SACRAMENTO | The Metropolitan | 420 FT / 128 M | 40 FLOORS

[Coldrsx]

clean, simple, modern, awesome.......love it

[innov8]

Here's a few more. The back sides lovely

[peanut gallery]

Should make a nice addition to the Sacramento skyline. Any interior renderings yet? Does anyone know if the finishings are going to be upscale, mid-level, etc?

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

Should make a nice addition to the Sacramento skyline. Any interior renderings yet? Does anyone know if the finishings are going to be upscale, mid-level, etc?

I think this tower is being proposed as a upper middle income and up..
I haven't seen anything to indicate that it is being consider high end luxury condos.

It's not quite as appointed as Saca's now dead Towers on Capitol Mall proposal and not nearly as atttractive. Of course we havn't seen anything showing what the residential untis will look like so I'm just making a guess.

For instance their will be no spa or hotel (at least not yet announced).

It's very similiar to the Cathedral Square tower proposed across the street (on the same 10 hundred block of J street). Both designed by Kwan Hemni of SF.

[ltsmotorsport]

There's been a lot of controversy about this project recently. The mayor and two council members are suddenly having issues with the height and massing of the tower because it will block their views from their city hall offices of the historic capitol and cathedral buildings. They claim the concern is for the people of Sacramento, but all you have to do is walk the street yourself to realize these three are full of crap.

This, and other leadership blunders has even prompted one of the Sacramento forumers to pull papers to run for city council in his district. Go Brandon12!

Anyway, here's an article on it.


High Rise Builder Told To Scale Down Plans
Reporting
Steve Large
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― The new big building designed for 10th and J Street in Sacramento is supposed to soar 400 feet into the sky, but the city council wants these plans to go back to the drawing board. They say the designs are too big, and as Mayor Heather Fargo says, too sleek.

One of the reasons that the site is so important to a lot of these city council members is because of the view that you can see out of the windows.

City councilman Steve Cohn says it isn't his view he's worried about, but the public's.

"In addition to city hall, you have a park right in front of city hall with a great view of our oldest cathedral at 11th and K," he says.

Mayor Fargo wants the design to look more like the Citizen Hotel across the street and the Elks Lodge down the block.

"Sacramento has a great mixture of old and new," Fargo says.

But Linda Whitney, president of the Sacramento Old City Association says, look around. It could fit right in with some of the high rises that have earned some unique nicknames.

"We have the Darth Vader building in the background, it was given that name because it came out about the same time as Star Wars," Whitney says.

Another one is named the lego building, another, the ban roll building. But for now, this new tower will have to be called "Banned By City Hall."

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)


There have also been many e-mails between a few forumers and the council pointing out their invalid concerns. One response even came back with the arrogant remark of "you just don't get it".

Maybe one of the Sacramento guys would like to post one of those e-mails?

[tuy]

They want to know the height down so that it doesn't stand out from the other buildings. Wouldn't want to detract from the other great towers in Sacramento. :-)

[JeffZurn]

Has anybody heard anything new about the metro, its been along time since Fargo made her complaint

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by JeffZurn

Has anybody heard anything new about the metro, its been along time since Fargo made her complaint

The Metropolitan goes back before Design Review on June 18th.

I spoke with the Mayor and while she has no credibility whatsoever, she did say that it isn't the height they objected to. (I think that's not entirely truthful). She said she thought the tower was too sleek at the base and a few on the council wanted additional setbacks so that their view of the Cathedral and Capitol domes wont be obstructed..

We'll see what Saca comes back with, but it's still going to be a few years imo before a residential highrise gets off the ground in this housing market.

[innov8]

Saca's new downtown tower plan draws a familiar opponent
Sacramento Business Journal
Friday, June 27, 2008

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sa.../tidbits1.html

John Saca is close to a green light for his comeback project as a high-rise developer — The Metropolitan tower on the northeast corner of 10th and J streets in downtown Sacramento.

The Sacramento Planning Commission approved the project last month. It’s proposed as a 40-story hotel/condominium with 190 units of each type, or as a 39-story tower with 320 condos, depending on which option makes sense when it comes time to start.

But a familiar face has raised objections: Davis attorney William Kopper, who represents three residents who formed a group called Sacramento Citizens for Downtown. Kopper has represented unions that opposed big projects when contracts with organized labor weren’t guaranteed. He sued last year over Sacramento’s approval of The Railyards, the redevelopment of the former Union Pacific site near downtown.

