To clarify, this project began in October 2007, a year before the crash. Since my first visit to the site and the neighborhood involvement, the Park is an entirely different place and that's wonderful. Sacramento celebrates it's parks and we can only hope that the economy recovers so that they can be maintained properly.

Wonderful interview. Mr. Corti is a very special man, as proven by his kind treatment of his old customers. As my mom, Theo Samuels, has gotten gotten old (way past older, now just old) he has brought her groceries to her house a few times when she was ill. I've always appreciated that about him.

As an advocate of vital urban centers, anti-development, endlessly stretching suburbia person, transportation fees are a great idea, IF they don't all go for administration of these very fees. The impact of people who move here for affordable housing and then commute long distances to their jobs is unacceptable. For example, we desperately need a more viable way to get to all the way into San Francisco and to SFO on public transportation. Ditto to our own airport. More important, this valley was a premier supplier of food to the world. Where's that food going to be grown if all the land is covered with housing? What are these people going to eat and where are they going to get water?

I've just spent the last year dealing with a relative who got a 2nd dui. I've spend a lot of time driving to and from Sheriff's work programs and related meetings, sitting in parking lots watching the perps come and go. I've seen very few people who looked like they hang out in downtown hot spots. Believe me, these are people who are not reading online or off. At the same time, the rate of drinking by underage children is outrageous. At one point, UCD had a deterrence program that had so many attendees that it had to be cancelled. The schools are the one place where all stratas come together. That is where the focus should be.

That mall was an aesthetic disaster from the start, including millions spent on several, very ineffective or non-functioning public art pieces. It has a ponderous and oppressive feeling that is very unwelcoming, no matter what the economy. Architect Jon Jerde pulled one over on the City. Take a look at the 3rd Street Mall by Architect Frank Gehry, in Santa Monica for inspiration. Open K to the east to traffic. What we need is a visionary architect, more parking, more downtown residences for those who have money to spend.

Downtown needs more residential options, especially for people who have money to spend on downtown businesses, big and small. Perhaps that dead site will come alive someday in a well financed, creative project brought to us by developers who aren't looking for public handouts for private gain.

Any of us who still "own" our homes could be thrust into this impossible situation at any time. In CA, where most urban properties qualify as jumbo loans, we start off paying extra points and fees. The American dream: home ownership. Affordable housing? No housing is affordable for most of us. We endure. And sometimes we suffer. Now that bank will be allowed to let that property degrade and everybody on the street will suffer. Welcome to the California dream.

Kati, terrific pictures. And thanks to Michael Ault of the Downtown Partnership, for his persistence.

Kassandra, thanks for your enthusiasm. One of my steakhouse classic favorites is the creamed spinach and the grilled salmon is amazing as well. Come back again soon, Stephanie Taylor

Here's the skinny on the mural. It is finally being replaced by the vendor, Metromedia Technologies. They printed the original mural in 1996. It lasted many more years than we expected, but finally started to fail in 2007. The Downtown Partnership and the City paid to have it reprinted- it's digital- and reinstalled in October 2007. By June I noticed that edges were lifting and began to TRY to communicate with the vendor. It has taken all this time. My understanding is that they are removing the existing vinyl. It looks like they're intending to take it down to the original stucco. I will update as soon as I hear more news.