K Street Pedestrian Mall Renovation

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by wburg

So...how would you define "density"?

Well, I can't drag out the typical examples of New York and Chicago since we'll never achieve that in a million years. When I say density, I mean streets that have stores lining them with lofts or offices, etc above them. I think the best Sacramento example I can think of would the block of L Street between 18th and 19th Streets. When I walk around Midtown and go down that block, that's the kind of vibe I'd like to see in downtown: restaurants on the street, stores, nice shady streets from trees and from the lofts, etc. Essentially, what I mean when I say density is buildings closer together to fill more space. You guys know way more than me, but just like everyone else, I have my own dreams and visions for Sacramento.

[wburg]

Something like this, perhaps?

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by wburg

Something like this, perhaps?

Yes, along those lines. Clearly, the city will never achieve endless blocks like that. However, in the past, large scale projects (like those apartment towers and tiny two floor apartment buildings, which I hate, that take up entire blocks south of Capital Mall) have been accomplished. I know one lot that could definitely go in favor of a new building that wouldn't necessarily have to add to the skyline, but start contributing more density to downtown: the Sacramento Security Savings on 5th and L. It's empty (I think; looks abandoned from the outside), and it takes up a whole quarter of the block. Couldn't you picture something like the L Street Lofts (give or take a few floors, preferably taller since it is downtown) in that spot? My thoughts on Sacramento have been consistent my whole life: I'd rather see a few new 300-400 footers pop up in the city to add density than one guy build some 900 footer surrounded by empty lots and abandoned buildings. I've seen the skyline from just about every angle you can think of, and every single perspective has its holes in the skyline (so far, best view is heading south on 12th Street as you cross the American River).

[ltsmotorsport]

Lol, that is Sacramento. Some time ago, anyway.

[Cynikal]

That's K Street if I'm not mistaken. Well played Bill.

[petescafe]

No Christmas, um Holiday tree this year.
First time in 30 years.

Maybe Charlie Brown could give his tree to the mall.

[NikeFutbolero]

Originally Posted by petescafe

No Christmas, um Holiday tree this year.
First time in 30 years.

Maybe Charlie Brown could give his tree to the mall.

link? I drove by there like 2 weeks ago and saw the big ass christmas tree in front of the capitol..



edit - nm you mean on k street

[sacamenna kid]

That's a pic looking toward what is now St. Rose of Lima Park. That building with the tower is the old post office which used to sit on that site and was torn down in the sixties, along with so many other terrific old buildings that gave downtown real city texture. We bemoan the fate of the Alhambra, and rightly, but that post office was also a great loss.

[downtownserg89]

the little choo-choo train on the old Hard Rock Cafe's steps is the best they could do this year.

They could have at least used a short nubby tree..

[goldcntry]

I wish I could say it's unbelievable.... but I can't. Does DTP even have their regular shabby decorations up?

[Ghost of Econgrad]

Sacramento's K Street to get new look in 2011


SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento's K Street mall is about to get a major boost in nightlife. An entertainment complex of three distinct venues from San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty, is set to open in mid-January near 10th and K streets.

Pizza Rock features a Sistine Chapel-style painted ceiling celebrating rock, while a real Peterbuilt truck appears to come crashing through a wall, offering an unusual perch for a dj to spin tunes.

"When you walk into Pizza Rock I think you're going to be blown away by what you see," said co-owner Tony Gemignani, a world renown pizza chef. "But what I think is going to have people come back is the food."

Next door to Pizza Rock, the upscale Dive Bar features a 7,500-gallon aquarium where mermaids and mermen will perform.

"They'll just be swimming around in there, they're going to sit on their perch and interact with the crowd," said General Manager David Brattmiller.

The third venue in the $8 million complex is called District 30, a nightclub that will cater to the 30-something-year-old crowd. "It's the best sound you could possibly have," said Brattmiller.

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership views the new complex as a major addition to the revitalization of K Street.

"The success of downtown in many ways is identified with success of K street," said Michael Ault, the parternship's executive director.

By next fall, K Street will also reopen to car traffic for the first time since 1969.

"It's going to give people the opportunity to drive directly to destinations, to drop off, and maybe witness some retail opportunities they did not know they were here," said Ault.

The City of Sacramento approved a $5.7 million subsidy for the entertainment project last year, hoping it spurs even more economic development in the blighted corridor.

"We've really finally gotten to point where we not only have quality but regional draws," said Ault. "I think this is going to really change the way people think about downtown and K Street."