Kopper, who objected to an earlier version of the project, has appealed approval of The Metropolitan to the City Council, which will hear the matter July 15.

Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 49 complained to the commission but did not appeal. “Basic questions remain unanswered about the hypothetical hotel at this site, such as — has the developer entered into a contract with a hotel management company?” the union asked in a letter. “Will it be a luxury property or a low-end economy lodge?”

Saca’s high-rise Towers on Capitol Mall project fell apart because of budget overruns. He said he’s concentrating on winning approval for The Metropolitan before working out financing details. He said he has no hotel operator in mind and would need city help to make that component work. “Maybe something similar to what was done with the Sheraton,” he said, referring to the city’s ownership participation in that hotel.

The city’s Design Commission must still review the project and will consider the condo/hotel version next month.

[urban_encounter]

The city council approved the EIR on the Metropolitan last night.


It still has to clear Design Review next week and I wont be surprised if Kopper appeals the project to the city council again. Although everytime he files an appeal he has to coughup a $250.00 fee.

The Council approved it unanimously and it's doubtful they would hear the appeal anyway.

Now it's basically a waiting game to see if it gets built.

The project mananger indicated construction might begin sooner if the hotel component proceeds.

They're planning for a possble 150 room 4 1/2 star hotel as part of the condo or apartment project.

[Pistola916]

^
Nice!!!

[peanut gallery]

That's good news! I'd love to see this one get built.

[innov8]

A positive step forward was made today in the approval of John Saca’s
Metropolitan Tower. With all Design Commission board members blessing and
the City Council approval yesterday, there was no drama other than a few
minor recommendations.

The tower was approved consisting of 190 condo units and 190 hotel rooms
along with ground floor retail and restaurant space. The approved tower
would rise 410’ to the roof and 435’ to the top of the spire.

Since Nov. of last year, a few changes were made to the exterior like a
grander/taller lobby, more precast concrete giving it a bolder civic look and
a darker color. Over all, the high-rise now has a more traditional look.
The original design was sleek and modern and most all the design commission
members said that they really like it... but some where between Nov. and
today, the design was taken back to a more traditional style.

This tower is still quite a ways from breaking ground. With the current
housing mess and credit crunch gripping the nation, Saca’s probably
several years away from breaking ground.

I really like the darker color and additional use concrete giving the building
more contrast. Good luck John, you're going to need it.

[Pistola916]

I like the new version. Finally, the Design commision did something right. We're probably looking at a 2010 ground breaking.

[leftopolis]

Originally Posted by innov8

(quoting some bozo in the paper)“Will it be a luxury property or a low-end economy lodge?”

What an absurd statement--Has anyone ever heard 40 story economy lodges being built anywhere in the world? Not to mention the recent factual lesson experienced by Saca/Sacramento, re: construction costs, high-rise financing, real-estate in general, and the economy...in other words, it doesn't take a biz wiz to understand that only a luxury property will pencil out.

Incidently, if the financing is there, it may not be the most prudent choice to wait 'till 2010. Sure, many believe that the worst of the real-estate market situation will have passed, and even if a solid upturn hasn't started it will at least be stable. Buildings like this take 2-3 years to complete--I realize it takes deep pockets, but that's something to keep in mind. If now we're at the inverted-bell-curve-bottom, then now would be the time to start a project of that sort. Actually(in part), that was an issue with the 52 story twin towers: It started construction just after the peak of the bell curve--within months of commencing, the real-estate crash was in full swing.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to it getting built. It's a bit conservative for my taste--but it's not un-appealing--and that's important for a building which is more or less in the neighborhood of being a new tallest. I'd be thrilled to have it in my city.

[alphawolf]

It looks like they've taken away more glass elements in the new rendering.

[cascraperdude]

What is the approved height now?

[Pistola916]

^
410 feet to the roof

435' to the top of spire, which will then be the tallest building in the city if you take the account of the spire, but Wells Fargo would still be the tallest if you look at the roof at 427 feet.

[JeffZurn]

I am a little worried that these new colors are going to look like the Vadar building, thoughts?

[innov8]

Originally Posted by JeffZurn

I am a little worried that these new colors are going to look like the Vadar building, thoughts?

Here's the materal and colors for the tower. The glass will have a blue tint
and the percast is a tan color.