Bridge District Update

An update to my last (1 year ago) post, The Bridge District now has all core streets in place along with improvements such as street lighting and some sidewalks. 

West Sacramento is working on ramping up the Bridge District marketing campaign as the project slowly works towards actual project construction (buildings).  To help build excitement, they recently sent out a fun little marketing piece meant to remind those interested in the project about what this project will mean for not only West Sacramento, but the Northern California Valley region in general.

Here's the poster they sent out:

 

 Looking at the poster I am struck by the nearly complete lack of depicted buildings.  Buildings, in fact many high rise buildings are an integral part of this plan, yet the idea and focus of this project as depicted in this poster is clearly not the structural element of the master plan, but rather the outdoor and primarily waterfront uses.  As you look carefully at this drawing, one could mistake the bridge district master plan as simply a new central park inspired space.  The focus was not accidental.  In addition to the poster, West Sacramento sent out a written marketing document which clarifies The Bridge District core focus. This is what was written:

You are part of something big.

History suggests that every 50 years or so, Californians suddenly wake up and remember: "Hey, we live in California!"

The last time this happened we called it "mid-century modern."  It celebrated something unique to California living: that we can be outside almost every day of the year enjoying our mild climate and the amazingly diverse landscape it produces.  Entire wall in houses suddenly became glass, and we marveled at how architecture could blur the line between inside and outside.  These "moderns' carved new spaces for healthy outdoor living out of conditions that had always existed- but had not been fully exploited since the turn of the century days of sleeping porches and verandas.  They took an idea that was at the core of who we are as Californians and updated it-making it relevant to its time.

As revelatory as this might have been, however, the buildings we've seen built in recent years seem to have forgotten again what is special about our place in the California sun.  but, healthy out-door living is no less important to us today than it was fifty years ago.  In fact, it may be more important than ever.  So, shouldn't today's buildings and neighborhoods honor our connection to the outdoors and re-imagine it in a 21st century way?  We say yes.  After all, if who we are is at least partially defined by what we build, then what we build should make every effort to strike a meaningful relationship to the beauty of what is all around us.  

Another way we are looking back as a way to see forward is apparent in today's growing interest in neighborhoods that recover what is great about the way our parents and grandparents used to live - before they moved to the suburbs.  People are searching again for those rich, connected, everyday experiences that a walkable neighborhood provides.  And we agree, it's time for a re-think of neighborhood density, and how shops, restaurants, and services are integrated into everyday life to best suit today's needs while restoring a bit of loveliness to life in the process.  In this century, it's inevitable that our cities will change-so let's make it for the better

Now, you might think that these notions of healthy outdoor living and a connected, walkable neighborhood are mutually exclusive idea-but they aren't.  They just haven't been put in the same mixing bowl for a while.  We can change that.  For, in addition to our great weather, the beauty of our food, and our independent spirit, there is something else that binds us together as Californians: our belief in the power of deign to improve people's lives.

So, it is for you, one of the first in a generation to remember: "Hey, we live in California!" that we've made the enclosed map.  We wanted to get it to you as soon as possible to reassure you that California's next great 21st century neighborhood is well on its way to being realized.  It's called The Bridge District, and we thank you for being part of it. 

Development and city growth are inevitable and coming up with a fresh vision of how to house new growth is a worthy goal - one that The Bridge District (TBD) is clearly attempting.  I worry that the idea of bringing people together in an old fashioned, dense, town style environment is great on paper, but will end up proving more difficult in real life.  My wife and I are increasingly enjoying spending our entertainment dollars in Downtown Sac at the ever increasing number of restaurants and bars in that area, we've even wondered if moving downtown could be an option.  What keeps us in the suburbs is the idea that we plan to have kids soon, and the suburbs just seem like the right place to raise a kid. 

What I can say though, is that many of the modern subdivisions have been built with strict separation of zoning codes.  This creates huge islands of housing where any resident will likely have to drive a few miles just to get to the closest shops.  I think the core of this new thinking emulated by the TBD design plan is a recognition that people want "things" to be close - where uses are not necessarily separated by miles of feeder roads and uses are mixed in such a way that there are a few shops or restaurants within walking or a short bike ride. 

