Sacramento Proposals of Times Past

[Michael Kramer]

Originally Posted by wburg

I still think the Expo/Arden area is a great place for a "second downtown" of high-rise projects--something like Century City in Los Angeles. Consolidate all those parking lots into one parking structure, put up a couple towers, add residential mid-rise/high rise nearer the freeway (and thus nearer to the dramatic views of the river) and a fixed-rail transit loop up Expo and down Arden to link it to Light Rail and downtown. Think of it a bit like Century City.

To contribute, here's a drawing from an early 20th century plan for a civic center around Plaza Park (now Cesar Chavez Plaza) from 1916 that never got built:

Exclamation on the Light Rail line. Century City is NOT a model of smart growth, but a horrible and congested place that lacks adequate public transportation. It's like a smaller downtown LA crammed between Brentwood/West LA and Beverly Hills. Only bus lines, busy gridlocked streets and an overused 405 freeway. I'd like to see downtown Sacramento move further along.

Michael Kramer
Los Angeles
formerly of:

San Francisco 2000-2005
Sacramento 1983-2000
San Mateo 1964-1983

[cruz]

what about the proposed freeways?
any updates....?

[innov8]

Originally Posted by cruz

what about the proposed freeways?
any updates....?

See page 2 of this thread http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...=158300&page=2

There are no updates, 22 years ago the Governor blocked funding and that was about it.

[cruz]

oh... i see...thank for the info........

[innov8]

The Civic Tower
North West corner of 10th & H Street
27 Story tower/ 370 ft
Architect James R. Loen
365.935 sq. ft.
9000 sq. ft. ground floor retail
490 parking spaces
Proposed 1990 and died in 1991 due the tight financing forces and the
Federal government mandate that banks cut back their real estate lending
as well as new pre-leasing requirements.

[innov8]

Hallmark Towers
North West corner of 15th & L, K Streets
32 Story tower/ 502 ft
TDK Architects & Planning
Developer: Joseph Benvenuti
539,190 total sq. ft.
15,586 sq. ft. ground floor retail
387,090 sq. ft. office
164 hotel rooms on floors 24-32
Swimming pool
865 parking spaces

Proposed 1990 and died in 1991 due to the City of Sacramento's new law to
limit the height of skyscrapers as a way to protect the view of the State
Capitol. Back in 1990 when the tower was first proposed their were no
height restrictions for the area but shortly after this tower and two others
were proposed, both Mayor Anne Rudin and Sacramento Assemblyman Lloyd
Connelly pursued an ordinance to limit height and protect the Capitol. At the
time the City imposed the restrictions, it ended up wiping out a total of three
high-rise proposals, one by developer Giannoni at 14th & L Street at 19
stories and another by Benvenuti at 15th and K Street to be 14 stories, and
the Hallmark Tower at 502’. The new law at the time limited all building to
ten stories or 135’. All three buildings would have been to tall and blocked
the Capitol view. At the time, councilmember’s said “they were committed to
smaller buildings around the perimeter of the entire park” which discouraged
the developers who started getting entitlements for their projects a year
prior to the new law. All three towers were canceled out of frustration and
uncertainty as to what the City might do to further scale down their projects

It looks as if the towers design was used two years later in San Diego for the
One America Plaza here.

[innov8]

Artisan Gallery on Del Paso Blvd. will have an exhibit up till Sat. called
Unbuilt Sacramento.

So why do an exhibit of unbuilt work, it’s simple… Most of Sacramento is
under the impression that local architects and designers don’t do anything
exceptional, progressive or noteworthy. This exhibit will dispel those rumors
and prove we’ve got the skills. I just found out about this, sorry about
the late notice... I hope to drop by before it comes down after this Sat.

Directions here.

[SacTownAndy]

If anyone gets a chance to go, it would be awesome to see some photos! I would love to go to that.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

I don't think I'll be able to make that exhibit, unfortunately.