By Jennifer Smith, Jsmith@news10.net
News10/KXTV


http://www.news10.net/news/story.asp...113849&catid=2

[wburg]

The "reopening to cars" concept isn't quite what many seem to assume it will be. They won't be taking off light rail or repaving the street; they're going to use the existing area between the yellow truncated cones for one lane in either direction, with no street parking. There will be a couple of "pull-out" areas, one on each block, for passenger unloading and probably for valet parking pickup. There will be new stoplights installed, and a sensor system that will prioritize the lights on K Street if a light rail train is coming--this will allow traffic to clear out ahead of the train, rather than have the train get stuck in mid-block behind traffic at a red light, which blocks adjoining streets. The speed limit will be 15 MPH and will run from 8th to 12th Street; the pedestrian plazas from 7th to 8th, 12th to 13th, and on either side of 11th will remain. Bikes will still be allowed on K, but they will have to share the lanes with cars and light rail--although my guess is that they will be tolerated on the pedestrian areas, which already seems to be the rule.

Adding cars allows K Street, even in this limited form, allows it to be considered a transportation corridor, instead of a pedestrian corridor. That might mean some differences in funding sources.

There was a story about this in the Bee a few days earlier;
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/22/327...fast-lane.html

I did find this little graphic interesting:



Note the difference in sales receipts between 2005 and 2010--a $10 million differential--and the number of construction and permanent jobs. Perhaps we're seeing some return on investment?

[otnemarcaS]

Can't wait for these venues to open. Will be a good addition to K street. With Social/Cosmo, Parlare Euro Lounge, Citizen's hotel, Pyramid, Ella, Marilyn's on K, that new tequilla/Mexican restaurant opening soon, Crest, Imax and others, that area may fast becoming core downtown's main entertainment district.

Watch out Midtown ... Downtown rising.

New faces on K Street
by Suzanne Hurt, published on December 16, 2010 at 6:35PM

Three new façades add a bit of “wow” to K Street Mall.

Work is close to wrapping up on San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty's new businesses, Dive Bar, District 30 and Pizza Rock. A month away from the expected openings, contractors applied some of the finishing touches to the exteriors Thursday.

The bar, club and restaurant technically occupy one building, owned by Sacramento developer David Taylor and CIM. But the exteriors were rebuilt to look like three distinct, separate spaces – from sleek contemporary to slightly edgy to quaint, Old World charm.

The façades are like book covers, designed to entice by giving just a taste of what's inside, said the project's architectural design manager, Michael Boskovich of RMB Architects in Sacramento.

"This is – in my opinion, as a longtime local, – a big step up, something that's hopefully very contagious and will have legs in Sacramento," he said. "That's one of the things I appreciate about George's group – stepping out and doing this and, of course, including us."

District 30 at 1022 K St. sports a contemporary, minimalist exterior to match the interior of the sleek, elegant over-30 dance club. Three sets of double glass doors were set in a frame of white, metal composite panels. A copper and bronze "District 30" sign sits beneath 20 gray panels that will feature changing collages of illuminated art once the business opens.

"The sign is very subtle. It's not as much attitude or in your face as Pizza Rock," Boskovich said.

Pizza Rock, with its red neon sign and laser-cut metal flames, seems to burst from between its two sister venues. Filigreed flowers, hearts, stars and butterflies – designed to look like tattoo art – soften the sign, inspired by tattoos worn by Pizza Rock co-owner Tony Gemignani's wife. LED backlights will be added to give the flame a shadow.

Gears were bolted onto the tan travertine tile exterior to emulate old earthquake ties used to reinforce buildings. The centerpiece for an outdoor seating area in front is a glass- and mesh wire-enclosed fireplace built into an industrial-looking copper cauldron made to look like it was reclaimed from a junkyard. Inside, the other side of the cauldron holds one of the restaurant's pizza ovens.

"It's meant to add to the ambiance out here," Boskovich said.

Dive Bar at 1016 K St. was given an Old World hotel feel, with a brick façade and copper-penny storefront. Three curtained, "second-story" windows add to the illusion.

Stockton muralist Carlos Lopez painted Dive Bar's sign to mimic old painted ads still found downtown, including next door at 1030 K St., which contains Ambrosia Cafe. Lopez also painted Pizza Rock's ceiling mural resembling Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" – with the hand of God holding out an electric guitar.

Pizza Rock is expected to open Jan. 14. Dive Bar and District 30 are slated to open Jan. 19. Hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Tuesday, and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

The building’s renovation added 15 to 20 feet in height to the exterior. Several one-of-a-kind features were designed to create the three distinct looks.

Boskovich, whose company does a lot of retail restaurant work, said he's eager to see more entrepreneurs use such creative, high-quality exteriors on new businesses.

"I'd like to do more like this in Sacramento," he said. "Sacramento's ready."

