Retail tennats for 18th and L Project. L Street Lofts Ready to go

While no project in Sacramento would be complete without the obligatory steakhouse, I'm really glad to see the other mix of retail. A Wine Shop, Flower Shop, and "European-style" convenience store. I can see this mix of retailers creating a active street scene versus the lunch and dinner type crowds now.

I hope the Firestone Building and the East End Gateway follow suit with a good mix of neighborhood retail. While this project is 10 blocks away, I still consider it part of my neighborhood since it's only a 10-12 minute walk.

On my wish list:
- European-Style Cheese Shop, ala Murray's Cheese in Greenwich Village (Come on man! Do it!!! This person knows who I'm talking about :-) )
- Neighborhood bakery, ala Freeport Bakery
- Takeout cafe with outside seating, ala Sellands
- Neighborhood no- frills Italian Pizza place (come on Luigi's open a place DT!!!!)

I'm suprised how fast Kolokotronis has been able to get L Street Lofts to the point of ready to ground break. I guess times have changed in Sacramento where projects are not taking 5 years to implement anymore.
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One down, one to go. Work starts on midtown complex once another is done
Bob Shallit -- Bee ColumnistPublished 2:15 am PST Wednesday, February 15, 2006

With one midtown housing complex nearly done, developer Sotiris Kolokotronis is about to begin work on another. Right across the street.Almost finished is the block-long, 176-unit apartment project at 1801 L St. - a five-story building with a nice mix of ground-floor retailers. It should be ready for occupancy in June, with monthly rents ranging from $900 to $3,500.

Site preparation starts next month on a 92-unit condo and retail project at 1818 L St. Kolokotronis expects to have cranes on site in August and the project, called L Street Lofts, completed in June 2007, with some penthouse units in the neighborhood of an eye-popping $1 million.

The eight-story building is being designed by Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects of Portland, Ore. Financing is coming from the developer, CalPERS and Comerica Bank.

As for the building at 1801 - a project delayed for months due to cost overruns - Kolokotronis has yet to sign retailers. But among the likely tenants are a wine bar, a flower shop and two "firsts" for Sacramento: the renowned Winters-based Buckhorn steakhouse and a "European-style" convenience store with international newspapers, fine chocolates and cigars.

Of the latter concept, Kolokotronis says: "It's what you'd find on corners in San Francisco, New York and all over the world."