I struggle with the idea though, that dense community designs, are exclusively the appropriate direction to head in community planning.  I think given the option, most people would like to have their own backyard and their own personal garage to store off season items and keepsakes - parking garages and highrise living is fun to think about, but if there are inexpensive single family options nearby, my guess is that most will choose their own home over a condo.  Don't get me wrong, I am more than excited about the TBD plan and can't wait to visit the first restaurants and shops, but I just hope that the vision is properly aligned with demand so that the development will reach its full growth potential.  

More to come later. . .

http://www.thebridgedistrict.com/

 http://www.fulcrumproperty.com/prop.aspx?id=13&prop=14&par=2





   

Bridge District Master Plan - West Sac Riverfront

West Sacramento is in the process of redeveloping 188 acres of underutilized land on the Sacramento River waterfront called the Bridge District situated between the Tower Bridge and the I-80 overpass.  West Sacramento has struggled with an image that's, well lets just say it's less than optimal and only slowly improving. While known in the development and planning world as being an up-and-comer in forward thinking community designs, the city has yet to put a project on the map that really captures the attention and recognition of the general public.  The Bridge District has the potential to become the anchor project that really puts West Sacramento on the map as more than Sacramento's ugly stepchild.  Conservative estimates of the population and jobs growth that this development will bring are staggering, with over 4000 new residential units bringing roughly 9,300 new residents to West Sacramento.  The development would also bring over 500,000 square feet of retail space and over 16,000 new jobs along with new restaurants and entertainment options.

I am building this post primarily from the Bridge District design guideline documents that attempt to clarify the planners vision for everything from public art, to rooftop design.  What's clear in the document is that the West Sacramento Planners have done their  homework resulting in a thorough design framework that will eventually lead to a beautiful development.  I used the word eventually on purpose, here's why: much of what the planners envision will take decades to implement - especially in this down economy.  So I looked at these images with the knowledge that when we first visit this development as businesses and restaurants begin showing up, the greenery won't be filled in as depicted, and the goal of densely packed buildings leading to a seamless line of active storefronts won't be realized for many years.

Bridge District mission statement:

“Build an economically viable neighborhood that is architecturally distinctive, environmentally responsible and celebrates the proximity to the river.”

An early artist rendition of the project:


(The Bridge District is directly across the river from the Docks Masterplan that the City of Sacramento is working on)

This is the actual street design and street names:

Specific Design Goals:

Beautify—Design with a richness of detail and quality that expresses pride and permanence. Create buildings that are attractive as well as functional.

Respect the Environment—Architecture in the Bridge District should respect the environment on a local, regional and global level. Respecting the local and regional environment means embracing the Sacramento River and celebrating the river’s role in the natural and human history of the area, and designing with an awareness of West Sacramento’s climate. Respecting the global environment means designing buildings that reduce energy consumption and lessen dependence on automobiles.

Innovate and Respond—Develop innovative design responses and flexible regulations that incorporate advances in technology and respect a shifting economic, social, and regulatory environment.

Diversify Designs—Develop guidelines that allow for a broad and progressive range of architectural design solutions that contribute to a visually appealing streetscape and skyline. Build a unique neighborhood with character through individual expression, while respecting the emerging community context.

Grow a Great Urban Neighborhood—New buildings should respect the urban scale and development intensity of the district. Designs should contribute to a high quality of life and a feeling of safety, livability, and community.

Establish Connections—Architecture in the Bridge District should reemphasize the visual and physical paths that connect people to each other, the Sacramento River, and to the District’s varied uses. Visual and physical linkage of the balance of the district to the Riverfront is accomplished through the establishment of Riverfront view streets in Volume 2.

A few of the re-occurring themes I saw in the design guidelines:
*Walkability
*Extensive Urban Forestry
*Abundance of parks
*Green - energy efficient
*Aesthetics - both in public art installments as well as architecture

Design elements relating to Walkability:


The entire development has a people centric focus with wider than average sidewalk spaces and plenty of room for sidewalk dining.  This particular image is from a fairly central street that offers pedestrians extra space though other streets still offer wider than average sidewalk space.

Where sidewalks are too narrow for shade trees, alternate shade structures should be provided.  This aids in cooling pedestrians as well as helping to cut direct sunlight into buildings.

