West Sacramento: Proposal/Projects and Developments

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by wburg

A pedestrian bridge would be better placed between the Tower Bridge and the Pioneer Bridge. Improving the pedestrian walkway on the I Street bridge (a project that would probably be similar in scale to the improvements to the Tower Bridge) would give better pedestrian access between downtown Sacramento and West Sac. Pedestrian "outriggers" along the lower level of the bridge would make pedestrian and ADA crossing easier and keep pedestrians out of the path of automobiles. It would also provide easy pedestrian access into the Railyards from West Sac. Turn the current pedestrian walkways on the upper level into bicycle-only lanes with protective fences along the edge of the current sidewalk to prevent clipping by automobiles.

The only reason I thought a pedestrian bridge would be good between Tower and I Street is because in the area you're talking about putting it, there aren't really any destinations on either side. If it's in Old Sac, you connect the tourism of Old Sac with Raley Field (or at least the parking garage). I can't think of anything worthwhile between Tower and Pioneer on either side of the river that'd be worth building a new, modern pedestrian bridge. If we could somehow extend the tourism, the retail, and the overall life of Old Sac along the new river walk, that'd be amazing.

[wburg]

There is already a destination in the area you're talking about, just one that gets very, very little attention, due to its location in a nondescript warehouse--the California Auto Museum:

http://www.toweautomuseum.org/

Unfortunately they aren't really a part of the current Docks plan, but they certainly should be. It would be a shame to lose a well-established transportation meeting, especially because the CAM has really stepped out in recent years to hold more public events (like the CAM auto show in Midtown, its series of concerts and drive-in movies, etcetera.) One semi-dream idea of mine is for the CAM to have a big, highly visible space in the new Docks, like the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles. It would neatly bookend the area, with the Powerhouse Science Center just north of the I Street bridge, the Railroad Museum and Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento, the Sacrament Southern Railroad south into the Docks, and the newly expanded Crocker just across the pedestrian bridge over I-5...not to mention the planned Indian Museum that will go into the northern end of West Sacramento, to reel things back towards the thread topic.

I can see Old Sacramento taking issue with a modern bridge plopping people in the middle of the existing Old Sacramento waterfront and wharf. Improving the I Street bridge, making it more useful to pedestrians and bicyclists, would help move folks from the existing (and increasingly dense) neighborhood around old Washington.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by wburg

There is already a destination in the area you're talking about, just one that gets very, very little attention, due to its location in a nondescript warehouse--the California Auto Museum:

http://www.toweautomuseum.org/

Unfortunately they aren't really a part of the current Docks plan, but they certainly should be. It would be a shame to lose a well-established transportation meeting, especially because the CAM has really stepped out in recent years to hold more public events (like the CAM auto show in Midtown, its series of concerts and drive-in movies, etcetera.) One semi-dream idea of mine is for the CAM to have a big, highly visible space in the new Docks, like the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles. It would neatly bookend the area, with the Powerhouse Science Center just north of the I Street bridge, the Railroad Museum and Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento, the Sacrament Southern Railroad south into the Docks, and the newly expanded Crocker just across the pedestrian bridge over I-5...not to mention the planned Indian Museum that will go into the northern end of West Sacramento, to reel things back towards the thread topic.

I can see Old Sacramento taking issue with a modern bridge plopping people in the middle of the existing Old Sacramento waterfront and wharf. Improving the I Street bridge, making it more useful to pedestrians and bicyclists, would help move folks from the existing (and increasingly dense) neighborhood around old Washington.

I forgot about the Auto Museum. They could work wonders in that area if enough people had the drive to do so.

[kamehameha]

Projects along the west bank of the Sacramento River:

California Indian Heritage Center
25 story condo tower by Fairfield Residential, LLC
18 story luxury riverfront hotel
Raley's Amphitheater
The Bridge District
West Sacramento Riverwalk extension
The cordish company's Stone Lock District

[wburg]

And hopefully a streetcar line, too!

[plinko]

There doesn't have to be a 'destination' on either side of the bridge. Strangely, if it looks interesting enough, people will walk on it.

I was recently in Omaha and they built a spectacular cable-stayed pedestrian bridge across the Missouri River to Council Bluffs, Iowa. On the Omaha side, there's a parking lot, a condo tower, an office building, and a small park. On the Iowa side, there's a swamp and the edge of a neighborhood. But the bridge had lots of people on it, even on a Tuesday in the middle of July...

Imagine something like this:

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

I think that if a pedestrian bridge were to be built, it should be a new take on a classic. Look at I Street or Tower, look at that steel truss design. If a talented architect or engineer could make an interesting new design out of something simple like a steel truss bridge, it would be a great mix of the history of Sacramento and NorCal with our (hopefully) bright, modern future.

