Richard Julian comment-79164 2013-02-03T08:31:02Z 2013-02-03T08:31:02Z While I think it's very brave to write an opinion piece that is clearly astray from many of the readers to SacPress, I cannot help but feel a little saddened by how backwards some people still are thinking. Mr. Burg said it best, you and your organization, are clearly detached from reality. Even beyond your skewed view of the urban vs. suburban debate (which is turning less into a debate and more into fact), I have to pick on your reasoning through the "American Dream". This idea that we're all here to work hard, get paid, and settle in the suburbs with children is seen as a joke to anyone not considered elderly. It simply doesn't work that way anymore and even you, Mr. Lukenbill, will live to see the day when the US is not the world's leading economy. We already trail far behind in terms of infrastructure, largely thanks to the policies and preferences that you seem to stand behind. Thanks for that. Richard Julian 2013-02-03T08:31:02Z Richard Julian comment-78881 2013-01-25T19:02:57Z 2013-01-25T19:02:57Z Paul, So true though. I know many of these small farmers in town and I know that they find a lot of these new markets tedious/costly to attend to. If anything, it's worse for the smaller farmers, as they usually end of having to pull out of the markets mid season because they make no money. In general, new markets take a couple of years to gain attendance levels even remotely close to the already established markets. George, I'm not even going to touch on why the economics of farmers markets != restaurants. But in truth, there's a certain subset of the population who patronizes farmers markets regularly, and opening a new market that isn't far away from existing markets will take away customers from the other market, resulting in generally no new customers and working twice the hours. Richard Julian 2013-01-25T19:02:57Z Richard Julian comment-78877 2013-01-25T18:21:22Z 2013-01-25T18:21:22Z Does anyone ever think of the farmers for these kinds of things? The problem of opening a new market in Sacramento is that it spreads things even thinner for the vendors. In our metro area, there're already six farmer's markets on saturday (during the season) and pretty much one every other day of the week. Opening a new market makes the farmers take more time/money out of their pockets to show up and sell their produce. In addition, it takes away from the crowds of other markets (Sunday). While consumers have further choices of markets to go to, the truth is that more farmer's markets means more costs for farmers, meaning higher prices for consumers in the end. If anything, we should be closing certain farmers markets! Does the grid really need more than Wednesday and Sunday (with a short hop over to Oak Park farmer's market if you really need produce on Saturdays)? Food for thought. Richard Julian 2013-01-25T18:21:22Z Richard Julian comment-76756 2012-12-05T20:34:07Z 2012-12-05T20:34:07Z It is so competitive out there when it comes to the lunch crowd (and really just getting people to spend money) and you really have to have something that stands out. Blaming the economy instead of a bad business model seems to be the cop-out du jour. Richard Julian 2012-12-05T20:34:07Z Richard Julian comment-76258 2012-11-26T18:04:23Z 2012-11-26T18:04:23Z This is too true. Anyone who goes to farmer's markets in the area should know that the prices are often far too high for low income residents. Having a market in Old Sac would probably be ideal, as there would be fresh tourists as well as being located close enough to midtown to make it possible to get more well off residents. One big issue with this whole idea though is that there're too many farmers markets in the area as it is. During the season, it feels like there are like 10+ every week in Sacramento. It'd be hard to sustain a market when there's so much competition already from existing markets. Richard Julian 2012-11-26T18:04:23Z Richard Julian comment-75197 2012-10-26T19:11:37Z 2012-10-26T19:11:37Z Doesn't anyone ever get taken aback by that $1.5 million figure you're throwing out there Kevin. Why do we accept such insane amounts of money for something