K Street Mall is getting some activity after work began again on a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues. San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty originally hoped to open Dive Bar, a dance club named District 30 and a gourmet pizza restaurant, Pizza Rock, near 10th and K streets by late 2009. The $6 million-plus project was delayed at least in part by opposition, including a lawsuit to stop it that was thrown out of court last summer. Saying he wanted to move forward, Karpaty declined to discuss the reasons the project on the blighted mall was thrown off schedule. But, he said, he now expects to open all three sites by late summer. "We had some delays. But we're coming," he sa

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership on Wednesday identified its primary strategy to help drive downtown's economic development for 2010 and beyond. The business group's board also voted to accept a study of the J-K-L corridor prepared by Downtown Works, a Washington, D.C. retail consultancy firm. The full and final report was presented at the partnership's annual meeting, held Wednesday morning at the Citizen Hotel. Within the next month or so, the business group will identify the "core" three to five strategies out of nearly 30 that were approved for 2010 through 2012. "Probably the most important element that has come out of the study is to restate a concept that has long been consid

Developer Bob Leach withdrew his proposal Tuesday to build a hotel on K Street Mall after financing — including public bond financing from the city — fell through. The city of Sacramento's Redevelopment Agency now must go back to the drawing board by requesting other proposals for the property at 8th and K streets, as well as adjacent property in the 800 block of L Street. "He pulled the plug," Sacramento City Councilmember Kevin McCarty said following Tuesday's City Council meeting. The developers were asking the city to contribute more than $18 million in land and nearly $15 million in tax rebates toward the project. "The city is not in a position to bond to provide permanent financi

If you build it, they will come. What's been said about baseball diamonds in Iowa is now being said for downtown Sacramento's future retail market, according to a retail consultancy firm that has just finished a study of the J-K-L corridor. In this case, "they" represent 72 percent of the greater Sacramento area's 1.65 million population: "urban chic" Sacramentans who own homes in the central city; young, child-free metrorenters; "in style" suburbanites who love the gritty city; long-time residents and new homeowners living just outside the core; and connoisseurs who want the best of everything, said Scott Schuler with Downtown Works of Washington, D.C. "You have got to draw people from

Mayor Kevin Johnson has put it to the owners of the troubled Westfield Downtown Plaza: Either you're in or you're out. The company, Westfield Group, has only another month or so to tell the city whether it will invest in its downtown Sacramento mall the way it's investing in Westfield Galleria at Roseville, Johnson told Westfield representatives and downtown business owners Monday. "If not, we need you to not hold our city hostage anymore. We need you to sell and let the city move forward," he said. "In November or so, we need you to realize if you're in, you're in. If you're not, you're not." For at least 11 years, the city has been negotiating over Downtown Plaza with Westfield, perha

Mayor Kevin Johnson on Tuesday announced two community meetings to exchange ideas on reviving K Street Mall and Westfield Downtown Plaza, shortly before an independent analysis comes out. The mayor will meet with business and property owners next Monday, and then with the rest of the public on Oct. 19, as a way to involve the community in the ongoing effort to develop a new strategy for K Street and the rest of the J-K-L corridor, the core of downtown. "We want to create a new vision," Johnson said in his weekly press conference inside city hall. “We need to re-imagine what downtown looks like.” The issue has vexed other mayors and city councils. The meetings will be the first such comm

Locals with dismal views of K Street Mall might take heart in the optimistic views shared during a Wednesday night panel. Sacramento may not be a hard urban center like Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston or New York. But the answer to the problems plaguing K Street, from closed streets and empty storefronts to a struggling shopping mall and safety concerns, is not to try to replicate what large cities or the suburbs offer. Emphasizing Sacramento's distinct character is critical to revitalizing K Street and downtown, they said. "This community has a soft-shoe quality. It's very unique, very friendly, very green," said Ken Kay, an urban designer who runs KenKay Associates in San Francisco. "The

The Sacramento Press provides an outlet for everyone in the community. We hit the street recently to get people's opinions about downtown's K Street Mall. This week's question: What would it take to get you to shop, dine or drink regularly on K Street Mall? Matt Gilliam, 34 Aspiring Filmmaker Downtown Resident "K Street, I don't go to that often at nighttime because there are unsavory-type people, scary people. There are more shops and things to do down there than there have been in the past, but it's still sketchy. I think they could put a police station there permanently, even a little kiosk-deal, so they're always there. I also think police on the light rail trains has something t

K Street Mall has seen some movement this month with restaurants reopening renovation continuing and a legal challenge dismissed. Big changes may still be in the works. Two restaurants -- Three Monkeys and the Crepe Cafe -- have reopened in their old spots. Work continues on the renovation of St. Rose of Lima Park and relocation of the adjacent light rail station. In addition, a judge dismissed a lawsuit contesting development of a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues in the 1000 block of K Street. Following the suit's dismissal, San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty said he expects his proposed businesses would help change the city's nightlife landscape. For some time,

