Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "economic development"

Bus tour shows off south area development

2011-10-21T02:12:03Z

District 8 City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell hosted a bus tour Thursday highlighting recent redevelopment efforts and future growth opportunities throughout the district with a group of developers, real estate brokers and city employees – along with a few district residents and neighborhood association representatives.

“This is going to be a tour of opportunities,” said City Manager John Shirey at the start of the tour. “We’ve got a good future for this district.”

The Meadowview and south city areas have seen the second-greatest rate of growth in all of Sacramento, second only to North Natomas in District 1, Pannell said.

“We have had a lot of growth (in District 8),” Pannell said, “and we still have more land to be developed. We’re going to be looking for new projects – so developers on the tour, pay attention.”

Some of the economic development successes highlighted on the tour included a $350 million expansion of Kaiser Permanente, a new 20,000-square-foot Valley Hi/North Laguna public library, new recreational amenities with three new parks and the Phoenix Park development – a project completed in conjunction with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

“One way we can get through our financial difficulties in the city is to grow our way out,” Shirey said. “I see the positives all around now. We’ve got something good started, and we can build on that.”

David Kwong, city planning director, pointed out on the tour more development activity at Meadowview Road and Freeport Boulevard, including a new Walgreens and a 20,000-square-foot veterinary hospital.

Kwong also noted the future site of a Fresh and Easy grocery store – something residents in the south area want and need but have very few of, according to Pannell.

“Meadowview really needs a grocery store,” Pannell said. “They’ve been talking about a grocery store for 13 years, and (the future Fresh and Easy) is the closest we’ve come.”

Pannell said residents often have to drive nearly two miles to the nearest store, and that creates a real challenge for people.

Nehla Buchanan, 46, a caregiver with the state of California, has lived in Pannell’s district for about a year. Buchanan said she moved to the Meadowview area because housing was affordable and there was a good opportunity for home ownership.

Buchanan’s neighborhood is adjacent to the future site of the planned Delta Shores development – an 800-acre mixed-use project that will include retail shops, single-family and multi-family housing, and office and commercial uses.

The project will also include at least one grocery store, according to Jain Wager, a developer with MerloneGeier Partners, the developer of Delta Shores.

“I love the Delta Shores development,” Buchanan said. “I can’t wait until they start building over there.”

Buchanan is part of the Meadowview Neighborhood Association, and the group has held numerous meetings with Pannell and city staff to give input into the many changes happening in the district.

“We’ve worked with Ms. Pannell specifically on improvements in our neighborhood, and it’s been so helpful,” Buchanan said. “We will continue to give our input to new things that are happening here.”

Jesse Reese, president of the Meadowview Neighborhood Association, has been a community activist for more than 35 years in the south city area.

“It’s good to see us grow,” Reese said. “It’s inspiring to see things that we’ve worked toward for a very long time finally happening.”

Reese said that, when the idea for Delta Shores was first discussed nearly 30 years ago, the developers at the time wanted to open “another Mack Road” with nothing but apartment complexes, Reese said.

“We wanted more of a development than that,” Reese said. “We now see (developers) MerloneGeier doing something better and hearing what (neighborhood associations) have been wanting.”

Reese said that, as the area develops more, he and the MNA will continue to reach out to City Council to make sure the issues that concerned neighbors want addressed don’t get lost in the shuffle.

City Economic Development Director Jim Reinhart said that, over the past five years, south area neighborhoods have experienced a real growth spurt – but it’s gone “unnoticed” for the most part.

Pannell said south area development has been largely ignored because downtown and North Natomas have been getting the lion’s share of attention at City Hall.

“We have a ton of land that needs to be developed,” Pannell said. “So, we’ve been quietly developing small plots, plugging along and hoping that one day someone would notice.”

The bus tour was the second one in four years that Pannell has hosted. The next one won’t be planned for another two or three years, she said, to allow time for “even more growth and development to show off later on.”

“Even though we still have a lot of vacant land, we have done a lot,” Pannell said. “And we’ll do even more before the next tour.”

Pannell said she hopes to see a new, 200-plus-unit senior center that is in the planning stages get approval in time to break ground next summer.

“I want the light rail South Line to start next year,” Pannell said, “and the Cosumnes River Boulevard connection (between Interstate 5 and Highway 99) to happen next year, too.”

Gwendolyn Feathers, 67, a resident of the district since 1988, said she has seen a lot of the growth and development projects going up in the district, but this was the first bus tour of the area that she has been on.

