Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "township 9"

River District shares 2010 annual review

2011-08-20T00:54:15Z

With nearly $450 million invested in development projects so far, the River District is moving ever closer to realizing its potential for being a valuable transit, business and community hub for the Sacramento region.

Business leaders, City Council members and members of the River District association gathered Thursday to hear the latest progress report on development efforts for 750 acres along a 2.5-mile stretch of riverfront that is currently residence to industrial, retail and office uses and about 400 homes.

The event, hosted by the River District board of directors and attended by more than 80 people, was an opportunity to learn about recently completed development projects and get news about upcoming projects.

“A lot of things have been completed and a lot of things continue to progress,” said Patty Kleinknecht, executive director for the River District association.

Kleinknecht pointed out numerous completed projects in the area including the new CHP headquarters at North 7th Street, the California Lottery headquarters that moved to its current 10th Street location in July and the new Greyhound facility which opened on Richards Boulevard the same month.

Development plans for the River District for the next 25 years include more than 8,000 residential units and nearly 4 million square feet of office space, along with light industrial space, retail and wholesale space and more than 3,000 hotel rooms.

“We’re trying to create a multi-use, transit-oriented area so people can live, work and play here,” Kleinknecht said. “We’re actually building this area to make the Sacramento city center stronger.”

Thursday’s event was held inside the warehouse of Party Concierge, an event staging and supply company that is known for producing larger-than-life props for conferences, weddings, and corporate parties.

“(Tonight) is a celebration of progress,” Kleinknecht said. “What better place to have the event than at a River District business for parties?”

Steve Goodwin, president of the River District association said the theme of the evening was “building, investing in, connecting and celebrating the River District,” and he has had positive feedback on area projects so far.

“There is a momentum going,” Goodwin said. “The things we’re building – the Green Line, Township 9, Powerhouse Science Center – all of these are good investments in our economy.”

Goodwin said the River District owes its success to “collaboration and to partnerships” and praised the diversity of business interests represented in the district.

“From almonds, automobiles and antiques to water, windshields and warehouses,” Goodwin said, “our businesses support our district and Sacramento’s economy and they will continue to do so as these projects continue.”

The River District Specific Plan is guided by the city’s 2030 General Plan and provides a tangible guide for issues such as street layout, zoning and land use.

River District representatives expect the next few stages will be completed quickly, although there is still work to do.

“Township 9 is underway and we’ll keep making progress on it,” Kleinknecht said, “and, of course, the Richards/I-5 interchange and the Regional Transit Green Line are under construction.”

The RT Green Line may be open as early as February 2012, Kleinknecht said, and the improvement project at the Richards/I-5 interchange should be finished in 12 to18 months.

Kleinknecht added that, just about the time when the Richards/I-5 interchange finishes, an upgrade to the Sacramento water treatment facility will be ready to begin.

Councilwoman Angelique Ashby was on hand Thursday to tout the latest achievements of development efforts in the River District – and to introduce the crowd to the man who may very well be their next City Council representative: Steve Cohn.

If the City Council finalizes the redistricting map that was approved on Aug. 9, the River District would be included in District 3, which Cohn represents.

“I’m always looking for a reason to cheer and point at Sacramento and say, ‘See! We’re doing it right.’ ” Ashby said. “The River District gives me plenty of reason to do that.”

Cohn said the River District has “great potential” and he would be honored to represent the district on City Council.

“The whole council thinks of the River District as important,” Cohn said. “It’s not just one council district – it’s important to the whole city.”

River District Specific Plan information is available here.

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

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to one of the photo captions. The photo with Angelique Ashby is with John Nicolaus not John Nicodemus.

More women entering construction

2010-11-09T02:40:07Z

In an industry still dominated by men, Otto Construction’s female employees have no problem calling the shots.

Many construction workers may not be used to women working on construction sites. Some guys are afraid they'll say or do something wrong in front of a woman. A lot of men are overly polite and even go out of their way not to swear.

Most of the time, though, the vibe isn't negative, women at the company said. Some men simply don't know what to expect. Many, especially those from small companies or subcontractors, have never worked with women on a building project.