like a bikeshare program. This is why the US is so bad at building infrastructure, our costs are so inflated. Richard Julian 2012-10-26T19:11:37Z Richard Julian comment-68470 2012-05-25T16:09:42Z 2012-05-25T16:09:42Z I'm also a recent DC transport. OP and I probably know very well about those who're averse to using public transit or biking, as it is wildly popular amongst the majority suburbanite population there. Try getting a person from the further out Virginia suburbs to come into the district on the Metro. It exists here too, certainly (see: a lot of people in Roseville and Elk Grove). I don't think midtown should be accommodating these people. Urban parking lots are horrific and are really a thing of the past and not something for the present. As for the parking problem, it is a little too easy to get away with free parking in midtown and that should probably change. This will encourage people to park farther away (and explore more of the neighborhood) or contribute to much-needed parking revenue. Richard Julian 2012-05-25T16:09:42Z Richard Julian comment-67495 2012-05-07T01:28:14Z 2012-05-07T01:28:14Z I don't like that statistic very much. I imagine it's skewed higher due to the incredibly high cost of living in many of the state's big cities. Sacramento need not apply. Cost of living is way way lower here than in DC. Richard Julian 2012-05-07T01:28:14Z Richard Julian comment-59008 2011-10-22T04:46:56Z 2011-10-22T04:46:56Z Hm. Good luck to them. This space is kind of a joke among my circle as it seems that the tenants change with the seasons. I'm pretty sure in the year I've lived in Davis it has been three things and shut down numerous times. This is still continuing the trend of, "Davis: where Sacramento establishments go to die." Richard Julian 2011-10-22T04:46:56Z Richard Julian comment-56279 2011-08-30T15:36:51Z 2011-08-30T15:36:51Z I don't agree. Suburbs are not a natural part of the cycle. They have been built up in the last century ad nauseum. Small towns, sure. But an entire network of "not-cities" forming a "city" is new and I hope the cycle doesn't continue. I really hope the trend leads to the end of the suburb. They're isolated slots of land with ugly,copy cat houses of inefficiency. Midtown can be for all ages, I don't see why not. Richard Julian 2011-08-30T15:36:51Z Richard Julian comment-56215 2011-08-29T23:59:42Z 2011-08-29T23:59:42Z As the Onion loves to say, "stereotypes make everything easier". Both of these stereotypes hold true as stereotypes, nothing new presented. I don't have a problem with either of these sentiments about Midtown and Roseville (or any other Suburb for that matter). Of course, these aren't 100% true of all people! But they help us and we need them. Suburb vs. Urban center is repeated all over the country. In DC, it's Dupont Circle vs. Fairfax. In San Francisco, it's the Mission vs. Danville. In Sacramento, it's Midtown vs. Roseville. I think it's just recently that public opinion has put the two on more equal footing, considering in the past there was no fight and the Rosevilles of the country would be held in much higher regards than the Midtowns. Now, we're seeing that flip flop and the way urbanization seems to be going,and Roseville will be the "ghetto" and Midtown the ideal. Richard Julian 2011-08-29T23:59:42Z Richard Julian comment-56000 2011-08-26T17:05:08Z 2011-08-26T17:05:08Z Awesome! As someone who just started with the whole backyard chickens thing, I'm totally for this. Chickens are so easy to keep and they're far cheaper than a cat or dog. I'm all down for efficient animals that make eggs for me to eat. If I was still living in midtown, I'd still be able to keep my chickens because they don't take much space up at all. Richard Julian 2011-08-26T17:05:08Z Richard Julian comment-37606 2010-09-21T18:20:24Z 2010-09-21T18:20:24Z Excellent! I've talked to her multiple times that she needed to move to Midtown and what a great location. I really hope she got a good deal on it too. I can't wait to go visit her when she moves to midtown! Richard Julian 2010-09-21T18:20:24Z Richard Julian comment-33032 2010-07-17T18:44:42Z 2010-07-17T18:44:42Z I'm most excited for the part that they're building a