“I’ve learned so much today,” Feathers said. “We have really been building up in the area – it’s exciting.”

Although City Council approval is in place, the Delta Shores development does not yet have a planned construction start date, according to Wager.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City Council considers renewal of Stockton Boulevard District

2011-05-19T01:43:06Z

A recommendation to renew Stockton Boulevard property and business improvement district was initiated Tuesday at the Sacramento City Council meeting.

The renewal, if approved, means the district will be able to exist and continue the work they are doing.

According to a city staff report approval of this resolution will allow for time and place for the public hearing on the renewal of the district, proposed assessment and notices to be mailed to all property owners in that district.

Originally, the renewal had been scheduled for every five years, and now it is being requested for a 10-year term instead so they can continue to do more, Terrence Johnson, executive director of Stockton Boulevard Partnership said.

According to the Stockton Boulevard Partnership website (stocktonblvdpartnership.org) the organization is devoted to handling matters such as security and safety, image and maintenance, advocacy, and economic development that are affecting the businesses between 2700 Stockton Blvd. at Second Avenue on the north end and 6800 Stockton Blvd., which are part of the district.

In an effort to improve this business corridor, Stockton Boulevard Partnership, along with the city of Sacramento and the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce, hosted a business walk last month. (South Stockton Business Walk)

The walk served to check on the needs of businesses and to connect them with the proper resources so they can flourish.

The staff report highlighted that the goal of the district is to improve safety conditions, cleanliness and the image of the Stockton Boulevard commercial corridor.

They would like to continue with providing such services and eventually make this district a destination spot, Johnson said.

“It is super-important to renew,” Johnson said. “Having (the resolution and reformation of the district) in place will protect business in so many ways.”

“Property owners agreed this (is) a valuable activity,” Johnson noted.

The council’s decision to approve the reformation of this district is pending on ballot results.

Mark Griffin, program manager for Sacramento’s finance department, said the council authorized staff to send out ballots Thursday to property owners in the district.

“(In the ballots), the property owners (of Stockton Boulevard Property and Business Improvement District) will decide if they approve the renewal,” Griffin said.

Once the results from the ballot shows that the majority is in favor, which is 50 percent plus one vote, at least, then the council approves it or abandons it, Griffin added.

According to the staff report, the Stockton Boulevard District was approved by City Council in June of 2006 and became effective in January of 2007.

The staff report shows that the remaining steps to fully renew it for the 10-year term are: A public hearing on July 19 at City Council, ballot results July 26 at City Council, record notice of assessment and assessment diagram on July 28 and an assessment roll, which is a public record of the assessed value of property in a taxing jurisdiction, to county sometime in August.

For more information about the district, look at: www.stocktonblvdpartnership.org

South Stockton Business Walk

2011-04-15T07:38:15Z

The City of Sacramento along with the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce and Stockton Boulevard Partnership hosted a business walk Thursday.

The walk focused on businesses located in the “Little Saigon” area of South Stockton, which runs from Florin Road to Fruitridge Road.

The city’s Economic Development Business Visit Program serves to check on the needs of businesses and to connect them with the proper resources so they can flourish.

Terrence Johnson, the executive director of the Stockton Boulevard Partnership said the focus is to address the issues affecting businesses.

The Little Saigon district is home to many small businesses, particularly Southeast Asian businesses, Mai Nguyen, president of the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce (GSVACC), said.

Organizations such as SMUD, BERC, Stockton Boulevard Partnership, Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce, city and county employees all helped in canvassing the various business in the area.

There are two barriers that the Asian business owners are dealing with: language and culture, these two make it challenging to network, Nguyen said.

“We want to reach out to them and listen to their concerns and needs,” Nguyen said. “We want to break barriers. We don’t want them to feel afraid or to feel like they did something wrong. They are used to inspectors, and/or audits coming in, but this is a refreshing visit. We want to put them at ease and inform them of the resources available.”

The new Pho Saigon Bay restaurant at 6458 Stockton Blvd. was the starting and finishing place for the walk, which went from 10 a.m. - noon.

It is symbolic to have a new business host the event because it is all about promoting business economic growth and retention of businesses, Nguyen said.

Participants dispersed into teams of two with one member being a Vietnamese speaker and another being an English speaker. In total, there were 20 teams, according to Lorrie Lowry, project manager for the city’s Economic Development Department.

