K Street Pedestrian Mall Renovation

[Mr. Ozo]

Originally Posted by CAGeoNerd

K Street won't get better until there are people living there. If there were hundreds or thousands of people living in residential buildings along K and nearby, K St would be a much different place.

K street already is better. There tons of people there every night now. Weekends are crazy, it's hard to believe it's Downtown Sac.

[econgrad2.0]

Originally Posted by CAGeoNerd

K Street won't get better until there are people living there. If there were hundreds or thousands of people living in residential buildings along K and nearby, K St would be a much different place.

Before the City blocked cars from K Street, there where people and residences living there. When cars left, the residences left. This is historical fact on the failures of our city. Only biased ignorance would defend the "no cars on K street" attitude. Before the no cars on K Street, it was as vibrant as you would have wanted it to be. The city, killed it. Now our tax dollars are being fleeced again with correcting the problem in the first place.

Read the article I posted in the Sac Thread above.

[wburg]

That's not true at all...K Street was in pretty rough shape in the 1950s and 60s, they were losing money like crazy to the new suburban malls and shopping centers, and downtown's population was either actively moving to the suburbs (the white folks) or being kicked out of downtown by redevelopment (the nonwhite folks.) The pedestrian mall was a desperation move to save a dying retail district in a depopulated neighborhood.

I'm not sure how you equate what CAGeoNerd said with "no cars on K Street," he didn't actually say that or even imply it. But it wasn't taking cars off K Street that killed it, that much is certain. I'm not convinced that bringing cars back to K Street will save it, although I don't mind the current plan the city has in mind. What will really make the difference is bringing more residents to K Street, reconnecting it with the rest of the central city, and turning it back into a multi-use neighborhood, more like Midtown, but bigger, taller, brighter and most likely louder.

[ozone]

Hope for Change from the Sacramento Bee:

Bob Shallit: Sale near for Sacramento's Downtown Plaza?

By Bob Shallit
Saturday, Apr. 7, 2012

Is Downtown Plaza being sold to the owners of Starwood Hotels & Resorts?
That's at least a possibility amid reports that Starwood Capital Group is in talks to acquire seven as-yet-unidentified shopping centers from Westfield Group, owner of the beleaguered downtown center.

Westfield, based in Australia, confirmed last year that it had put 17 properties on the market, including Downtown Plaza. Since then, it's announced a deal to sell a minority interest in 12 U.S. malls to a Canadian pension fund.

And now the Wall Street Journal is out with a story about the pending $1 billion Starwood transaction.

Westfield spokeswoman Katy Dickey isn't commenting on whether the Sacramento property is included in that deal.

But Valerie Mamone-Werder, the well-connected retail recruiter for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, suggests it's more than a remote possibility. She tells us she was hearing rumors of a Downtown Plaza sale to Starwood even before the Journal came out with its story.

[ozone]

From the Sacramento Bee

Sacramento post office to leave historic building downtown in July for mall location

By Carlos Alcalá
Published: Thursday, May. 3, 2012

The U.S. Postal Service plans to move its retail operations to Westfield Downtown Plaza from its historic 801 I St. location in July, the agency announced.

The move is expected to save the Postal Service money and be more convenient for patrons.

It also makes downtown guide Mike Munson happy he won't have to feel bad about directing stamp buyers to a UPS store anymore.

Munson, a retired mail carrier, has sometimes steered people away from the 801 I St. post office because customers must pass through elaborate security at the government office building.

Starting in July, however, postal retail operations downtown will be located on J Street in the mall. Munson will point people there to find the stamps, mailing supplies and post office boxes that have been available on I Street.

But not the same architectural wonder.

The I Street building was put up in 1933 as a Depression-era public works statement. It has 100 tons of architectural terra cotta outside and intriguing detail work inside.

Also, it has metal detectors in the lobby.

To buy stamps, visitors must pass through the scanner, empty their pockets of keys and change, run bags through X-ray machines and switch on phones to show guards they work.