racquetball court! More racquetball courts are needed in this damn city. Richard Julian 2010-07-17T18:44:42Z Richard Julian comment-30810 2010-06-20T18:27:07Z 2010-06-20T18:27:07Z Awesome Article! However, I do feel that people would be discouraged to come here if they had to pay for parking. It utterly shocks me how many people from the burbs don't understand parking at all in Midtown. And a lot of them make it an issue. They'd have to do some sort of sweeping, sensible reform for people to truly understand it and to have it not make an impact on the performance of midtown businesses. Richard Julian 2010-06-20T18:27:07Z Richard Julian comment-25488 2010-04-23T15:16:37Z 2010-04-23T15:16:37Z I know it'd be expensive to implement initially, but has anyone done a long term cost analysis of changing the fare procedures of RT so that it's MANDATORY to purchase a ticket to ride. I don't think I've been on many systems (and I get a kick out of going and riding public transit) that work on the honor system quite like RT. It'd be a good thing. There'd be less of the critters who get on late at night and maybe RT could actually increase service sometime. Richard Julian 2010-04-23T15:16:37Z Richard Julian comment-21185 2010-01-24T18:58:17Z 2010-01-24T18:58:17Z One very important note: no one under 21 will be admitted. Richard Julian 2010-01-24T18:58:17Z Richard Julian comment-19577 2009-12-19T05:18:09Z 2009-12-19T05:18:09Z Has anyone really considered doing something in West Sacramento, say right across the river (see: Ziggurat pt. 2) or whatnot? Yeah, not a lot of commercial activity, however there is that new planned community, it's really not that far from downtown (light rail would DEFINITELY need to be expanded to the stadium) and would probably be cheaper in terms of real estate? I'm imagining it being something like the Ballpark District in SW Washington, DC. I'm not really backing this idea yet because I'm not completely knowledgable on the logistics, but has this idea ever been thrown out? (Then again, does Sacramento really want to lose another sports entertainment venue to west sac?) Overall, I'm just hoping we can build a new arena somewhere more logical than Natomas. Suburban sprawl is over and probably won't be back for quite some time. Honestly, I'd totally go to more games if I could walk, bike, or (easily) bus to an arena downtown and I don't even like basketball all that much. Richard Julian 2009-12-19T05:18:09Z Richard Julian comment-19576 2009-12-19T05:07:52Z 2009-12-19T05:07:52Z Your comments about LA reminded me of Shea/Citifield in NYC. The only businesses around the stadium are chop shops. It's viable (and strangely, loved.) because of its relative closeness to Manhattan by Subway. The subway stop is near the entrance of the field. If they did decide to build something outside of downtown, they damn well better make it easily transit accessible (I'm looking at you, Light Rail. No buses). Richard Julian 2009-12-19T05:07:52Z Richard Julian comment-18824 2009-12-07T16:40:05Z 2009-12-07T16:40:05Z I never seemed to see people there, so this is totally not shocking. They should come back and try for a new concept. How many sushi/asian restaurants can you fit on the grid, honestly? Richard Julian 2009-12-07T16:40:05Z Richard Julian comment-17852 2009-11-17T05:40:47Z 2009-11-17T05:40:47Z But arenas must go somewhere. And I think it's been shown that there's a lot more benefit from having a sports complex in an urban place to having one out in.. Natomas. It seems that when there's a new complex built, it totally changes and overhauls the neighborhood around it. There're also those who don't mind living next to a complex. DC's Nationals Stadium actually advertises as the ballpark neighborhood and honestly, it's probably the only place in all of DC I'd move back to. Richard Julian 2009-11-17T05:40:47Z Richard Julian comment-17824 2009-11-16T21:26:58Z 2009-11-16T21:26:58Z Too true to that last part! If we could do something along the lines of what Washington, DC did with the Verizon Center (seen here: http://tinyurl.com/ydqlhn7 ), the foot traffic would elicit businesses and such to grow/redevelop anyway! Just get something that would force foot traffic