers and contributors to share what they would do with a theoretical $250 million, in a way that might bring a greater return than a basketball arena. I started writing a comment but, as often happens, it ended up being an article in itself. So here it is. Step 1: Build the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar: $130 Million. Streetcars are often called "development-oriented transit" because they promote growth of transit-oriented neighborhoods along their right-of-way. Portland is the canonical example of a new city streetcar line spurring growth in the "Pearl" District, a mostly vacant industrial district until installa

In order to build a downtown arena, Sacramentans will have to give up that which they hold dearest: free parking. The funding plan requires expansion of on-street metering downtown, and will increase parking rates at city lots. The arena’s presence dramatically changes the economics of private parking lots, in ways that threaten the main funding source for the arena. By releasing the term sheet at the absolute last minute, on a Saturday night, followed by a Monday city holiday and a crashed City of Sacramento website, the opportunity for public review is so limited that it is effectively nonexistent. Three days is simply not enough time for a detailed look at the term sheet, but it was su

Lights, camera, fashion is all the buzz to be heard around the Emerald City as it kicked off its seventh annual Sacramento Fashion Week http://sacfashionweek.com/, February 24 - March 2. Growing in attendance each year since its launch in 2006, we have been able to watch fashion in Sacramento transition from adopted trends from nearby cities and magazines to developing designers and fashionistas with inimitable style. SACFW Editor in Chief, Bridgett Rex explained that SACFW allows us to educate our community about fashion and style, creating a demand for people to become more interested and eager to engage in fashion. “With events like Sacramento Fashion Week, the community becomes mor

While Mayor Kevin Johnson, the City Council and a good chunk of the media are focused on the fate of the Sacramento Kings, a group of renegade entrepreneurs in downtown has decided that, arena or no arena, basketball team or not, they are going to start pushing to improve the neighborhood where they work and live. You may already have heard of Turn Downtown Around, a community group made up of business owners and downtown residents, mostly in their 20s and 30s. The group is still informal at this point but it has a vibrant Facebook page and big ambitions. I recently had the chance to meet with about a dozen people who say they're committed to the group and its mission. We’ll be featuring

Join Sacramento Heritage, Inc. on Saturday, February 9 for a "Dessert Tour." This two-hour stroll through Midtown Sacramento's residential and business district will visit architectural treasures, share stories of the city's past, and include delicious desserts from four of Midtown's most popular purveyors of sweets. Proceeds benefit Sacramento Heritage Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to protecting and maintaining Sacramento's architectural treasures. For fans of historic architecture, the tour will feature a look at Midtown Sacramento's diverse architectural styles, including 19th century Italianate and Queen Anne, early 20th century Craftsman and revival styles, and even Mid-Century

Many who visit downtown Sacramento note that, on evening or weekends, it seems like a ghost town. There is little pedestrian traffic, and most businesses are closed. In some ways, downtown Sacramento became a ghost town when half the central city’s population was forced to leave, and their homes were destroyed. Perhaps the ghosts of 30,000 former residents wander the streets, wondering what happened to their downtown neighborhood? The drop in Sacramento’s downtown population after 1950 is easy to see using census data. The US Census tracks population down to the “Census Tract” level, neighborhood-sized chunks of about 4,000 people. In 1950, the portion of Sacramento now known as “the grid

The area around K Street in downtown Sacramento has done well in recent years, and one group of developers is hoping for a return on their investment. If the price is right, the city could see money headed its way as well. The building that holds Pizza Rock, K-Bar, and Dive Bar, along with six other establishments, is up for sale. Local developer David S. Taylor, who owns the property along with the CIM Group of Los Angeles, says they are "testing the market" and will only sell with the right offer. They have not listed a price.  The City of Sacramento subsidized the project, called 1000 Kay, with $5.7 million in 2009, and Taylor said the terms of the deal were such that the city would b

On Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m., Annette Kassis will discuss her book, “Weinstock’s: Sacramento’s Finest Department Store,” (The History Press, 2012) in the Sacramento Room at the Sacramento Public Library at 828 I St. “Weinstock’s: Sacramento’s Finest Department Store” is the second book from The History Press, based in Charleston, S.C., about Sacramento history. The first, released earlier this year, was “Sacramento’s K Street: Where Our City Was Born” by Sacramento author and historian William Burg. Unlike other history-based books, the History Press does not focus primarily on visuals. While photos certainly enrich the text, the focus is on the text, the writing, and that is what sets

Lowbrau owners Michael Hargis and Clay Nutting say they expect to open their German-style beer hall and sausage restaurant in the first few weeks of December, if construction stays on track. The restaurant will take the 20th and K streets location of the former Lounge on 20, which closed earlier this year after an extensive redesign failed to draw fine-dining customers in the numbers needed to make it succeed. Hargis and Nutting say they have a markedly different concept, with the communal tables, larger square bar and decor that’s a cross between modern and Bavarian styling designed to foster a sense of community at affordable prices. “We were really lucky,” Hargis said Tuesday. “We’ve

Mayor Kevin Johnson will be hosting an Election Night Results Viewing Party on Tuesday night, and is inviting all Sacramento voters to join him in watching the results. Johnson, who has campaigned for President Obama in the key swing states of Nevada, North Carolina, and Florida, says the viewing party will allow Sacramentans of all political stripes to gather together to watch the returns in this historic election.  "This is a critical election for our nation, our state, and our city," said Johnson. "We're hoping for a record turnout, and I'd lke to welcome any Sacramento citizen who has cast their ballot to watch it being counted with us, no matter who you are supporting." Here are t