"I think we have to overcome that question mark the way men don't," said Caralyn Hethcock, a 28-year-old project engineer. "If a male is on-site, that makes sense to them. Whereas it's still new to see a woman on-site."

In 2009, women made up about 10 percent of the construction industry workforce – a number that has held for the past several years. Women occupied about 970,200 of the country's 9,702,000 construction jobs, according to Dede Hughes, executive vice president of the National Association of Women in Construction based in Fort Worth, Texas.

The number of women in the industry has really grown in the last 10 to 15 years. While the percentage still remains small, any growth is cause for celebration. That's because construction-related jobs account for about 66 percent of all jobs in this country, Hughes said.

Those women are largely working for major companies like Otto Construction. Out in the field, the management team consists of the site superintendent, at least one project manager and at least one project engineer, who assists project managers and superintendents.

At Otto, 16 of the 107 people working there are women – or nearly 15 percent.

That includes two out of 13 project managers; several project engineers; a project estimator; controller; a carpenter, the only female skilled tradesworker; and others working in contract administration, business development, accounting and human resources. Melissa Barrenchea, 29, is a project engineer and Natalie Ghilain, 28, is an estimator.

Today, women are majoring in construction administration, engineering and architecture in college so they can qualify for these and other high-paying construction-related jobs. It wasn't long ago that women weren't even accepted in such schools, said Lenore Janis, president of Professional Women in Construction, based in New York.

"Back in the '80s, women were not even allowed to step onto a (construction) job site," she said. "There are still places where some men don't want women on construction sites. Your major companies don't have time for this nonsense. They just want the best possible people."

Women have gotten past these barriers using other means, such as working at their fathers’ companies or starting in offices. Many women still use those routes today.

That's true for all but one of the women working at Otto as project managers, project engineers, estimators or tradespeople.

Project Manager Deb Fee started working at her dad's steel company when she was 17. She worked up from receptionist to head foreman. She later became executive director of the Placer County Builders Exchange.

She worked for other contractors before being recruited to Otto five years ago. Fee, 53, managed reconstruction of Old Sacramento's Ebner Hotel/Empire House and is currently project manager for Otto's work on Township 9.

Karen Brown, another project manager, started out answering phones at a construction site in Hawaii. She worked as a project engineer for a subcontractor and then joined Otto. Brown is currently project manager on the new California State Lottery headquarters.

Most women who've worked on construction sites have run into some type of discrimination, Janis said. Women may be sexually harassed by some trades people, but not those women working at the professional level, she added.

A few workers remain unfriendly the first time they work on a construction project with a woman. Fee recalled a plumber who acted continuously agitated after she asked him to move his equipment – even when he found out she was the project manager.

"When you walk on a job site, there's an instant doubt in every guy's eyes," Fee said. "It's a look of – 'Who are you? Why are you here as a woman on this job site?' "

By the second project they work on with a woman, most men have accepted them. Some men assume women, especially young ones, don't have any on-the-job experience.

"I've noticed the more wrinkles I get, the easier it is on the job," Brown said.

The women have found many ways to cope with being a minority in the workplace. Treating people with respect is one. The men often treat each other like brothers, so establishing a sisterly relationship with them is another. They'll also be the first to introduce themselves and let new workers know what their project roles are right off the bat.

Brown likes to manage with a sense of humor. She recalled the stares she got from crane operators the first time she walked onto a particular job site early in her career.

"I was young and very self-conscious. I was worried – are my pants too tight? Is my bra strap hanging out?" she said. "I was so self-conscious that I tripped on nothing. I turned around, took off my hard hat and did a curtsy – showing them I was a human being."

Otto's upper management and project superintendents respect women employees, and that makes all the difference, Fee and the others said.

"We're still in a world of stereotypes," Fee said. "But we're fortunate Otto Construction looks beyond that. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman – it's what you can do."

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Region wins $1.5m for sustainability

2010-10-16T00:28:32Z

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has earmarked $1.5 million to help fund sustainable planning for the Sacramento region, HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims said Friday.