[ltsmotorsport]

Why should we always be looking to the past for architecture in Sacramento? A sleek modern design along the lines of the Omaha one plinko posted or even the Sundial Bridge in Redding would be awesome.

[KingsFan#1]

might be way off here, but I thought the 25 story condo tower was river two, which was either changed or cancelled?

Can someone explain what's going on, because I am very confused.....

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by ltsmotorsport

Why should we always be looking to the past for architecture in Sacramento? A sleek modern design along the lines of the Omaha one plinko posted or even the Sundial Bridge in Redding would be awesome.

I don't think we should always look to the past. I just think we should consider a new projects surroundings and neighbors before building it. Suppose this pedestrian bridge does get built. It's neighbors on the Sacramento are Tower, I Street, and Pioneer (although the last one is just a standard interstate bridge). If someone were to photoshop a bridge like the Sundial in Redding in between Tower and Pioneer, do you think it would look good? I wouldn't think so because it's so drastic a change from it surroundings that it makes it look bad. To each their own, of course.

[ltsmotorsport]

I'd have to disagree. Many styles of bridges can look very attractive close together; the Thames in London comes to mind. Just like there are many different styles of buildings on the same street in cities, many bridges can add a diverse character.

[CAGeoNerd]

25-story condo tower? I'm pretty sure that's not happening anymore. The 16+ story Mariott going next to the Ziggaraut building is about the biggest thing that's going up in West Sac in the near future.

[wburg]

A pedestrian bridge would have to be tall enough to allow river traffic underneath it, or be an elevating/swing bridge. One plan I saw looked a bit like that Missouri River bridge, in a big arc, but designed to rotate 90 degrees to make an arch that boats could pass under.

I still don't think such a bridge should go between the I Street and Tower Bridges (they're only four blocks apart) but personally it doesn't matter to me whether the bridge is highly modern or based on historic examples.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

No, I don't think there should be another bridge between Tower and I Street. If anything, the bridge should be at the end of the new river walk to generate more activity in that area. I'm sure the California Auto Museum would appreciate the potential foot traffic, and it could be a catalyst for further development along both banks of the river, especially in that wagon storage lot next to CAM.

[Majin]

Honestly I don't understand why people care so much about pedestrian bridges between West Sacramento and Sacramento. The hookers trying to expand their market to Land Park or something? I would think people in Land Park would want to buy someone a bit more high class than a west capitol ave street walker.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

If anything, that bridge would connect West Sac with Southside Park. You'd never get a bridge built anywhere in Land Park, ever. If West Sac can clean itself up a bit in the foreseeable future and remodel its grimy, industrial image in favor of a shiny glass one, there could be more demand to move between the two cities.

[ltsmotorsport]

From the plan a couple years ago, the the bridge is supposed to go between Tower and Pioneer bridges.

[kamehameha]

it's going to be a marriott hotel.

Property Acquired for River One Hotel in West Sacramento
Posted on September 28, 2010

The City of West Sacramento has announced that Marriott International has been selected to operate a new hotel site on the West Sacramento riverfront next to the Tower Bridge. Marriott plans for the River One Hotel to be a full service hotel, expected to be unlike any other Marriott brand currently in the Sacramento market. In addition, while Marriott often franchises its operations, the West Sacramento Marriott Hotel will be operated by the Marriott company.

The news follows the August 2010 agreement by the West Sacramento Financing Authority (“Authority”) to purchase from the Raley’s Corporation a 4.58 acre property on the West Sacramento riverfront. The site’s river views in proximity to downtown Sacramento make it an ideal location for a high rise hotel.

The proposal to fund and construct the hotel was put forward by Parkcrest Development Company, a Sacramento-based development firm with experience developing and managing hospitality projects locally as well as throughout California, Washington, and Oregon. The proposed project will include a 300 room full service hotel, a 15,000-square-foot conference center, and a destination restaurant.

“The exciting aspect of this proposed community is the way it blends residential with retail and office space, which will allow residents to live, shop and work in one area,” said Robert Leach of Parkcrest Development Company. “We’re pleased to be working with the city of West Sacramento, a community that delivers both the vision and ability to do what it takes to make the project happen.”

The River One property is physically close to work centers and recreation. The West Sacramento setting provides excellent access to Capitol Mall, Old Sacramento, Raley Field, River Walk Park and the American River Parkway.

Construction of the project will be financed through the issuance of Build America Bonds (“BAB’s), a federal stimulus program approved as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The BAB’s program has been highly successful and now accounts for approximately one third of new municipal securities issued.

City staff anticipates issuing bonds by the end of the year. Architects Cooper Carry, based in Atlanta, Georgia are designing the hotel, and the West Sacramento-based office of general contractor Hensel Phelps will be providing a Guaranteed Maximum Price construction estimate.

[kamehameha]

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...2010/seats.jpg

First phase of West Capitol Avenue transformation completed.

[Majin]

Looks pretty nice - where are the people?