Many times the assigned businesses were congregated, it made it simple to walk to the surrounding businesses but at times people drove.

The City sent a letter informing them of the visit in advance.

As each team visited the various businesses, they asked them three questions: How is business? What do you like about doing business in this area? What can city, partner and the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce do to improve business?

They also left each business with a bag filled with various resources. These resources ranged from SMUD rebate programs to California capital (small business loans) information and Sacramento Works, which is an organization that assists with hiring.

About 230 businesses were visited in total, and each team was assigned an average of 14 businesses in the two hours , Lowry said.

Tim Nguyen, owner of Xtreme Tint, Alarm and Sound, said he started his business in 2000.

“I didn’t know of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, but I think this is very informative, and it is nice of them to come out and reach out to local business.”

He told the city visitors that business is tough, the roads in front of the store needs to be fixed and more lights are needed in the streets.

Norm Gentry, owns Norm’s Electric and said he was excited to speak with the representatives.

“It is neat that they got out here,” he said.

“As long as they care and it is not just for show,” Don Gentry, Norm’s son, added.

Stephanie Brians, manager at Security Public Storage was equally pleased.

“It is nice to see someone come in and ask and want to hear from us. Usually, if I have a problem, I have to find a way to contact them or write to them,” Brians said.

She expressed concern for safety, crime reduction, gangs and drugs.

Next month, there will be a seminar coordinated by the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce.

The date, time and location is yet to be discussed, Lowry said.

The information collected after such walks are used to create specific plans that can further aid in enhancing the success of these businesses.

Overall, it is important to get an idea of what is going on so there is direct response, Lowry said.

“The long-term vision is we establish relationships and the businesses now have direct contacts,” Mai Nguyen said.

Last year, the economic development department of the city organized various business walks in the northern and central City.

This is the first business walk of the year and there will be three more. They are scheduled to take place in Florin, Natomas and the third location is still being decided.

For more information, visit www.CityofSacramento.Org website.

Development Oversight Commission to disband

2010-12-08T04:40:04Z

A city commission composed mostly of members of the construction sector is disbanding Dec. 31. However, a report by city staff said the Development Oversight Commission, which made recommendations to the City Council on the city’s work with the building industry, may morph into a group that explores economic development goals.

The Development Oversight Commission (DOC) will dissolve because the ordinance that formed it gave it a Dec. 31 expiration date, according to the city report. The City Council decided to set up the commission in 2000.

Darryl Chinn, a DOC member and local architect, said the current DOC members may participate in a future economic development commission.

Top city staffers in the economic development, public works, utilities and development departments are brainstorming a strategy for a citywide economic development program, Chinn said.

“The idea would be that the DOC reinvent itself to be a part of that movement,” Chinn said.

He added that a new economic development commission could possibly include experts in the fields of law, finance and banking, in addition to the construction sector professionals currently in dominating the DOC.

City Economic Development Department spokesman Maurice Chaney also said more professionals may be added to the group.

“We will be conducting outreach to our stakeholders for a possible new commission,” he said. “This may include an expansion of the group to include more disciplines.”

Chaney said the City Council would need to approve the new commission in order for it to go into effect.

In response to a question from The Sacramento Press, Chin said the disbanding of the DOC was unrelated to the troubles in the development department, which include an audit that found the city did not charge developers more than $2.3 million in fees.

Read the report on the commission here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Inc. Magazine’s 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year to Keynote Roseville 2010

2010-04-07T21:12:20Z

Kevin Surace, Inc. Magazine’s 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO of Serious Materials, has been selected to give the keynote address at the Roseville Chamber of Commerce’s annual business event, Roseville 2010. A noted speaker and writer on climate change and the built environment, Surace’s innovative and dynamic management style has help to turn around more than one crippled company. He will share his vision on what it takes to build a great company at Roseville 2010, Thursday, May 13 at Hewlett-Packard in Roseville.

The event, which will run from 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., will also feature a Regional CEO Panel, breakout sessions, a bus tour of South Placer County’s key developments, the State-of-the-City address from the Roseville City Manager and a sponsor showcase. A networking reception will follow the event from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

CEO panelists include Steve Kircher, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Solar Power, Inc.; Michael Zeigler, President and CEO, Pride Industries; and Cecelia Lakatos-Sullivan, CEO, Pinnacle TeleCommunications, Inc.

