The architect and owners of a new house on Blues Alley between 22nd and 23rd streets are looking to bring the controversy surrounding its construction full circle, inviting neighbors to an open house Friday. Originally proposed as a three-story, 2,400-square-foot building, the house, went through a series of design reviews, eventually getting to the City Council. The house features a contemporary style and materials including corten steel – an alloy that gives a rusted look without damaging its structural integrity – Sacramento Press Community Contributor Deb Belt wrote about the controversy surrounding the project, which sparked a flurry of comments on both sides of the issue. Read tha

Bicycle food delivery service Edible Pedal has opened a Midtown retail store with an emphasis on helping new cyclists, repairing bicycles and providing locally produced gear. The shop opened Jan. 1 in the Alley between L Street and Capitol off 17th Street, next to Old Soul Co. Originally, Edible Pedal was solely a food delivery service. “This is the perfect location,” said owner John Boyer. “We get a lot of foot traffic through here, and people are taking the time to look at the (business) signs and see what’s around them. When they drive down the major streets, you don’t really get that.” The first products for sale were bicycles on consignment, and it expanded from there. Business now

Piped, paved and delivered. Well, almost. Underground work for what proponents call "Alley Activation" is complete. The Urban Design Alliance's Fourth Wednesday dialogue topic was “Delivery of the Midtown Pilot Alley.”  Guest speakers were Julie Young, co-chair of the Alley Activation Committee and Disctrict 3 City Council Member Steve Cohn. Greg Taylor of UDA and Dustin Litrell hosted the free event at the downtown office of the American Institute of Architects. The Alley Activation private/public works project has excavated the alley between 17th, 18th and L streets and Capitol Avenue. City water pipes and sewer lines have been replaced. The next step is application of permeable paver

This Wednesday's Design Dialogue will feature a presentation on the "Delivery of the Midtown Pilot Alley" by Julie Young with the Alley Activation Group and Steve Cohn, Council Member, City of Sacramento. Both Julie Young and Steve Cohn spearheaded the effort to implement a pilot project to activate the alley between 18th and 17th Streets/ L Street and Capital Ave that is currently under construction. On the 2nd year anniversary of UDA's "Imagine Alley Event", Council Member Cohn and Julie Young will present on the status of the Midtown Pilot Alley, global efforts to activate alleys, and efforts to name Sacramento's alleys. Join UDA and the AIA for a discussion and idea session on future

A marketplace of colorful stalls will take over one of Sacramento's busiest corners Saturday. Like an oasis in a concrete desert, a new public market called the Midtown Bazaar will spring up on a parking lot at 16th and J streets — across from the Memorial Auditorium and P.F. Chang's China Bistro — and flow through an alley into a cavernous old building for a few hours each week. At least 75 local vendors offering art and other goods have already signed up for the grand opening, to be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. With an indoor location measuring 25,600 feet, the market will be held year-round. The old garage at 1630 I St. sports old timber trusses, a mezzanine and roll-up doors in back th

So, what if you had a special short cut to eliminate an extra stop light on your way to or from home to the freeway? What if you got accustomed to using a particular alley in midtown to speed you to your destination? And what if, one day, you couldn't use it anymore?  That's what happened to downtown denizen Lanny Shay, who found one day that a formidable gate had been placed in the middle of the alley that runs from 27th to 28th Street, between E and F. With a "No Outlet" sign posted at the entrance to the alley, the gate - locked tight with a heavy duty chain - his shortcut was no longer an option. "Aren't alleys public thoroughfares?" he asked me this afternoon. "When does that becom

I have discovered another secret and it is hiding in an alley downtown. Once again, I was out on my bike, discovering the unknown, when I saw a gourmet sandwich truck parked in an alley, with a line! I thought it was quite and interesting place to have a sandwich shop, but local employees and near by neighbors seem to love this truck full of gourmet goodies. So much so, that I witnessed a woman meeting a friend there. They both drove to that alley, specifically, for sandwiches. If you are ever near 7th and F during lunch time, then it would be the perfect opportunity to check out this hidden secret and try one of their delicious sandwiches. What I wonder, and never found out, is if this