The money is being awarded to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and its planning partners through HUD's new Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program.

A day earlier, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced Sacramento was among 45 regions to win a portion of nearly $100 million in grants created under President Barack Obama's Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The grant program is designed to boost regional economies through coordinated planning for housing, transportation, the environment and economic development.

"You are among that remarkable list of people who said our communities are going to move forward in a sustainable fashion," Sims said Friday morning in a press conference at the Township 9 construction site. "You have to have people thinking about that now."

At least 80 people turned out for the event. U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui and SACOG officials also spoke to the crowd, which included community advocates and city, county and state officials and planners.

The Nehemiah Corporation's Township 9 is a "perfect" example of a sustainable community because the plan is to build mixed use, including 2,500 to 2,800 homes, next to a new light rail station and extended line and the American River Parkway. Projects like that are leading the way in terms of planning for smart growth, he said.

The one-mile light rail line extension has been delayed by five months and is now expected to be completed in June. Building demolition work by Otto Construction has been under way. Roadway construction on Richards Boulevard and North Seventh Street is expected to start in early November and finish by mid-2011. Construction of Township 9 housing units is expected to begin late next year.

Sims applauded Matsui for the way she has championed sustainability and clean technology in the region. Matsui has worked hard to get funding such as this grant for Sacramento, he said.

The $1.5 million grant will be used for ongoing work under SACOG's Sacramento Region Blueprint Transportation and Land Use Study, first adopted in 2004, and its Metropolitan Transportation Plan for 2035. The only other grant being awarded in this state is $4 million, which is going to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, administered by the California State University Fresno Foundation.

SACOG and its partners are matching the HUD funds with another $3.3 million in local funds and in-kind work. The money will help develop plans for infill development of six sustainable communities in highly used transit corridors throughout the six-county region, SACOG Executive Director Mike McKeever.

Township 9 wins Prop. 1C money

2010-08-27T01:20:24Z

Township 9, a mixed-use project planned for the River District, is eligible for up to $1.35 million in Proposition 1C state bond funds after being recognized for its sustainable design plans, a state agency official said Thursday.

The 65-acre development, which will be built between the American River and Richards Boulevard east of Fifth Street, was named a Catalyst Project in the California Sustainable Strategies Pilot Program. The program was created to promote the goals of Senate Bill 375 promoting sustainable building strategies and less dependency on cars, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which awards the funding.

More than 10 state agencies partnered to create the program.

"When state departments work together, California is a leader in sustainability strategies," said Housing and Community Development Director Lynn Jacobs in a prepared statement. "This program will help spur innovation at the local level ... as well as create models for other communities to increase long-term prosperity.”

Township 9 was one of 13 Catalyst Projects named from throughout the state. Township 9 received a "gold" designation, along with two Bay Area projects and two Southern California projects.

Councilman Ray Tretheway's goals for 2010

2010-02-06T20:51:02Z

Councilman Ray Tretheway’s key goals for 2010 are in response to problems caused by the poor economy. He said he plans to concentrate on public safety, jobs and foreclosure.

Tretheway’s priorities are listed here as part of a series of stories on council members’ top three goals for 2010. Links to the stories are at the end of this article.

The Sacramento Press made repeated requests to interview Councilman Rob Fong, but he was unavailable.

Tretheway represents District 1, which includes North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. He is running for re-election in June against Efren Guttierrez, a real estate broker, and Angelique Ashby, a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with government agencies and businesses.

When he is not working on city matters, Tretheway is the executive director of Sacramento Tree Foundation.

Tretheway said his top priority for the year is public safety. He puts public safety into three categories: police and fire, levees and youth education.

The councilman said he would like to see a federal jobs bill signed into law. If it passes, then perhaps local police and fire services will receive federal funding to maintain existing jobs and add new positions, he said.

“To that end, hopefully the Obama administration jobs bill will pass.”

At the local level, Tretheway said there will be a groundbreaking next month for a fire station in Natomas that would serve residents on the west side of Interstate 5.