Tickets to the event are $75 per person and include lunch and the networking reception. Individual tickets to the networking reception are $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rosevillechamber.com, or by calling the Roseville Chamber of Commerce at (916) 783-8316.

Editor's Note: The author of this story is a member of the Roseville Chamber of Commerce and is contracted for Public Relations for this event.

Metro Chamber: Arena report confirms economic benefits of a new facility

2010-01-07T18:22:40Z

An initial economic analysis of building a new entertainment and sports complex in Sacramento confirms the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s long-standing belief: A properly located arena will create thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic benefits for the entire region.

“The Metro Chamber has long-held that a new entertainment and sports facility will be a huge job generator for our region,” said Matt Mahood, Metro Chamber president & CEO. “The Sacramento First Task Force’s “Threshold” report shows how—at a time when unemployment is so high—building and running the complex will create 4,095 new jobs. I say let’s get it started!” The report was released Jan. 7.

Residents in similar sized cities across the county currently enjoy the benefits of successful entertainment and sports complexes, Mahood said. “Our study missions to Charlotte, Indianapolis and Denver found arenas can be located where they serve as catalytic economic development projects. They create not only thousands of jobs, but millions of dollars in economic benefits. And over time, additional investment and positive economic impact follows.”

“Closer to home, you only have to go as far as San Jose to see how the HP Pavilion, that opened 15years ago, was constructed on a site specifically selected to help boost the downtown area,” Mahood added. “The report shows that HP Pavilion annually provides the city of San Jose with direct fiscal benefits of $5.4 million and about 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs.” Mahood encourages the Sacramento First Task Force and others to visit San Jose to see for themselves how that area—a once blighted, neglected neighborhood—is now hustling and bustling each and every day.

“Sacramentans deserve and need an entertainment and sports complex. This kind of civic amenity also offers many unquantifiable benefits that contribute to and stimulate regional economic vitality. It will make our region an attractive business center, increase property values and generate money through tourism. What’s not to like about that?”

Mahood concluded, saying, “I think the report’s findings are significant and that it should make Sacramento residents more comfortable with supporting the construction of a new facility.”

Photo: San Jose's HP Pavilion cost $162.5 million ($132.5 million funded by the City of San Jose; $30 million funded by HP Pavilion at San Jose Management). The completion of the building was an important milestone in San Jose's emergence as a destination city.

Sacramento Building Healthy Communities

2009-12-01T20:19:49Z

On November 21, 2009, the Sacramento Building Healthy Communities collaborative hosted two events in Oak Park and South Sacramento, designed to educate communities on the 10-year Building Healthy Communities (BHC) process. Earlier this year, the California Endowment awarded funding to 14 communities over ten years as part of their Building Healthy Communities program. This effort was designed to infuse at least $10 million into each community to bring about systemic change. The efforts are to be driven by four goals:

• Health systems are family-centered and prioritize prevention.
• Schools anchor communities, promote healthy behaviors and are a gateway for resources and services.
• Human services systems are family-centered, prioritize prevention and promote opportunities for children, young adults and their families.
• Improved physical, social and economic environments in local communities.

South Sacramento was chosen by the Endowment as one of the target communities. The area includes all of Oak Park, Fruitridge Manor, Elder Creek, and parts of Curtis Park, Tahoe Park and both incorporated and unincorporated areas of South Sacramento.

Since March 2009, the collaborative has been working to put together the 10 year strategic plan for the area. Initial outreach has targeted 5,000 residents through community events, talking circles and surveys to gauge the communities’ views about their neighborhoods. Other activities have included several working groups that are focused on Infrastructure and Assets, Health Access and Youth Development..

In an industry where foundations often change funding focus every 5 years or so, the Endowment’s 10 year commitment marks an opportunity for communities to pull together long-term comprehensive planning and corresponding actions that can improve public environmental quality and health, as well as, the built environment and healthy food access to traditionally underserved communities.

This process provides a unique opportunity for this highly diverse and vibrant area that has been plagued by crime, obesity, foreclosures and disinvestment for decades. It allows the target communities to leverage the Endowment’s resources to attract additional private and public sector funding and technical assistance. In addition, the BHC initiative will help to increase civic pride and build bridges across ethnic, cultural and economic divides that have been historically difficult to create and sustain.