That is why Munson told people to go elsewhere. In July he'll direct them to Downtown Plaza, sans screening.

"It's a win-win," said Munson, even though 801 I is where he first went to work as a carrier in 1965.

The move is expected to save the Postal Service money, said spokesman Augustin Ruiz. Not only was 801 I St. bigger than necessary, the security meant a loss of box holders, he said.

"It will be a money saver and it will be a lot more convenient for our customers," he said.

"The new United States Post Office location is a welcome addition to Westfield Downtown Plaza," said Raelene Trumm, general manager for the mall.

Among the benefits not available at the old location will be validated parking and Saturday hours.

The move has been in the works for more than a year.

The Postal Service shocked some locals in January 2011 by posting notice that it intended to leave what had been downtown's main post office for 80 years. The building is also home to divisions of the federal departments of Interior and Transportation, as well as the U.S. courts system and other agencies.

Cutting Postal Service expenses is "more important than walking two blocks or not," said Sonia Petrozello, a customer in line for service in the old building's ornate lobby.

The move is "not a big deal," agreed postal patron Jim Hill, who will have to walk about three blocks more from the nearby Cal-EPA building.

The new post office will be at 560 J St., inside the mall near Golden 1 Credit Union and Erin Hayes Shoe Repair.

The increase in foot traffic should benefit her business, Hayes said.

"There's a lot of people out there who don't know you can fix shoes," she said.

Workers at the I Street facility had not yet been notified of the move.
U
"The everyday worker is probably not aware of what is going on," Ruiz said.

The new facility is being renovated and a ribbon cutting may be held in July, he said.

[downtownserg89]

just stumbled upon this image on the interweb. Wouldn't it be nice if Downtown Plaza looked more like this?



I wonder what the status is on DTP. The last I remember, I could've sworn I read that Walmart was gonna buy it, and tear out the movie theaters to add some sort of market... or something like that. I know I read this somewhere!

[wburg]

Isn't that pretty much how Downtown Plaza looks now? Two stories of standard mall stores, and a few customers wandering around. Aside from not having a third story, anyhow. Never heard anything about Walmart buying it--there was some talk about a Target in the middle section, and moving the movie theaters to the eastern side by 7th Street, but that was before 24 Hour Fitness expanded on that side of the mall. There have been various rumblings about a buyer, but I haven't heard anything concrete yet.

I kind of like ZuhG Life (the store owned and operated by a local hippie jam band that sells local band CDs, body jewelry and, um, tobacco accessories) even though I haven't found much to buy there, they put on free all-ages shows featuring local bands on the second story of the mall by the food court. Other than that I generally only enter the mall to go to Macy's, the movie theater, or if I'm walking home from Old Sacramento.

[downtownserg89]

Originally Posted by wburg

Isn't that pretty much how Downtown Plaza looks now? Two stories of standard mall stores, and a few customers wandering around. Aside from not having a third story, anyhow. Never heard anything about Walmart buying it--there was some talk about a Target in the middle section, and moving the movie theaters to the eastern side by 7th Street, but that was before 24 Hour Fitness expanded on that side of the mall. There have been various rumblings about a buyer, but I haven't heard anything concrete yet.

I kind of like ZuhG Life (the store owned and operated by a local hippie jam band that sells local band CDs, body jewelry and, um, tobacco accessories) even though I haven't found much to buy there, they put on free all-ages shows featuring local bands on the second story of the mall by the food court. Other than that I generally only enter the mall to go to Macy's, the movie theater, or if I'm walking home from Old Sacramento.

You're right, it actually is a lot like DTP, I just think it happens to look more visually attractive. That is all.

I haven't stepped foot inside that ghost town "mall" at all this year, and I remember the last time I did, I literally saw a tumbleweed roll on by. What a shame. This place used to be the go-to spot back in my middle school days of 2001.