He said he also plans to focus on levee improvements, calling the barriers a public safety issue.

Tretheway noted that his other public safety push will be youth education and services. He cited progress in that area, including two teen clubhouses in Natomas that will open next month; a teen center in the Gardenland/Northgate area that opened last year; and a park affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club that opened in downtown last week.

Tretheway mentioned development in Natomas when he talked about his goal of creating jobs. If the levees were strengthened, then the Federal Emergency Management Agency potentially could release its building moratorium in Natomas, he said.

If FEMA removed its restrictions, there could be “more opportunities for building homes and offices and commercial (buildings)” in Natomas, he said.

Tretheway also said that many jobs will be created as work gets under way on the Township 9 and Railyards development projects.

The councilman said his third goal for the year will be to help residents fight foreclosures. He said he would continue to educate people about the issue at community meetings. “I think that’s going to be something that’s looming over us on the downside,” he said. “But the opportunities are really pretty positive. People have an opportunity to listen ... and find out the avenues for how they can keep their homes.”

Councilman Steve Cohn’s goals are listed here. Read about Councilwoman Lauren Hammond’s priorities here. Councilman Kevin McCarty’s plans are explained here. Learn about Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy’s objectives here. Councilman Robbie Waters’ goals are outlined here. Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell lists her priorities here.

Mayor Kevin Johnson presents his goal for a green initiative here. Johnson announces a goal relating to the building moratorium in Natomas.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Light rail ground broken Monday

2009-10-13T03:27:13Z

Officials broke ground Monday on the city's newest light-rail line.

The first segment of Sacramento Regional Transit District's "green line" will run just more than a mile, from downtown north to the River District. Eventually, the line will carry public transit riders to Sacramento International Airport.

"It's the first great step to a complete transportation system. This is going to connect everything together," said U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, standing at the future site of the line's initial terminus, 7th Street and Richards Boulevard. "We have an investment in an expanded airport. We're going to have to have another way to get there — and that's going to be light rail."

The line will start at the Sacramento county courthouse, Eighth and H streets, and head to the future regional transportation center and the Railyards, then head north along Seventh Street before reaching the terminus at Township 9 in the Richards Boulevard Redevelopment Area. The line is expected to begin operating in November 2010.

The line's expansion to the airport isn't expected to be built for eight to 10 years. While local, state and federal funding is expected to be used to build the rest of the line, the first stretch will be financed entirely by local funding, said Mike Wiley, RT General manager.

Measure A sales tax funds will pay for most of the project to build the 1.1 miles of single track and two stations, estimated to cost more than $44 million. The Sacramento Transportation Authority sold bonds for several projects, including this one, and will loan some of the money to RT until the Measure A money becomes available, said Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn.

Wiley praised Matsui, Mayor Kevin Johnson, Cohn, Sacramento City Councilman Ray Tretheway and Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson for their support of public transit and light rail.

The green line is expected to bring more than just riders. The line is expected to bring money through economic development by spurring infill development in the Railyards and the River District, and by eventually connecting downtown to the airport, said Cohn and others.

For that reason, as well as its contribution to clean air and reduced traffic congestion, the line truly will be a "green" line, Cohn said.

A station will be added at the Railyards eventually, where 50,000 people are projected to one day live and work. The terminus will be at Township 9, being built by Steve Goodwin and other developers. His company reportedly will pay part of the cost of the station. When asked about the funding breakdown, RT spokesperson Alane Masui pointed only to board meeting documents on the agency's Web site.

"This really is a dream come true for a lot of us who've worked on this," Goodwin said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Red Lotus to replace G.V. Hurley's

2009-09-27T21:26:05Z

A new face is expected to pop up on a controversial Midtown party block in the next few months.

An Asian-fusion restaurant named Red Lotus Kitchen & Bar is in the works to take over 2718 J St., where G.V. Hurley's closed its doors last Sunday.

Buu "Billy" Ngo and Peter Kwong — the owners of the successful Japanese restaurant Kru just a few blocks down J Street — plan to serve "a little of everything" in a contemporary Asian restaurant whose culinary base will be Chinese food.