However, the greatest opportunity of this process will be achieved by deep and meaningful involvement of the residents, local business owners and community-based organizations themselves. As this process moves forward, outreach and resources need to continue to have significant and long term impact on these groups that ensures public safety, generates jobs, minimizes displacement, increases access to public transportation, makes streets safer for walking and biking, improves energy efficiency and rehabilitates and creates affordable housing that is of high quality.

Finally, my 5 year old son Miles attended the November 21st gathering in Oak Park with me and told the all adult working group that he wanted safer parks. Many comments had been made to that point, but none discussed the safety of our parks. Many of us take for granted the fact that our children lack safe areas in the community for recreation that they can access at all times. We must foster these activities and make them safe, clean, accessible and with many eyes on the parks and streets to ensure security.

In the end, it is all about our children. As we lay the building blocks for the future we must ensure that what we build today creates a path toward a greater quality of life for the next generation.

This selection originally appeared on the Ubuntu Green blog. http://blog.ubuntugreen.org/

Land Giveaway at 8th & K

2009-07-16T18:06:30Z

City plans to demolish the Bel-Vue and adjacent buildings were mentioned in my Sacramento Press article on July 3 ( http://sacramentopress.com/headline/10159/City_To_Demolish_Landmark_BelVue_Building ) but at the time the developer and financing organization behind the project were not identified. Since then, both have appeared, along with an additional partner. The financier, Consus Asset Management, is a new player in Sacramento. The developer, Bob Leach, just completed another Sacramento project, the Le Rivage Hotel. The other player in this project is a well-known name in K Street real estate, Mohammed “Mo” Mohanna. All three are asking the city for $18.6 million in free real estate and several years of tax forgiveness once the project is complete, and they want this done immediately, before public input and analysis by city staff and commissions can be completed.

Since my earlier article saw print, these parties were mentioned by articles in the Sacramento Bee, in Bob Shallit’s columns:
http://www.sacbee.com/shallit/story/2005107.html

In this column, Shallit mentions South Korea based Consus Asset Management (http://consusgroup.com/ ) as the primary financier, willing to put up $91 million for construction. Lead developer Bob Leach, builder of Le Rivage Hotel, made contact with Consus through local hotel builder Parkcrest Development. Also on the project team is Mohammed “Mo” Mohanna, who recently owned the land until the city paid him $18.6 million for it, after a lengthy series of negotiations, complex legal maneuvering, and the demolition of the buildings on the corner of 8th & K Street. The article mentioned that the developers were hoping for some tax breaks on this project.

Shallit followed this up with a second column:
http://www.sacbee.com/shallit/story/2017611.html

Here, the developers have urged the city to move quickly or risk losing financing. They have asked the city to give them the land, currently city-owned, for free, and to forgive taxes on the hotel for the first few years of its operation. Transferring the land quickly would also mean that there would be no time for an Environmental Impact Report to be completed, and before issues like the demolition of the Bel-Vue have had an opportunity to be fully reviewed by city staff, Preservation Commission or Planning Commission.

This issue will go before the Sacramento City Council on August 4. The city of Sacramento has held an Exclusive Right to Negotiate (ERN) with Bob Leach and Parkcrest, extended for 45 days on June 9, but that ERN expires on Friday, July 24.

The unspoken irony in the developers’ demand is that the city of Sacramento just paid nearly $20 million to wrest the property out of Mohanna’s hands, and are now being asked to give the property back to him. They are also asking for a free hand to demolish a Sacramento landmark, and forgiveness of future taxes, which means that it will be many years before the city of Sacramento sees any economic benefit or return on their investment of $20 million, their donation of a half-block of prime downtown real estate (by the city’s own valuation, worth the $18.6 million paid to Mohanna) and their sacrifice of irreplaceable historic buildings. This free giveaway would also add up to far more than the taxpayer-funded donation provided to developer David Taylor to rehabilitate three existing buildings on the 1000 block of K Street, a move that sparked widespread public criticism.

Why is there a need for such urgency? One possible answer is that there is another hotel project planned for K Street, only two blocks away. Unlike the project at 8th and K, this alternate project would require no historic buildings to be demolished. This project does not require the full Environmental Impact Report, instead using a far simpler process called a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND.) The MND identifies the developer behind the project as "10th & K Developers, LLC" and mentions that it will include 180 rooms in a 12-story building with ground floor retail. Could this simpler, less complex project be the competition that worries the developers behind 8th and K, and enough of a problem to make them demand a massive public subsidy from the city of Sacramento for a project that will not have to pay taxes for many years, and action fast enough to short-circuit public debate and review by city staff?

