Our next Sac Press Live chat will focus on Sacramento's economy and downtown development with local historian William Burg. We'll be diving deeper into the issues Burg raised in his recent post, “What's Killing Sacramento's Suburbs.” The chat will be streamed live on SacramentoPress.com on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. Readers can also join us in person at 431 I Street [map]. A few of the questions we'll be exploring: How is Sacramento's central city doing compared to the region's suburbs? Does downtown get a bad rap? What factors are encouraging urban infill development, and what factors are preventing more from happening? We'll also discuss the benefits and challenges of life downtown with

Once “Plan B” for a downtown arena failed to materialize, the Think Big Sacramento organization shifted gears and is now taking a broader look at possibilities for developing the more than 200 acre railyards site. Several suggestions have already come up for the site, including: Major League Baseball stadium – Several news outlets (including the New York TImes, Bleacher Report and Fox Sports) have reported that the Oakland A’s may be looking for a new home. Why not Sacramento? Corporate headquarters – Now that the city has received a $15 million grant to fix up the downtown train station, Sacramento is well on its way to being a full intermodal hub, making the railyards a convenient sit

There are many places in Sacramento city and county where a long roadway travels through numerous neighborhoods: Fair Oaks Boulevard, Watt Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard, for starters. When the street name is very close to the neighborhood name – such as Del Paso Boulevard and Del Paso Heights – people unfamiliar with the area often confuse the road and the neighborhood. Sacramentans take pride in their neighborhoods and, since the reputation of one neighborhood is not always carried on the roadway to the next, that confusion can get on a resident’s nerves pretty fast. For example, a commenter on a recent Sacramento Press article about road improvements along Del Paso Boulevard had this t

When it comes to talking about how to run a city, local developer and City Council District 6 candidate Jon Bagatelos is all business. Bagatelos, co-owner of Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems and Bagatelos Development, LLC, was recruited to join the City Council race by business, community and public safety groups who are “tired of the way things are going with the city,” Bagatelos, 44, said Wednesday. Bagatelos has not officially filed notice of his candidacy, but said he expects to select a campaign manager within the next couple of weeks. He will be running against incumbent Kevin McCarty for the City Council District 6 seat. One of the main reasons he decided to consider the cou

Four massive Seville olive trees were installed in The Bridge District’s Garden Park earlier this month setting the stage for a welcoming community space in West Sacramento’s newest development area. Garden Park is a three-quarter-acre public park billed as the “centerpiece” to the first stage of development of The Bridge District, according to Stephen Jaycox, senior vice president of design for The Bridge District’s designer/developer, Fulcrum Property. Jaycox said the design and planning of The Bridge District is unusual compared to typical new development plans. “We are starting with the green space and then moving on to building townhomes and apartments around it,” Jaycox said. “Thi

Ground broke on a new mixed-use retail and residential development in Midtown Thursday, and work is set to be complete on two vacant former state lots at 16th and O streets by mid-2013. “We’re going to get 84 market-rate apartments, 13,000 square feet of retail, and we’re going to have another chunk of Sacramento with a nice infill, pedestrian-friendly development,” said City Councilman Rob Fong, whose district contains most of downtown and Midtown. “It’s the kind of live-work space that really is a nice fit for the city.” The project – with one four-story and one five-story, mission-style building – is a partnership between the Capitol Area Development Authority – a joint powers group b

Historically, the travel and tourism industry has proven to be resilient. In good news for hoteliers, strong growth will continue in 2012 proving there’s a method behind the long-forecasted, now completed renovation work at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, and a reason to celebrate the Hyatt’s achievements as the hotel hosts VIPS at its Renovation Celebration, Thursday, January 12, 1209 L Street, downtown Sacramento, across from the State Capitol. The Hyatt began the long-awaited $3 million Phase II renovation last summer, finishing the hotel’s “public spaces," including the lobby floor, Amourath lobby lounge, Vines Restaurant, second floor meeting space and the 15th Floor Capitol View Room—

“Seventh & H" SRO - 7th & H Street, $47.4 million project. Expected completion date, Spring 2013 626 I Street Rehabilitation Project - $19.4 million. Expected completion date, Sept. 2012 La Valentina Station - 12th Street between D and E streets, $27 million project. Expected completion date, summer 2012. Sutter Medical Center - L & 29th Street, $600 million project. Expected completion date, late 2012. Read more at: http://livinginurbansac.blogspot.com/  

This has been a big year for Sacramento and especially for South Sacramento, where development projects flourished and neighborhoods saw improvements on nearly every corner. “No one hears about South Sacramento unless there’s been a murder or a shooting,” said City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell, who represents south area neighborhoods in District 8. “We have so much more going on, though.” Pannell has represented one of the two southern-most districts of the city since 1998, and in those 12 years she has been behind projects ranging from neighborhood beautification to housing to commercial development. “There was nothing at Freeport and Meadowview when I came on (to council),” Pannell sai

Sacramento County Supervisors have voted to suspend the automatic annual fee adjustments for several development impact fee programs. “As part of our ongoing effort to encourage business and job opportunities, and improve the local economy, we have held back automatic fee increases on new building projects. This will help new projects get started, help create jobs and add to the economic recovery of the Sacramento region,” said Roberta MacGlashan, Chair of the Board. “This will be the fourth consecutive year we’ve suspended increases as we continue to develop ways to improve the stability and growth of our region.” The programs affected are: • Antelope, North Vineyard Station, Vineyard a