Again, wide Sidewalks:

Extensive Urban Forestry:

In addition to Urban Forestry, you can also see another design goal of extensive public seating options.  The development pictured here uses solid cement sections built into the landscape architecture to provide public seating. 

Abundance of Parks:

Green:

Permeable paving blocks help to reduce water runoff into city drains - reduces chances of flooding. 

The City is suggesting many green design elements that will help to reduce energy consumption, many are standard in today's building industry though I don't think I've seen this one before:

Adding earth and greenery to the top of a building helps reduce absorbed heating while also providing a more appealing view for the residents of taller structures.  I think it's a fairly interesting solution. 

Aesthetics:

Water features:

Public Art:

Unique Landscape Architecture:

A long section in the document focused on architectural elements.  In this example, they were showing how varied building uses could be distinguished with floor level retail uses differentiated from the residential or office spaces above by using altering building material or unique design elements.  Additionally, the project design should have added artistic elements meant to distinguish one building from the next in a way that also promotes the sense of permanence and a strong identity. 

While there are many more photos from the design guidelines meant to clarify the planners vision, I think this is enough to give a general picture of what the Bridge District could end up looking like once built out.  For West Sacramento, this project holds the promise of really converting a desperately underused space of land into an attractive waterfront destination while also helping to bring the city out of the shadow of it's bigger sibling to the East.  When you picture this development with restaurants and bars anchored by the the River Cats stadium, all adjacent to the Sacramento waterfront, this could turn out to be "the place to be" on a warm summer evening.

Project Related Websites:

TBD - The Bridge District

The Bridge District on Facebook

City of West Sacramento

West Sac Planning Documents

PDF.Design Guidelines Vol. I

PDF.Design Guidelines Vol. II

Please feel free to post any questions or comments below

The Docks Master Plan

Sacramento has been struggling for many years to improve the image of its downtown region, an area historically only occupied during the day by city and state employees, leaving the central business district a ghost town after work hours ended.  At one point, downtown Sacramento held such a bad reputation that some news sources prior to the 1950s described it as one of the grittiest slums west of the Mississippi.  Since then, the city of Sacramento has been working hard to re-invent the downtown region by bringing residents and nightlife back to the core to ensure that homeless aren't the only people walking around at night. The past 10 years has brought incredible changes including a long list of great dining and nightlife options that are keeping Sacramentens coming back for more, long after standard business hours.   Sacramento City Development staff are not finished yet however and have some significant plans for future development.  They are especially focusing on the west downtown and riverfront portions of Sacramento and have identified five redevelopment areas that will literally change the face of Sacramento in the coming years.  These are the five regions:

1. Westfield Downtown Plaza
2. Docks Area Development
3. Old Sacramento
4. K Street Corridor
5. Railyards Development

Each of these are notable, though the Docks and the Railyards offer the greatest opportunity for new growth. The Railyards project seems to have received all the attention lately, but the Docks is still an important project and is on par with the scope of the Railyards redevelopment. The Docks would fill in the space between I-5 and the Embassy Suits Hotel and would redevelop the land currently used by the Sheriff Horse stables, Towe Auto Musium, and the Sacramento animal shelter among other things.  The proposal would bring mid to high-rise residential and office buildings set behind a riverfront public promenade that would feature extensive dining, retail, and nightlife options.  This development area is expected to bring an additional 2,500 residents to the downtown riverfront as well as almost 2000 new jobs. Here are some images of two possible visions for this project with the significant differences being the size and placement of the park:

Sacramento has done a fairly poor job of capitalizing on the downtown riverfront space as Old Sacramento is really the only access the water, and while Old Sacramento remains a popular destination, turning this currently under utilized land into a space accessible to the public will go a long way in making Sacramento a more tourist friendly city.  This plan really focuses on turning the waterfront into a destination by designing the space to accommodate restaurants and shops within walking distance of both the river, and Old Sacramento.  One of the features I really like are the second story restaurants that could make for a great view during dinner creating a really unique space to enjoy an evening out.  Here are some artist renderings of what the riverfront space could look like:

As you can see from the above photo, the planners are really trying be creative in maximizing the functionality of the space. To make this land level, the developers will have to fill in the land nearly two stories higher so it is even with the levee.  Rather than simply filling this space in with dirt, one of the ideas is to create underground parking in that two story space leaving more room for parks and green-space above ground. 