Meanwhile, the deadline for public comment on the Notice of Preparation is approaching. According to Jennifer Hageman of the city of Sacramento’s Economic Development Department, part of the process will include a public scoping meeting to present this issue to the public, but as of this writing no date has been identified for such a meeting.

To give public comment about this issue, contact Jennifer Hageman of the City of Sacramento’s Community Development Department at jhageman@cityofsacramento.org or (916)808-5538. Written comments should be sent to Jennifer Hageman, City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 300 Richards Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95811. Comments are due before 4:00 PM on July 27, 2009.
K ST MND 7-1-09 800klEIR eir3

Crocker expansion to boost businesses

2009-06-06T00:57:26Z

Art connoisseurs are already reveling in the expanded offerings that will deck out Crocker Art Museum's new wing.

But art lovers won't be the only ones to benefit. The capital's economic vitality is expected to get a big boost when the 125,000-square-foot expansion triples the museum's size upon opening next year.

"I think it's going to really elevate Sacramento's visibility as a cultural destination," said Michelle Alexander, executive director of the Arts & Business Council of Sacramento. "Cultural tourism is a big, key factor in economic health."

In the next few weeks, construction crews will begin building the connection from the contemporary new wing to the future education studio in the main Art Gallery Building, a Victorian Italianate structure built in the 1870s.

The expansion will quadruple the museum's exhibition space and add room for flood-protected storage and collection maintenance on the second floor. The wing also will include a 7,000-square-foot courtyard, café, 300-seat auditorium and dramatic, two-story atrium that can be used for events of 400 to 1,200 people (with the use of the courtyard). Construction will include systems to control temperature, humidity and security.

The added space will permit museum curators to sort through Crocker's growing collection and allow much more of that collection — 20 percent as opposed to less than 4 percent — to be exhibited. Crocker has had "unprecedented" collection growth thanks to the expansion, said LeAnne Ruzzamenti, Crocker's director of marketing communications.

The structure with an aluminum and zinc exterior was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects of New York and is being built by Rudolph and Sletten of Redwood City. The design maintains the gallery building as the architectural focal point for the complex at Second and O streets.

As the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River, the Crocker is one of the capital's primary tourist attractions. Art museums like this are a big magnet for travelers and the money they spend in town, said Leslie Fritzsche, downtown division manager for the city's Economic Development Department.

"With the increase in tourism, that impacts the use of hotels and restaurants," she said. "So there's a great spin-off effect."

National media attention showcasing Sacramento as a cultural and travel destination can boost real estate, construction industries and property value, Alexander said.

Each year, Sacramento sees an average 17 million leisure and business visitors who spend a total $2.4 billion, said Mike Testa, vice president of communications for the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

About 95,000 people visit the Crocker each year. The expanded museum should draw people from the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of the state, he said.

The art museum and four others within about a mile of each other are creating a "string of pearls" in terms of the city's cultural offerings, said Beth Tincher, a senior project manager with the Economic Development Department. That, in turn, will impact other economic growth, such as the development of the Docks Area just across the freeway, she added.

"We always think of this critical mass of attractions," Testa said. "Really, the more museums we have, the more people we're going to attract because of the diversity."

The city's cultural attractions contribute to residents' quality of life, and that, in turn, is factored into companies' decisions on where to be located, said Fritzsche and Alexander.

"As Sacramento improves its branding as an arts destination, we increase our ability to attract high-level talent and corporate headquarters from other large metropolitan cites," said Alexander. "We become a city and culture worth investing in."

Urban Land Institute panel studies Stockton Blvd Opportunity Area

2009-05-21T06:36:41Z

Several months ago I had the opportunity to discuss with Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond the concept of an opportunity site study for re-use ideas on the Stockton Blvd. commercial corridor. She verbalized a concept targeting a large amount of vacant land centrally located on Stockton Blvd within the city limits. Subsequent conversations with representatives of SHRA, city council and the Stockton Blvd Partnership resulted in outreach to the Urban Land Institute for a collaborative study of the opportunity site.

A panel of distinguished representatives of The National Urban Land Institute (ULI) arrived and was welcomed to Sacramento Sunday evening. The ULI panel was commissioned to provide the City of Sacramento and Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency analysis and strategies for future development for a Stockton Blvd. Opportunity Area. The project boundaries run along Stockton Blvd, from 14th Avenue to the North down to Jansen Street to the South.