The Newton Booth Neighborhoods Association (NBNA) is honoring Mike McKeever, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), with the organization’s 2011 Growing Together Award for his role earlier this year as the volunteer mediator in a neighborhood development controversy. The NBNA represents the Poverty Ridge, Newton Booth, and Alhambra Triangle neighborhoods in Sacramento’s District 4. The award will be presented to McKeever Thursday, November 10th, at Newton’s Night Out, a neighborhood event to be held at Revolution Wines, 2831 S Street, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.  McKeever will be in attendance. The Growing Together Award, established in August 2011, is gi

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

A delegation of Sacramento business and political leaders returned from a four-day tour of New Orleans with fresh insight into what it takes for a city to recover and thrive after a disaster, including improving transportation methods, sustainable housing and flood protections. “New Orleans had a unique opportunity to reinvent itself because of all the investments made there after Katrina,” City Councilman Kevin McCarty said Tuesday. “We need to look at how we can reinvent ourselves here, too.” On Tuesday, Council Members Angelique Ashby, Steve Cohn and Kevin McCarty and Mayor Kevin Johnson shared the lessons learned from the people in New Orleans about methods of recovery the city has u

Sacramento County has been updating its growth-management plan for the unincorporated area as part of the General Plan. This Plan, which directs future development, is required by law and should be complete by the end of 2011. There were many issues involved with arriving at a new growth strategy, and careful attention was paid to balancing the requests of community members, environmentalists and developers. The grown strategy underwent several changes as the building boom ceased and the County had to address state laws that required lower carbon emissions (AB 32) and encouraged mass transit (SB 375). Multiple public meetings were held to fully understand all the interests and arrive at t

On September 30, 2011, at Beatnik Studios, aspects of Sacramento’s finest culture will come together to support a truly inspiring cause. From 5pm to 9pm entrance is free and guests can stroll the studio looking at P.R. Brown’s photography show “The Known and Travel” while noshing on appetizers. Wine lovers can purchase a souvenir glass for wine tasting and entrance into a gourmet gift basket raffle. 100% of the proceeds are directed towards transforming the lives of orphaned and poverty-stricken children. Guests can further show their support by bidding at the silent auction. After 9pm a suggested donation of $5-$10 is appreciated as the stage opens up to live performances from Katie Jane,

Take some vacant, unused city-owned land, sell the land to investors for development and reap the benefits of construction jobs, economic growth and money to help finance a new downtown arena. That’s the latest idea being considered by the Think Big Sacramento committee, according to a report released at a press conference Thursday. The press conference was held at a city-owned dirt lot at the corner of Front and V streets, which is one of the examples cited in the report of public land that could be sold for profit – and would result in jobs related to the development of the property. “Properties like this could be put in the mix to draw and generate money from developers,” said Think

Sutter Medical Center L & 29th Street, $600 million project. Expected completion date, late 2012. La Valentina Station 12th Street between D and E streets. $27 million project. Expected completion date, summer 2012. Maydestone Apartments Corner of J & 15th Street. $7.2 million renovation. Expected completion date, February 1, 2012. “Seventh & H" SRO 7th & H Street. $47.4 million project. Expected completion date, Spring 2013. DMV Headquarters Upgrade 2415 1st Avenue $127 million renovation, 13-year renovation so far. Expected completion date, who knows??? 626 I Street Rehabilitation Project $19.4 million. Expected completion date, Sept. 2012

Years after the bank closed its doors roughly 15 years ago, the building that once housed Sacramento Savings at 5th and L streets, is finally falling under the wrecking ball. The building, built in 1960 according to the foreman of the wrecking crew, wasn't exactly a landmark, but it was a familiar building, known for its river rock aggregate surfaces. It was also directly across the street from Macy's, on one of downtown's busiest streets. The foreman, who didn't give his name, says that the building apparently featured a substantial bomb shelter, a relic of the Cold War. After the building is completely demolished, and the lot scraped, it will be turned into that most cherished of down

Tuesday morning’s visit with Jeffrey Callison gave us the chance to talk about redistricting (still), the new city manager (again) and a new restaurant opening in the old Hanger 17 space at 17th and S (finally). The long, dramatic saga of the redistricting of Sacramento’s City Council districts continues with Tuesday’s City Council meeting. But given the twists and turns in this process, there’s no telling. We have an explainer on the topic that shows the process of how we got where we are. But the damage done to the council’s reputation, especially that of a few key members who used the process to consolidate their political power, has been done. And there will likely be a contingent of

On the heels of another record-setting year of increased enrollment, EPIC Bible College (formerly Trinity Life Bible College), has located to a new campus. EPIC will host a VIP and Media “Hard Hat” Tour and Reception on its new campus, 4330 Auburn Blvd., Thursday, August 11, 2011, 5:30-7:30 p.m. The new college campus is located just off of the Interstate 80 corridor and includes over 30,000 square feet of space—nearly four times the size of its former home off of Madison Avenue at Hillsdale Blvd.—with plenty of on site parking and “front door” access to public transportation. EPIC’s early relocation came about as a result of the economic “perfect storm”—a withering local commercial real