  

Some drawings of the master plan show the development extending south beyond the I-5 overpass and it’s likely that at least some development will extend under I-5 although it’s not clear what the southern section of this development will end up looking like.

Major project highlights according to the city of Sacramento:

This development project will help to:

• Bolster the economic viability of downtown and Old Sacramento businesses with the addition of 2,550 residents, the creation of 1,825 new jobs, and include more than 40,000 square feet of retail

• Generate an annual Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue of $750,000; $9.7 million in annual property tax; and $164,000 in annual sales tax

• Attract more than 500,000 visitors annually, yielding additional sales tax and TOT revenue

• Improve property values and generate tax increment revenue for future redevelopment and infill projects in the downtown Sacramento area

I will try to go into more detail about what type of development is actually proposed for this development and as I hear news about this project, I will post that info as well.  This project really has the potential to transform Sacramento’s riverfront space giving both residents as well as tourists a more vibrant and exiting waterfront to visit.

I will try to post some pictures and information about the similar project that West Sacramento is working on for the West side of the Sacramento River called the Bridge District – also a really exciting project that will help to bring more attention to the downtown waterfront.

If you have questions or comments - fire away!!

Downtown Sac Upcoming Project News

During the post bubble downturn in Sacramento, downtown development screeched to a halt at an even more drastic rate than the surrounding suburbs of Elk Grove, Folsom, and Roseville. The handful of condo and townhome projects once the highlight of Downtown Sacramento’s redevelopment have largely become leasing properties with few new projects on the horizon. As market stability slowly returns to Sacramento, we are starting to also see renewed interest in downtown development. Within the last few weeks a few interesting projects have started to surface which each seem to be smaller developments possibly meant to test the waters before jumping back into large scale development. The first project is by the Sacramento based Pacific Housing Inc which is planned as a 34 unit LEED Platinum Green community marketing to low and moderate income households, located at 2500 R street. This project is located next to a light rail stop making this not only a green development but can also claim modern transit oriented development bragging rights.

Another notable project on the horizon is the Broadway Triangle Development which is located just outside Downtown Sac in the Oak Park neighborhood. This is again a smaller development with a combination of commercial and residential space with 29 single family units and just shy of 10,000 square feet of commercial space. This project will redevelop a few historic buildings and also fill in a couple vacant lots while also providing urban park space. This project is reportedly on a fast track through the planning process and could come to market as early as summer of 2011.

The third development that caught my attention for Downtown Sac is the Gateway on Fremont Park proposed as a 30 unit luxury condo project with some truly unique features. This project will be a 5 story mixed use building with a specially designed roof that will allow for small crop farming and possibly a small fishery as well. The developer envisions restaurants on the first floor being able to boast some of the freshest spices and herbs of any restaurant around as they could literally pick it from the rooftop farm, cook, and serve in one evening. It will be interesting to see if such a dramatic plan will make it to the final construction plans but regardless, it’s exciting for Sacramento that developers have the urge to build and are thinking creatively about how to bring exciting projects back into the spotlight in Downtown Sacramento.

http://www.pacifichousing.org/index.html

http://www.cadanet.org/index.php/development/current-projects/109-eeg4

The competition is heating up in the Madeira Master Plan with five builders already vying for buyer’s attention and a sixth builder opening a project on January 15^th called Providence by JMC Homes. Even though Taylor Morrison still has the big stack, builders newer to the area are working hard to bring home their own share of buyers. Total home sales per year for the Madeira community have been stuck at around 170 – 180 per year for the last three years with Taylor Morrison leading the game at 86 sales in 2010, 104 sales in 2009, and 45 sales in 2008. In 2009 Axios Homes was just getting started while Cambridge homes was on it’s way out leaving Taylor Morrison (aside from Del Webb’s senior community) to rake in the buyers. During 2010 Axios had a good start with 15 sales but saw added competition from both William Lyon Homes and The New Home Company giving buyers ever more choice. While not yet open as of this writing, JMC appears to be offering some great products stepping in at the higher end of the price and size spectrum making it a likely competitor to Morrisons Teresina product. While I’m not betting any of the new players will knock Morrison off the leaderboards in 2011, it is still encouraging to see that builders are optimistic and are clearly betting on a bright future.