Tag: Development

More development strong-arming on K Street

I still do not understand the tactics that the City of Sacramento is employing to “revitalize” downtown, K Street in particular. Read today in the Bee that the city is suing developer Moe Mohanna to force him to trade property with Joe Zeiden. This would give Zeiden the 700 block and Mohanna the 800 block. I have ranted about this in the past, and you’ll be happy (or much more likely, unhappy) to know that I’m still up for more ranting.

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Now That’s Progress

For months, residents of the Arden/Arcade area have wondered what was to become ofsmear
the Lyon’s restaurant on the corner of El Camino and Watt.  Having stood for over fifty years, the Lyon’s was a unique architectural reminder of a glittering and inventive time gone by.  When a crew of demolition workers started to bring the building down in March, rumors flew as to what the new spot would morph into.  Mrs. Eats and I really hoped for a Peet’s Coffe and Naia Gelato combo, but both agreed that we’d settle for a Dos Coyotes or even a Fuzio (that’s fusion pasta for those in the know).  Well, the bulldozers are gone and the fence has come down and the new location has been unveiled to reveal- TA DAH- extended parking for the Wal Mart.  That’s right, the building was demolished so that Wal Mart could have 20 more parking spaces in a parking lot that already sports over 500 spots.  Well done Wal Mart.  Thanks for keeping the neighborhood relevant.

Survey Says…

You Peet’s regulars have surely noticed the sweet lady asking folks to fill out a survey while waiting in line at the Lyon Village location. She is offering a free cup of joe just for filling out the two page survey which mostly deals with demographics and coffee drinking patterns.

So, first and foremost, we love us a free anything here at the Sac Rag so head on down to Peet’s and hop in line.

Now, back to my point. Today I struck up a conversation with the gal. We discussed the Lyon Village location as well as the others in the area. Of course, this lead to our thoughts about a redesign. I freaked her out I am sure with my overly thought out plans for renovation as well as my opinion on the confusion that occurs from time to time when the coffee bean counter doubles as a coffee line which then forces the patrons to create a feeder line on the fly. This doesn’t always work out so well when everyone is not on board with the idea. She humored me and provided feedback. She also mentioned that some folks had suggested a line be created for just drip coffee orders and one for specialty drinks. If you are reading this survey lady, I apologize for my enthusiasm and references to sketches and blueprints I have available upon request.

My assumption is this has to do with the pending remodel first discussed on this here web log last month. You insiders care to chime in?

The Union Pacific Food Hall

I just got back from Los Angeles yesterday and returned to our fair city with an appreciation for good urban planning.  I’ve been to several California cities in the last few months in fact, and I can say that Sacramento is much farther along in its trendy “dowtown revitilization” project than most of the others.  Nowhere is this more evident than in downtown LA.  For those of you that haven’t ventured to downtown LA recently, you’re missing a goldmine of an opportunity to see some of this country’s seediest homeless people along with one of the surest and slowest transformations of an American city.  The plodding gentrification of the downtown area is slow, true, but also relentless, transforming historical buildings and retaining some sense of SoCal history.  Instead of the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality so prevalent in LA,  planners are seizing this opportunity to do it right, mixing old and new in a symbiotic fusion.  The best example I can see of this attitude is at the Grand Central Market, an alomst open-air food haven that mixes spice sellers and fish mongers with kitchens and food stands, dishing out counter and street food from all over the globe.

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Sign this…or else

On Thursday, February 15 at 7pm the Arden Arcade Incorporation Committee will be holding a petition drive celebration and informational meeting at Arcade Church (3927 Marconi Avenue). For those of you who haven’t been accosted by the for hire signature gatherers in the area recently, some folks in the Arden Arcade area are trying to incorporate. In order to do so they must “obtain” a certain amount of signatures from the public.

Now I’m all for taking it to the streets and letting the people decide, but these signature gatherers are just plain jack-holes. So much so that I am all for voting against incorporation in protest.

Has anyone else encountered these scoundrels? Runner-eats? Sac-girl? What say you?

Railyard cleanup on the fast track, or pile that asbestos in the closet

According to the Bee today, Thomas Enterprises, Inc., new owner and developer of the railyard, are going to be moving as fast as possible to clean up the toxic areas of that site.

The faster the cleanup, the sooner Thomas will get city approval for development. The sooner the company sells parcels to developers, the faster it can pay off loans and turn a profit.

My mom always loved this approach to cleaning my room. Why on earth would you attempt to portray your handling of a gigantic environmental mess as proceeding as fast as humanly possible? It’s one thing if there are just a few big-box stores going in there, but there are going to be thousands of homes on that site.

Roseville will eat itself

The sleepy little town of Roseville announced plans to expand it’s quaint little shopping area recently. The “Galleria” as it is known to the locals will grow from a modest 1.1 million square feet to 1.5 million square feet when all is said and done.

To expand, the Galleria needs the Roseville Planning Commission to OK a modification to its major project permit; a separate permit for the architecture of the new buildings; and the City Council to agree to amend the city’s lease agreement with the mall.

What about consulting local business owners?

At any rate, perhaps now the city will finally get a few of those “chain” restaurants we’ve been hearing so much about. Oh, and for you sports lovers out there, Roseville was also recently named the home of the Sacramento Capitals and will play seven out of fourteen games at The Galleria. This, of course, means they won’t be playing at the wonderfully accommodating Sunrise Mall any longer. Sigh.

That’s some good fiddling, Heather Fargo

What, me worry?
Mayor and buyers celebrate railyard sale

A telling quote from Mayor Fargo in the Bee’s report today on the railyard sale:

“I never thought I’d be spending most of my political career on this site,” Fargo said of her longtime role as railyard booster.

With 59 murders in Sacramento this year, easily the highest total in a decade, including at least 3 in the last week, along with other horrible stories of assaults, unidentified bodies turning up almost daily, and gunfire at the entrance to Arden Fair (that’s just this week), really, what else could she be remembered for? I bet you a Sac Rag t-shirt we bust through 60 by the end of the year.

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City settles with Joe Sun

This made the news last week but it looks like the City has finally agreed on a price with Joe Sun and now can proceed with developing the 700 block of K Street. For the building and the business itself the City will be shelling out almost $6 million. This made for steamy debate here when it first made headlines. The settling price ended up somewhere between what the City was originally offering and what Joe Sun was asking, closer to the City’s original offer. I have yet to be enlightened on why this is how redevelopment has to be done; I have no idea why Joe Sun couldn’t have stayed right there on that block. Wouldn’t a few hundred grand for some new signage and rehabbing on the building have been money well spent? If the city allows developers to buy up blocks won’t we just end up with a ton of big modern looking buildings suited only to being shared by big retailers like Z Gallerie? Also how exactly is this just not going to happen again in 30 years?

Views On Development, Sacramento Style

-This morning, my Peet’s coffee jerk said something shocking. There is a new building going up on the corner of 19th and S in the Safeway marketplace across the parking lot from Peet’s, and in reference to it she said, “How funny would it be if a Starbucks went up there.” Then she laughed maniacally. I love Peet’s employees for their coffee cockiness. They basically dare SBUX to move into their neighborhoods so that they can demolish them.

-A prominent article in the bee discusses development for West Sacramento. From the tone of the article, it sounds like most folks are looking forward to the change and the facelift planned for Capitol Ave. However, one resident complained that development brings traffic. “West Sacramento used to be sort of country, and now it’s getting like the rest of the county,” he says. Good point, sir. Things aren’t what they used to be since the Indians left.
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