The American Institute of Architects' Central Valley chapter this week led a panel discussion and tour in the River District, described by some as one of the region’s hottest areas. The roughly 773-acre River District, previously known as the Richards Boulevard area, sits north of downtown in an area bounded by the Sacramento and American rivers, the historic railyards and parcels along North 16th Street. More than 200 property owners hold title to about 400 parcels located there. The discussion featured Township 9 developer Steve Goodwin, Sacramento Economic Development Department Senior Project Manager Rachel Hazelwood, Community Development Department Senior Urban Designer Greg Taylor

The city of Sacramento's Preservation Commission on Wednesday got the first look at a draft of the new plan intended to guide redevelopment of the River District north of the central city. Commission members gave the first round of feedback Wednesday evening to the city's Community Development and Economic Development departments, which led the multi-department project encompassing about three years of work. The draft River District Specific Plan was unveiled online last week. Commissioners were concerned with proposals to allow 250-foot hotels along the Sacramento River, demolishing the state's printing plant building without exploring its historic landmark eligibility and the need to c

“What brings you to Broadway?” Greg Taylor, president of Sacramento’s Urban Design Alliance (UDA), posed this question to city planners, residents, professors and employees that attended a dialogue about Downtown’s popular Broadway held at the American Institute of Architects on Wednesday evening. Taylor answered his own question by saying that Broadway has “great urban character, great bones and great food.” Many agreed that food is Broadway’s main attraction, with popular eateries like Tower Café and Pancake Circus dotting the strip. One woman said that Broadway is a place she feels safe to spend time after hours. Others chimed in that they enjoy perusing specialty shops like R5 Reco