I'll tell you what ISN'T an abandoned oasis... 10TH and K on a weekend night!

my buddy and I were cruising around last saturday night and decided to make a right on 10th and K, and boy was is fun. KBAR was packed and looked totally "happening" with it's outdoor area packed, the D-30/Pizza Rock/Dive Bar area was also packed and lively, and well there were people everywhere!! It was so cool seeing that little strip so alive. We had to drive by again to get a look at all of the drunk folk, however, we got pissed once we got to the 900 block. Nothing to look at, except a couple of homeless dudes.

I think what that area needs now is a place to hang out and "people watch" across from the bars and stays open late. Perhaps a place that sells cheap food at a counter, and you can simply kick back and enjoy the scene. I'm sure they'd thrive off folks with drunk munchies.

I now have high hopes for K street, and this 10th and K revival is only the beginning.

[wburg]

Supposedly they get around 3000-5000 people every weekend just on that block, which over the course of a month, is equal to the busiest Second Saturday months. I notice a lot of the nights there are becoming a mixture of local talent and out-of-town acts, so locals like Shaun Slaughter and Roger Carpio, Harley White and the Sizzling Sirens burlesque troupe, alongside touring performers and DJs.

And yeah, some late-night eats in close proximity would be very good--all you'd have to do is convince some of the lunch places that currently close at 3 PM to stay open later (or reopen on weekend nights.) Crest Cafe and its outdoor patio would be absolutely ideal for that purpose, or Pyramid Brewery. For a while after the 800 block opened Ambrosia Cafe started staying open late serving desserts, but they stopped after only a month or two. This summer once the Trash Film Orgy starts at the Crest, both sides of K Street will be interesting for people-watching, at least on Saturday nights.

Apparently decades ago (before your time or mine) there were all sorts of late-night and 24 hour diners on K Street, alongside all the dance clubs and theaters and live music venues--and quite a lot of full-time residents.

[downtownserg89]

I believe it. There were so many people just walking around that night we drove by. I'll actually be out there tonight for a buddy's 21st birthday. Should be fun. I'll be taking photos for BUFF$LUT!

How can we convince those restaurants to stay open late? Write them a letter? Collect signatures? Do an online poll? You're right about Crest Cafe; their patio is really cool, and perfect for observing the nightlife. I think for sure blimpie would also benefit from this, since they offer over the counter sandwiches.

I believe I remember the guy from Mayahuel Tequila restaurant trying to bring the K street businesses together by, well, not sure how, but I think this would be something to consider. Have those immediate nearby eateries stay open til 3am only on weekend nights, especially during the summer. Do you remember Plum Blossom? That place was ALWAYS packed and thriving at 2am after the bars closed. I'm sure the same would be the case on K Street. Yeah KBAR serves food, but not that much of a variety..

[wburg]

Probably the best bet would be via Downtown Partnership--not sure if they have anyone coordinating nightlife/late-night venues but they have a business development person who might be the best point of contact.

Plum Blossom stayed open late, which was nice, but the food wasn't very good--it was more the Chinese food version of La Garnacha. I suppose if your target market is people drunk enough to not have functioning taste buds it doesn't matter that much.

The new owner of the Kress Building on the 800 block is fixing up the ground floor, turning it back into 2 ground floor entrances instead of one--but no word yet on what kind of use the ground floor will have, although it is apparently supposed to be retail rather than just offices. The rest of the building is being sold as "office condos" like the Roos-Atkins building...maybe if the office market stays soft they might be open to residential. Although hopefully that could be followed by more use of the buildings on the 800 block...like, for instance, a ground floor use in that big, vacant space on the ground floor of the Renaissance Tower? The last time I remember seeing anything going on inside that space was the big K Street charrette in, what, 2005?

[wburg]

It's behind a paywall, but the latest Sacramento Business Journal has articles about the rehab of the Kress Building, and the Greyhound depot. The Kress article quotes some local blowhard opponent of progress, too.

[Web]

Originally Posted by wburg

It's behind a paywall, but the latest Sacramento Business Journal has articles about the rehab of the Kress Building, and the Greyhound depot. The Kress article quotes some local blowhard opponent of progress, too.

local blowhard = you? nice sarcasm