to downtown and the rest will call. Down with the mall. Richard Julian 2009-11-16T21:26:58Z Richard Julian comment-17796 2009-11-15T03:50:53Z 2009-11-15T03:50:53Z I feel like I've been hearing about this restaurant for near ever. I'm glad to hear it's finally open. I don't particularly like the location though. I don't think I'd really choose Old Sac as a location when choosing a restaurant. It's our call to DC's Capitol Mall or NYC's Times Square, catering to tourists and providing a welcome to the city. Not a habitual place to be, for me at least. However, the food offerings sound like something that will at least be appealing in Old Sac. Definitely wish them luck and hope I get to try it soon. Also, it's an excellent time for him to open this restaurant, and he knows it. Rent is probably down significantly and he sounds experienced enough to have planned out the restaurant well to cater to his audience. Now is the least risky time to open a restaurant, if you do it right. :D Richard Julian 2009-11-15T03:50:53Z Richard Julian comment-17795 2009-11-15T03:44:19Z 2009-11-15T03:44:19Z http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/november/203700.html Why wouldn't anybody open a restaurant in this economy? If I had some money (or access to it) and knowledge to do it, hell yes would I give it a go. Richard Julian 2009-11-15T03:44:19Z Richard Julian comment-17511 2009-11-09T16:42:26Z 2009-11-09T16:42:26Z I wonder the same thing. In this case, it's pretty obvious that it's about the topic, not the writing. There's not exactly that much writing to critique. Richard Julian 2009-11-09T16:42:26Z Richard Julian comment-17371 2009-11-06T06:38:34Z 2009-11-06T06:38:34Z Oooh. This will be a nice thing to have. Yay local politics. Richard Julian 2009-11-06T06:38:34Z Richard Julian comment-15651 2009-10-15T22:09:38Z 2009-10-15T22:09:38Z Kimberly, the nepotism thing is a bit eye opening. $83K for fund raising?! Sign me up! I'm fresh to California and it shocks me when I hear people talk about tuition increases. It is easily half (or less) of most state schools in the northeast/mid-atlantic. To complain about tuition under $5,000 just seems so foreign. When I was going to a state school that is pretty comparable to CSUS, it was $9,000 a year for tuition alone and I believe it has increased since I've gone there. However, I must say: keep the fight going! If you don't show alarm, you'll be right up there with the east coast in terms of tuition. Richard Julian 2009-10-15T22:09:38Z Richard Julian comment-15333 2009-10-12T16:07:20Z 2009-10-12T16:07:20Z Excellent points, William! I'd love to see a streetcar stretching into midtown, especially one that stays open later. Sac needs some more late-night businesses as well. A 24 hour café (even a small one) downtown would rock. There's been a lot of K street talk. Someone should start www.savekstreet.com and bombard local politicians with revitalization plans. Richard Julian 2009-10-12T16:07:20Z Richard Julian comment-15332 2009-10-12T16:04:11Z 2009-10-12T16:04:11Z When I passed through Denver a few months ago, we stayed a few hours in the downtown. I must say, I wasn't a fan! Even though it was full of young people going from restaurant to restaurant, it felt very artificial! There actually felt like a lack of stuff on each street. Compared to the downtown in St. Louis (which also looked like it had recently been revitalized) and even Kansas City, it just didn't feel like it fit there. When I think of urban core, I don't want to see one restaurant take up an entire street and there be virtually nothing else. I also didn't like Denver's well-defined borders to their downtown. I kind of felt like it was a "hey! no pedestrians past here!" kind of thing. Richard Julian 2009-10-12T16:04:11Z Richard Julian comment-14110 2009-09-20T17:45:08Z 2009-09-20T17:45:08Z Woah. The bee reported the height of the balcony to be 5-8 feet last night. Big difference from 12 feet. Apparently three went to the hospital with minor injuries. Richard Julian 2009-09-20T17:45:08Z Richard Julian comment-14109 2009-09-20T17:41:47Z 2009-09-20T17:41:47Z I can't find it on their website, where is the other location? Richard Julian 2009-09-20T17:41:47Z