Sacramento Press Journal

[wburg]

The Preservation Commission will get an update on the project planned for the 700 block of K Street on Wednesday: here is the staff report, with some diagrams of the plans for that block.

http://sacramento.granicus.com/MetaV...meta_id=215378

[Ghost of Econgrad]

KTXL
Sacramento K Street Businesses Ready To Open

Lonnie Wong

January 12, 2011

The first of three entertainment businesses due to be open by the end of the month has scheduled a VIP grand opening today. Pizza Rock along with the Dive Bare and District 30 are part of a redevelopment project spearheaded by the city redevelopment department.

The openings come amid continued grumblings by similar businesses in nearby Mid-town and other city neighborhoods about why so much city money was spent on projects by an out of town developer.

Newly elected city council member Darrell Fong sympathizes with critics. His brother runs the popular Mikuni's restaurant and he knows several other restaurant and night club owners who spent millions of their own money to start up their businesses. He said it's fine to create jobs, but just as important to retain jobs.

"You have people here for generations and have a vested interest and employ a lot of people in the city and it's important that we keep the jobs that we have," said Fong.

Pizza Rock general manager Dave Brattmiller says there is plenty of business to go around if K Street becomes an entertainment district.

"We want to get people from Roseville, Elk Grove, El Dorado Hills. They're all going to come down here, and everyone can benefit," said Bratmiller.

Fong and fellow council newbie Angelique Ashby, who represents the downtown area, were not on the council when the latest chunk of money, some $5.6 million, was allocated to the project. But the both agree that K street must be redeveloped for the economic health of the city.

Fong said he hoped the process of allocating city funds would allow for existing businesses to compete for funds in a fair manner. Both are concerned about Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal which eliminates redevelopment agencies so those funds can be used elsewhere.

That could mean redeveloping the vacant 700 block of K Street will be delayed or halted altogether.

"The redevelopment dollars have been critical to the build out of the componenets that benfit everyone," said Ashby.

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/...,1444179.story

[downtownserg89]

District 30 is hosting a very special guest tonight.

Allow me tell you about this special guest:

Steve Aoki, a world famous DJ who is close friends with many big celebrities you see in movies and music videos, is performing here in Sacramento.

The $60 tickets sold out about a week ago, and I am very excited to see him again tonight.

District 30 is going to be VERY packed, and it will get very humid and musty in there.

Steve Aoki came to Social Nightclub during the summer, and when I left the building I was literally drenched in sweat from head to toe.

Steve Aoki is known to stand up on top of his turntables and pour Grey Goose Vodka down people's throats. I was one of those people and am honored to say that.

If you guys aren't doing anything tonight, walk on by and see the madness, because it's going to be intense.

For pictures of Steve Aoki's previous crazy events, check out www.thecobrasnake.com


See you all tonight!

[tronblue]

Great, this forum is starting to get gentrified by hipsters. Is there no sacred ground?

[downtownserg89]

Originally Posted by tronblue

Great, this forum is starting to get gentrified by hipsters. Is there no sacred ground?

Easy there, the purpose of my detailed post was to help you guys understand what a big deal this was for Sacramento.

I find it rather unfortunate that a lot of people still think of Sacramento as just a "cow town" like Vacaville, but it's absolutely not. Sure, it's not SF or LA, but it sure as hell is no village, and having a world famous DJ coming to perform here 2 years in a row definitely says something about us.


I know I'm not a professional business man like most of you on this forum, but I feel a younger 2 cents should get tossed in every now and then. I love my city and I enjoy reading about the latest news and projects/proposals, so I figured you guys would probably get a kick out of knowing a little more about the developing social scene, such as District 30's VIP guest DJ.


Sacramento is definitely movin' on up.

[wburg]

And it's appreciated, Serg, I think tronblue is just being sarcastic. This particular project has been pooh-poohed a lot, but its long term viability has little to do with the appearance of the project: the quality of the food, drinks and entertainment are what will really determine whether a visitor checks it out once or becomes a regular. So far I hear from one person that the pizza is up there with Hot Italian in quality, and someone who knows the club scene is impressed with the DJ selection at District 30. Haven't heard from anyone about the drinks at Dive Bar yet.

I'm curious to see how the street scene looks on a weekend night about 1 AM when these three places, the Cosmo, and a midnight movie at the Crest (on a midnight movie weekend) are all going at once...and how many other places in the neighborhood are open late, and how many more could be within a few blocks. I'm also wondering what their plan is for that fourth (and largest) storefront.

[Korey]

I've heard the employees like the bosses, District 30 is well decorated but a bit small and apparently no real area for smokers. For the citys sake I hope they're all successful.

edit: Oh and the tank at Dive Bar is pretty small, no info on the drinks sadly.