Waterfront Idea Makers

Waterfront idea makers competition, Perkins Eastman

There is currently an open competition to professional design firms and the public to submit ideas on how the city can help shape the Old Sacramento waterfront with new ideas. Winners will receive an award and the city will consider all ideas and select projects to implement. You can vote for your favorite entry till March 20^th.

It’s always strange to me when a professional design firm takes a creative license to change more than just the area of focus. Perkins Eastman does this horribly by adding eight or so building around Old Sacramento by destroying others in addition to other things not in the scope of work. Several of the concepts have fun ideas to build on, but many ideas involve busting up waterfront boardwalk the city just spent $7.7 million replacing to be ADA compliant. I’m also not loving the ideas of developing the open park space that is still in Old Sacramento.  Overall, I hope the city gets some good ideas to bring more the area. It was not that long ago the city did a similar competition for the Capitol Mall, I wonder if anything will even come of that?

Go here to vote: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/WIM

Waterfront idea makers competition, Stantec

New I Street bridge

The "Solar Arch" is one of several concepts designed by T.Y. Lin International

The new I Street bridge that will connect Sacramento Rail Yards with Sacramento is currently working on the first phase with the architect from T.Y. Lin International whom designed the eastern half of the Bay Bridge. The projected cost of the bridge was originally about $70 million, but this cost nearly doubled after a consultation with the Sacramento Coast Guard. The coast guard requires a gap of 272 feet for barges to pass through when the bridge lifts up. This gap is 100 feet wider than the current bridge, but this modification has doubled the projected cost.

The federal government is paying for 88 percent of the bridge costs. Additionally, the city is seeking two grants: a $22 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and a $7 million grant from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. This will still leave an estimated $3 to 4 million for the city to pay.

The city hopes to begin construction in 2020 and have the bridge completed by 2023.

theaggie & sactownmag