The last debate between Steve Hansen and Joe Yee took place at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret on K and 10th streets Tuesday night. In a cordial showdown, the differences between the two candidates seemed arguably lessened, as both men agreed that any winner would be good for Sacramento. “After over a year of campaigning, I think a lot of issues have come to the fore,” said Hansen. “Joe (Yee)’s been a great person to run against because we both deeply care about this city.” Within the immediate downtown/Midtown/Land Park area, the race for City Council has been a close one. There were only 75 votes between first and second place during the primaries in June. Even this late in the race, there we

Oishii Sushi Bar and Grill held its grand opening Thursday, announcing it will offer half-price karaoke rooms for the first week. The restaurant, located above the Cosmopolitan Cabaret at at 1000 K St., is the third one for owner Joe Zheng, who also owns similar places in New York and San Francisco. Combining sushi, Mongolian barbecue and teriyaki fare, the restaurant also incorporates 15 private karaoke rooms, that can accommodate anywhere from six to as many as 40 people. The ceiling in the room above was created in-place and took about two months, according to Zheng. Lighting effects on three levels allow the LED lights to change colors with ease. Sushi rolls at lunchtime will range

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

Editor's note: The author of this piece, William Burg, will participate in a Sac Pres live chat on K Street this Wednesday at noon. Plan to watch? Please RSVP on our Goole+ page. You can also catch Burg live and in person at the California State Archives on Tuesday at 7 p.m. as he presents on his book, "Sacramento’s K Street: Where Our City Was Born". Event detials can be found here.  This week’s Sacramento Press scoop about Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s new “The Kay” marketing strategy was met with reactions ranging from grudging acceptance to outright ridicule. The marketing campaign was paid for by DSP, downtown Sacramento’s business association, funded by downtown property owners.

Does Midtown have an overconcentration of bars? It’s an issue that has divided readers on The Sacramento Press since we launched four years ago. Sacramento Bee Associate Editor Foon Rhee wrote about the issue on Sunday, and we’ll have him and Midtown resident George Raya on Sac Press Live Wednesday to discuss it. The video chat window will be live streamed here on Wednesday at noon:   Some longtime residents say the Midtown area is overrun with drinking establishments, and it’s destroying their quality of life. Others cite the walkability of the district – and the amount of bars and restaurants – as reasons to live nearby. When new restaurants apply for alcohol licenses, they ofte

Those acquainted with Turkish food often think of kebabs and hummus, but Erol Hazar said it’s far more diverse, and when he opens Anatolian Table in the former Hina’s Tea space at 2319 K St. later this year, he wants to showcase the authentic cuisine of his homeland. Turkey straddles the border of Europe and Asia, and Hazar – a native of Istanbul – said Anatolia is the name for the Asian section of the country, which makes up about 80 percent of the land mass. “Turkish food is like Mediterranean food,” he said Friday. “It’s not too spicy, there’s nothing greasy, and there’s nothing cooked in a fryer. It’s all done on the grill or in the oven.” Dishes such as tavuk guvec – a chopped chic

There’s a business shuffle in Lavender Heights. The Kennedy Gallery left its space adjacent to Headhunters and moved into the Victorian house on the corner of 20th and L streets. The owners of the costume shop that formerly occupied the space retired, and it was all so that Headhunters and Faces owner Terry Sidie could relaunch his first Sacramento nightclub – Club Bojangles – in the art gallery’s recently vacated space. Club Bojangles is a rebirth of the first club that Sidie owned, back in the 1970s. His subsequent establishments, like Club Bojangles, all cater to the gay community, but welcome straight people as well. “I opened Bojangles in ’76 on Folsom Boulevard,” Sidie said. “I st

If you want to watch a ball drop this New Year’s Eve in Sacramento, you’d better plan to be near a TV. The city has rejected a proposal to hold a New Year’s ball drop at K Street, between ninth and eleventh streets, due to safety and traffic concerns, according to a report by Ryan Lillis Monday in The Sacramento Bee. City Neighborhood Services Director Vincene Jones sent a letter to the planner of the event, Dale Robertson, co-owner of the Parlaré Euro Lounge, outlining the reasons for the move. The letter said it would be difficult to clear the area before light rail services would have to start up again in the morning, and that city police and the California Highway Patrol would be st

The recent recession cost Jonathan Kim his job in the building maintenance industry, but it also opened the door for him to follow a dream he’d had for years – owning a restaurant. A fish and chips restaurant in South Sacramento was short-lived, but five years ago, he opened the first location of Bento Box near Sacramento State, and he came up with a winning formula. He’s now expanding Bento Box to the Midtown/downtown area with its third location, and he said it will be open longer and seat more people than the previous two – one at 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard and the other in Loehmann’s Plaza in East Sacramento. Most dishes will be served in bento boxes – plastic boxes with built

A style of entertainment popular in Japan that also has a proven track record in the United States is coming to K Street by October: karaoke – but not the karaoke you’d expect at most bars. Oishii Sushi Bar and Grill, located at 1000 K St., will be a sushi restaurant with 15 private karaoke rooms. The rooms range in size, with small rooms able to hold six or eight people and larger rooms holding as many as 40. “It’s a family and friends concept,” owner Joe Zheng said. “They can go and reserve a private room and do karaoke for a birthday or a friends’ get-together type thing.” Located above the Cosmopolitan Cabaret, Oishii can be accessed via an elevator from K Street. Upon entering, pe