Going through this thread makes me terribly sad, as both a native Sacramentan and a photographer.

[wburg]

Hm. I wonder if that gallery would be interested in an exhibit of Sacramento architecture demolished in the name of progress?

[KingsFan#1]

My 10 Most Missed Buildings

1. Aura....would have looked awesome, and probably would have won awards
2. Lankford & Cook 37 floor tower....a decent looking tall office tower
3. Epic Tower....same as Aura, awesome design
4. The Towers....cool and tall, but wouldn't be good "tallest buildings"
5. Metro Place....An awesome tower that was needed but wasn't built
6. Metropoliten....Cool condos that would have made sactown "more modern"
7. 701 L Street....From what I could see, it had a cool design
8. Riveredge....would have surrounded the river with buildings, making it cooler
9. Meridian 2....would be the tallest thing in that area, and a nice glass building
10. Hallmark Tower....San deigo got that awesome design, not us....

Honorable mentions
700i
Library Lofts
Capitol Grand Tower (weird design but tall)
Natch & Lewis Railyard designs

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Well, gentlemen, I visited the Artisan this evening. I don't usually make it for Second Saturday, but I did tonight. All I can say is, if you missed the exhibit, don't worry.

For starters, there were only about five models. Three of them were projects for areas far outside of downtown. One was a modern house designed for the late Paul Thiebaud somewhere in Sacramento. The last one, which the placard on the wall said was actually still under consideration, is a performing arts center somewhere in the city. I can honestly say I was extremely underwhelmed since the flier that innov8 posted insinuated far more to me than what was actually presented.

[innov8]

The Artisan had several events going on this weekend including a Kings
Street party and portions of the Unbuilt Sacramento Show were taken down
because of this. The artwork has been up for the last two weeks and will
most likely be taken down today. I wish I had learned of the event earlier
to tell you guys… sorry

[innov8]

B Street Theatre
27th Street and Capitol Avenue
Six-story
365-seat Proscenium Theater and a 250-seat thrust Stage Theater
95-unit condominium project
4,000 square feet of retail shops
Land donated by Sutter Health for the theater is valued at about $6 million

Proposed 2006 and died in 2010 due to a sluggish reception for luxury
condominiums in the past few years. The theater company has now
submitted a stripped-down, single-story building that features retail
instead of condominiums.








East End Gateway 1
NW corner of 16th & N Street
15 story mixed-use building
5,040 square feet of commercial retail space
125 apartments
Building height: 165’
Developer Lambert Development
Architect Carrier Johnson

Proposed 2007 died 2008 due to economic slowdown.

[CAGeoNerd]

So depressing to say that list of "what ifs".... I keep hoping every day there will be a green light turn-around on the economy and high rises start going up again. Sac needs to get its skyline bolstered! (putting something in empty lots would be nice too)

[wburg]

We will get at least something in both places--the Warren on the CADA lot, and at least the B Street will get built as a theater.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Is the Warren going to happen? I haven't seen anything happen over there but the sign get tagged (in true Sacramento fashion).

[wburg]

These days, that's an open question until they finish construction, but it hasn't been canceled or anything--they are actively soliciting buyers for the pre-construction phase and the project has all its various approvals.

[CAGeoNerd]

The Warren huh? Neat little building.. from their site though, doesn't exactly look like people are fighting to buy up spaces. At nearly 400k for what amounts to a 1-bedroom apartment, that's not surprising. I really think these developers need to focus on more affordable living spaces. There's a huge need for affordable housing around downtown and midtown, but every new building they put up seems to have nothing but pricey lofts. There's simply not the demand for people willing to spend 300k+ on a 1-bedroom apartment downtown, and I don't know when there will be, if not for years to come.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Yeah, I've pretty much given up all hope on seeing anything new and interesting going up in Sacramento. I've just had enough of seeing these posters and banners go up on empty lots to get excited and then be crushed when it falls through, as they do so often.