The River District continues to move forward. California Lottery moved in mid-2011, followed by a Light Rail Green Line station in June of last year. Popular food truck Krush Burger will open its first establishment on the ground floor of the California Lottery building in two weeks, and on Wednesday,Township Nine officially broke ground for its first housing unit, Cannery Place. Scott Syphax opened the groundbreaking ceremony by pointing out the the tilled earth of the mostly vacant lot which had previously been home to Bercut-Richards cannery, before it was demolished to make way for Township Nine. “Back in 1999, this place looked like the set of Robocop...at the end of the movie,” sa

Hey everyone, Cesar Chavez Plaza is famous! While within these nifty fifty states there might be roughly one gajillion parks/plazas/sushi bars utilizing the same moniker, only one made the American Planning Association’s “10 Great Public Spaces” this year. Hint: it’s ours. According to CNN, the APA has been looking to highlight the park but was waiting on recent renovations which were completed in May. Although only phase one of a three part renovation, the landscaping upgrade and extended walkways mean that the park was primed for its closeup. For my birthday a couple of years ago, and after a seriously margarita-laden celebratory lunch, my family and I strolled over to Cesar Chavez to

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 rede

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 weekend

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 th

--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 y

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

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

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 i

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

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, passeng

The Powerhouse Science Center project officially broke ground this morning, commemorating its push forward with the unfurling of a large 30 x 10 foot banner, which adorned the front of the former PG&E power station building. In attendance were some 60 citizens, dignitaries, funding partners, Powerhouse Science Center staff and City staff. Speakers at the event included Mayor Kevin Johnson, Congressmember Doris Matsui, Senator Darrell Steinberg's District Director, Susan McKee, and Michele Wong, the Interim Executive Director for the project. A $7 million check was presented to the project, generated by Proposition 84's "Nature Education Facilities" grant. The funds will be used to partial

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

The proposed Docks project nested between Interstate 5 and the Sacramento River, will be heard by the City Planning Commission on the 8th for a motion to pass the rezoning for future urban development consistent with the 2030 General Plan. City Staff will also recommend that Option B to be chosen in how the 29 acres are developed which including 1,000 residential units, 200,000 square feet of office space, and 43,300 square feet of retail space. A formal recommendation for Option B will be made the City Planning Commission next month and then the City Council for approval in December. Option B was determined to be the most cost effective plan to retain Pioneer Reservoir and build the park