"It's my interpretation of Chinese, which incorporates everything," Ngo said.

Ngo and Kwong have bought the business and will lease the space from G.V. Hurley's owners, a trio of Sacramento developers who own the building.

Township 9 developer Steve Goodwin, River West Investments President Brian Vail and Pete Hurley Geremia, who owns Hurley Construction and comes from the Geremia Pools family, experienced problems with neighboring residents long before opening Hurley's. Those problems had no impact on the closing, Vail said.

"It had nothing to do with our decisions," he said.

After the establishment was proposed, some residents in the Marshall School neighborhood and beyond complained the addition of another bar would turn the 2700 block of J Street into an entertainment district that served business needs but harmed residents' quality of life.

They voiced concerns that an already crowded parking situation would get worse. The parking conflict reportedly postponed Hurley's opening, which had been set for late 2007.

Residents, including senior citizens in the neighborhood, also weren't happy when Goodwin, Vail and Geremia tore down a thriving Carrows restaurant they owned at 28th and J streets and replaced it with a parking lot.

After opening in the spring of 2008, Hurley's thrived as a bar. But its restaurant seemed to often sit empty. The establishment got mixed reviews on yelp.com, with many people raving about how fun and social the scene was around the giant, u-shaped bar, while others complained, mainly about the service.

In recent months and the past week, residents complained Hurley's was no longer providing security guards to patrol the neighborhood weekend nights as required by the city planning commission. Vail said he didn't know the status of security guards because he wasn't involved in day-to-day operations.

Hurley's owners had been trying to sell the operation for at least six months. That's when Vail first spoke to Ngo about the idea. A deal with the owners of Chops Steaks Seafood and Bar fell through, Vail said.

Business had gotten slower recently. Owning a restaurant and bar was tough for Goodwin, Vail and Geremia, who had little to no experience with the business and devoted most of their time to their development ventures, Vail said.

His take on the experience: "Stick to your day job. And I have great respect for Randy Paragary and Stacy Paragary," he said, referring to the owners of neighboring Centro Cocina Mexicana.

They offered what Ngo described as a good deal. Neither side would disclose details of the agreement.

"There wasn't a fire sale," Vail said. "We want them to succeed and they offered us a fair price."

An application is pending with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to transfer G.V. Hurley's liquor license to Ngo and Kwong. ABC has no record of complaints or disciplinary actions against Hurley's, said ABC spokesman John Carr.

Red Lotus is expected to open in November or December after the interior gets minor redecorating. Ngo has been looking for the right space to open his second Asian-fusion restaurant, which reflects his heritage.

Born in Hong Kong, Ngo grew up in Sacramento in a Chinese family with roots in Vietnam.

"I'm a big melting pot of all these things," he said.

He worked with several local chefs, including Taka Watanabe of Taka's Sushi in Fair Oaks, then graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 2004. He interned with Randall Selland at The Kitchen before opening Kru with Kwong in May 2005 at 2516 J St., the former home of J. Lee Euro-Asia Bistro.

His experience working with neighbors of Kru, who opposed live music there, helped prepare him to work with Marshall School neighbors near the future Red Lotus, he said.

"I'm 100 percent open on working with the neighbors on any problems," Ngo said.

The place will be open until midnight except on Fridays and Saturdays, when hours will extend to 2 a.m., Ngo said. Only dinner will be served at first, but lunch and a weekend brunch are expected to be added.

However, Ngo stressed their emphasis will be on food, rather than alcohol sales.

"We definitely want it to be restaurant," he said. "With another restaurant going in there, it can help that block a lot."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press and a resident of the Marshall School neighborhood.

Mayor: City may face more layoffs if state takes funds

2009-07-22T03:38:55Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson is worried that the state’s plans to take local revenues could lead to more layoffs of city workers and slow major development projects. County government officials are also alarmed about the state’s plan, which could be approved by the Legislature on Thursday.

Legislative officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are planning to use local funds to help balance the state’s $26.3 billion budget gap. The Legislature may take $1 billion in gas tax funds and $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds from local governments throughout the state. The state plan also includes borrowing $2 billion in revenues from local property taxes.