Monday evening, the ULI panel was hosted at a public reception at the Shriners Hospital (2425 Stockton Boulevard) where the panel members from the ULI attended a meet and greet with the community along with Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency representatives. Beginning Tuesday morning, ULI held interviews with strategic participants who will have an opportunity to contirbute regarding the Stockton Blvd Opportunity Area and it's future redevelopment. Participants included local developers, residents, business owners, commercial property owners and management, as well as with city and county of Sacramento elected officials and me as the representative of the Stockton Blvd Partnership business association. The interview process was candid and revealing providing the ULI 4 panels with the vital relevant information.

This Friday, May 22nd, from 8:00am – 11:00am: The ULI panel will present a development strategy they will form from the community recommendations. The meeting will be held at City Hall, City Council Chambers (915 I Street, Sacramento) and are open to the public.

Terrence Johnson, Executive Director, Stockton Blvd Partnership, 5625 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95824 916-454-2469

Bikeramento Week Launches on the Pedals of the Amgen Tour of California

2009-02-10T01:23:21Z

SACRAMENTO, Cal. - FEBRUARY 9, 2009 - A local group of bicycle advocates launch the 1st Annual Bikeramento Week from Feb. 9-14, culminating on Valentine’s Day with a race day watch party at 18th and L on the patio of the Buckhorn Grill during the Amgen Tour of California, the largest bicycle race in the United States.

Each day this week, the team offers a different bicycle-friendly event to highlight Sacramento’s potential as a bikeable community to both visitors and locals alike.

By attending events, participants can win a pair of tickets to the Bikeramento Patio during the Amgen prologue on Saturday. The group wishes to raise awareness of bicycles as a transportation norm. “This is a great way to connect to the average Sacramentan about harnessing bicycle culture to create a strong and green Sacramento economy during this difficult downturn,” says co-founder Lorena Beightler.

From Monday’s Bicycle Safety Night at the Bicycle Kitchen in Midtown to Tuesday’s Bike Crawl to 5 different night spots on the grid, Bikeramento invites active participation to show people how easy it is use the bicycle as core transportation for everyday life.

“Our goal is to educate by connecting bikeability to having fun,” remarks co-founder, Brian Fischer of midtowngrid.com. “However, the larger intention is to introduce two core ideas, Sac Sunday Streets and the Velobahn.”

“It’s all about making the change that we can and Sac Sunday Streets would create community among pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders, and other alternatives to the car,” insists Beightler.

Bikeramento proposes to shut down a major Central City street from spring through summer similar to the efforts of San Francisco, Portland, Montreal, and New York. Beightler continues, “It would be a place for everyone to be active and safe on a Sunday morning and help people understand that streets can be used for more than driving.”

What the heck’s a Velobahn? It is Sacramento’s modern and eco-friendly answer to the Autobahn, so coined by Ricardo Robles of Bikeramento. “It embodies Sacramento’s goal to be a green city by proposing a realistic investment in infrastructure when the city’s budget is in a crunch,” comments Robles.

The Velobahn would become a national emblem of bicycle tourism at a time when it’s necessary for the small businesses to attract new business to the Central City’s still vibrant core.

“Sacramento Press had to jump in as a sponsor of this event, because we’re asking people to think outside the box and that’s how our economy can become more dynamic and creative,” proposes Nicholas Walsh. “We’re already a bike-driven workforce and office space.”

Another sponsor, Capsity Offices, will become the city’s 2nd installment of “The Sac Rack,” a signature bicycle rack and piece of functional urban art offered by the City of Sacramento.

“Ultimately, this a great way to involve people in imagining Sacramento’s possibilities while most cities are just trying to survive,” pontificates the group’s webmaster, Dan Fisher. “Why stand still when you can keep the wheels turning?”

The week climaxes with Friday’s 1,000 Spokes of Light, a community ride through Midtown and a fundraiser to purchase bicycles for children who otherwise cannot afford one starting with Oak Park, since it’s adjacent to Midtown.

“A green economy should stimulate health and fitness, affordable transportation, environmental justice, and great economic development,” summarizes Fischer.

For more information on the week’s events, visit the group’s web site, www.bikeramento.org.

Contact Information:

Lorena Beightler, lorena@sactivist.com, 916-606-5010
Jeff Louie, jeff@sactivist.com, 916-849-7871