Sacramento's first 3rd Saturday took off July 18 along the K Street Mall and Casear Chavez Plaza. Over 40 local arts, crafts and fashion vendors and musicians descended upon K Street. The Guac and Roll festival featured Sacramento’s very own Method Echo with opener Tainted Love. 15 Restaurants offered sampling & selling of Sacramento’s best foods featuring guacamole and avocados. There was a Xochimilco Beer & Margarita Garden, rock wall and a free kids area with inflatable games, slides, jump houses, Basketball Shoot Out and water games.   MethodEcho band member Josh Guerrero sings to the crowd at Casear Chavez Plaza just a few blocks away from  the first 3rd Saturday event along

Despite temperatures that soared past 100 degrees, construction crews worked hard this week to help K Street get its groove back. Sacramento Regional Transit supervisors have been on-site daily to inspect, while crews selected by general contractor Otto Construction dug trenches and laid electrical conduit for a new light rail stop and handicapped-accessible "mini-high" platform on Seventh Street. The roughly $4.5 million first phase of the K Street makeover includes a facelift for St. Rose of Lima Park, a light rail platform relocation and a streetscape renovation for the 700 block of K Street Mall. The city and Sacramento Regional Transit are partnering on the project. The long-term go

The Sacramento Press is about providing an outlet for everyone in the community. We hit the street recently to get people's opinions about downtown's K Street Mall, which was created in 1969 when vehicles were banned from 7th to 13th streets. This week's question: Should vehicles be allowed back on K Street Mall? Satapana Buthken, 23 California Air Resources Board Student Assistant Graduate of California State University, Sacramento, North Highlands   "I frequent K Street Mall a lot. I don't think it should be opened to vehicle traffic. That section with light rail and pedestrians only -- it feels nice. Just to be able to walk around with no car traffic. It feels like a little sanct

Standing inside YESCO sign company's Natomas warehouse, Jinbo Xia heated a four-foot long glass tube in an open flame called a ribbon fire. He kept the empty tube from imploding by blowing air through a thin hose running from his mouth to one end of the tube. Xia gently rushed the tube to a work table and began bending the material before the glass cooled. Working with both hands and mouth, he used a disappearing craft to form the "C" in the Crest Theatre's landmark neon sign. He later added electrodes and "bombarded" or filled the letter with red neon gas that would turn the powder-coated glass tube pink. The 39-year-old learned the art of making neon light units from his father, who ow

So -- you like Second Saturdays? Do you like the way this local arts night has morphed into a street fair? Have you watched the event grow so big that you've hoped it could take over the central city more than once a month? Your prayers may be answered this month when a new Saturday street fair debuts in Sacramento. Sponsored by Sacramento News & Review (SN&R), "Design Downtown" will bring mostly locally made or "do it yourself" (DIY) fashion and art to the K Street Mall from 3 to 9 p.m. every third Saturday starting July 18. "We looked at the success of Second Saturday and said, 'Maybe that's something we can build on,' " said Clay Nutting, the sales and marketing manager for the paper

Work is moving forward to bring a mermaid bar and other nightlife venues to troubled K Street Mall, while the city attempts to address a lawsuit over the development. At the end of May, developers David Taylor and Los Angeles-based CIM Group finished the first stage of interior work for the controversial project to redevelop long-vacant buildings at 1012 K St. and 1016 - 1022 K St. Crews cleaned up contaminants including asbestos and lead and also took down some inside walls. The developers are now working on construction drawings to gain approval to bring the shell and core up to code. They are expected to submit the drawings to the city in August to show how they plan to meet the city'

Should we close Sacramento's parks or slash services to them? How about opening up K Street to cars? Those are the two latest questions I'm asking for your input in my online forums, being run in cooperation with Peak Democracy. These forums are designed to foster civil discussion about issues facing me and the Council. But instead of attending a city council meeting, you can share your perspectives from your home or office without heading down to City Hall. And unlike newspaper (and this site's) comment sections, I'll read every comment and keep you updated on the issue as it progresses. This week I'm asking two questions, one on parks and another on K Street. I'd welcome your views.

Though it seems like an Onion story at first glance, downtown Sacramento's first ever mermaid tank may soon be constructed. Developers now await $8.6 million in funds from the City of Sacramento for the proposed construction of a pizza joint ("Pizza Rock"), a nightclub ("Frisky Rhythm") and a bar with a live mermaid tank ("Dive Bar"). Tuesday, the City Council will hear arguments supporting and opposing the project, brought about when the City of Sacramento sold its interests in the Sheraton Hotel to local developer David Taylor, of David Taylor Interests Inc., promising to set aside some of the proceeds for future David Taylor Interests construction projects like this one. Taylor was app

 What can't one find at the K Street Mall? From The Crest to Esquire Grill and Cabana Club, boutiques and fresh-cut flowers, K Street's outdoor mall provides Downtown Sacramento with every necessity. Well, almost every necessity. Right now K Street Mall stands incomplete as nine properties between 7th and 9th Streets currently stand vacant. But hopefully not for long as the discord between the City of Sacramento and Moe Mohanna finally comes to an end.   On October 7, after two years of legal contention, the Sacramento City Council voted to end the eminent domain dispute with Mohanna, offering him a settlement of $18.6 million for his nine properties, located on blocks 700 and 800. With