Earlier this month, the city laid off 135 workers and made severe cuts to programs to balance its budget for the 2009/2010 fiscal year.

Johnson told reporters Tuesday that he is participating in efforts to lobby against the state proposals. “I’m making phone calls, and we’re lobbying like crazy,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s anything we can do at the end of the day, but we as a city need to be prepared.”

If the Legislature approves the plan to take money from local governments, the city would likely have to lay off more of its employees, according to Johnson.

“I’m a little bit in denial,” Johnson said, referring to the prospect of more layoffs.

Sacramento would be able to part with local property tax funds because the city can borrow from its risk funds, Johnson said. However, the city is concerned about the possible impacts from the state taking redevelopment and gas tax funds, he noted. Johnson said major development projects in Sacramento, such as The Railyards, Township 9 and Curtis Park Village, could be affected if the city is compelled to give redevelopment funds to the state.

The county could also face hardships if the Legislature approves the plan as part of the state budget. County spokesman Zeke Holst said redevelopment projects would have to wait if the state takes local redevelopment funds. If the state borrows from the county’s property taxes, county social services programs will suffer, he said.

If county gas tax funds are tapped into by the state, road maintenance in the county would be delayed, he said.

*Photo by Cheyenne Cary

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

The River District Overview

2009-07-15T03:20:30Z

With 773 Gross Acres 675 Land Acres, the River District has a lot of room to develop it own identity becoming a mixed-use urban environment featuring residential, office and commercial services. Currently both Township 9 and the California Lottery Headquarters are breaking ground in an effort to revitalize the area. These major projects and others will serve as catalysts bring development, jobs, public transit and cultural amenities to District and paving the way from a primarily light-industrial commercial district to a distinctive, mixed-use neighborhood that will connect Sacramento to its rivers.

Process & Timeline
April – August 2009
Community Outreach
Chapter Writing for Specific Plan
Policy Development
Special Planning District Update
Historic Resources Survey
September 2009 - Infrastructure Finance Plan – Public Review
October 2009 - Public Draft EIR
January - 2010 Final EIR
Jan-Feb 2010 Public Hearings

Vision & Guiding Principles
- Maximize Connectivity –North/South and East/West.
- Create a Sense of Place.
- Encourage Sustainable Development.
- Build Infrastructure that Provides a Balanced Approach to Regional Traffic Issues.
- Stimulate Economic Growth.
- Provide a Variety of Urban Living Options.
- Support regional strategies that seek to improve social conditions
- Encourage Mixed-Use Development.
- Provide Enhanced Community Facilities and Amenities.
- Engage the Rivers and Foster Open Space Opportunities.
- Create a Walkable District.

Goals for the River District Specific Plan
- Specific Plan will include the following:
- Land Use Plan and Zoning with Heights
- Circulation Plan
- Infrastructure / Public Facilities
- Financing Plan
- Nexus Study (Downtown/Railyards/River District Costs)
- Program Level Environmental Impact Report Design Guidelines (Central City Urban Design Guidelines)

City nabs $56m for redevelopment

2009-07-01T04:18:36Z

The city of Sacramento has won $55.8 million in Proposition 1C funds for infill redevelopment, the city announced late Tuesday.

On Monday, the California Department of Housing and Community Development approved money to help fund infrastructure for four projects: the Railyards, Township 9, Curtis Park Village and Capitol Lofts. Proposition 1C was approved by voters in November 2006.

The $6 billion Railyards project will get about $30 million, said city spokesperson Wendy Klock-Johnson.

The new funding brings the project's total public bond funding to at least $115 million.

“This is a step in the right direction for our city in terms of economic development and creation of employment opportunities in Sacramento,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said. “This is a proactive step towards Sacramento becoming a world-class city.”

Georgia developer Thomas Enterprises broke ground last winter on the infrastructure phase of its effort to transform the historic Union Pacific railyards into a mixed-use district abutting downtown's Sacramento Valley Rail Station.