17th & S Street Mixed-Use Building

This Thursday the 11th, the Sacramento Planning and Design Commission will conduct a public hearing and approve this 6 story, 159 unit residential mixed-use project. This CFY Development Inc. and the Capitol Area Development Authority project is ready to go and construction could begin as soon a Spring 2018.  About 12 years ago another proposal closely resembling this one was also proposed for this site, but it did not get out of the gates early enough before the market went south.
P17-030 17th & S Street Mixed Use Building

2017 Year-end Snapshot: Sacramento Office

Colliers International released a report last week showing declining vacancy, modest rent growth and healthy investment in 2017. Colliers report highlights: Net Absorption was positive, but 18 percent below the 5-year average due to scarcity. The Vacancy rate reached the lowest point since early 2003, before the last development boom. New development picked up late in 2017, with several new build-to-suit projects underway. In addition, average rents increased modestly overall, Downtown asking rates increased more sharply. For those wondering about a new office tower being built downtown in the near future, back in 2015 pre-leasing agents for the Vanir Tower said that rents would have to rise to $3.10 a square foot before the Vanir Tower could be built and profitable. Last year the year over year asking rate rose 6.2% to $2.56 per SF compared to $2.41 per SF in Q4 of 2016.

O Street Project

State office project  at corner of 12th & O Streets in Sacramento

The Department of General Services is planning to issue a Notice to Proceed for this new midrise at the corner of 12^th & O Street. This project includes demolition of the existing vacant California Department of Food and Agriculture building and construction of the new building at 12^th & O Street.

The new building will be approximately 360, 000 total square feet, 11 stories at a cost of $274 million. The building will include first floor retail and a food court-style cafeteria with approximately 1,150 employees. Demolition is expected to be finished by summer of 2018 and the new building is expected to be completed in early 2021.

 Down the street at 7^th & O Street the State is also planning to construct another office building, construction is not expected to begin till early 2019. So far, these are the only large scale office projects expected to break ground in the near future downtown. 

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/PIO/OStreetFAQs.pdf

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/Home/SacramentoOfficeBuildingProjects/OStreetBuilding.aspx

Sacramento Convention Center Expansion

Proposed renovation of Community Theater Center

Last night the City Council voted to approve both the expansion of the Convention Center and renovate the Community Center Theater at the same time. Plans included a hotel at the parking lot of 15^th & K Street. The hotel would be 350-rooms, 24-story and 300 feet tall. No developer has been named to build the hotel at this time and only rendering of the Community Center Theater have been released.

Renovation cost for both the Convention Center and Community Center Theater could be as high as $200 million, but financing will not be clear till March of next year. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 months and begin in 2019. 

Sacbee, City Council Report & Draft EIR

Proposed expansion of Convention Center with
additional Ballroom on second floor

Proposed hotel site at 15 & K Street.

19J Going Vertical

It's truly amazing, Mo Mohanna now has this proposal rising out of the ground. At 11 stories and 124ft, it's hard to tell what kind of crane will be used for this structure. It does not appear that a tower crane foundation has been prepared at the construction site.

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

19J Mo Mohanna residential tower on J Street 

15Q Foundation Dig

Foundation and below ground parking is currently being dug-out for the mixed-use eight story project. The project includes 73 rental apartments and over 8,500 sq. feet of retail space constructed with wood, steel, and concrete, and a rooftop patio.

15Q eight-story mixed use building - 1430 Q Street, Sacramento 

15Q eight-story mixed use building - 1430 Q Street, Sacramento 

15Q eight-story mixed use building - 1430 Q Street, Sacramento 

15Q eight-story mixed use building - 1430 Q Street, Sacramento 

Ice Blocks Phase Three

These are pictures of the project's third phase which is under construction and expected to open in early 2018. This includes three stories of office space above ground-floor retail in two buildings.

Ice Blocks Phase Three - 1601 R Street, Sacramento, CA, 95811

Ice Blocks Phase Three - 1601 R Street, Sacramento, CA, 95811

Ice Blocks Phase Three - 1601 R Street, Sacramento, CA, 95811

19J (Mohannas) Foundation Work

19 J project will be a sustainable 11-story mixed-use building

This project is moving forward with the concrete foundation being poured. The next phase will include light gauge metal studs and shear wall system, which allows engineers to build taller without higher costs of a reinforced concrete building. I believe this is the first residential structure to be built like this in the grid.

19 J project will be a sustainable 11-story mixed-use building

19 J project will be a sustainable 11-story mixed-use building

I’m still shocked to see Mo Mohanna pull this off. His track record of starting and finishing anything is dismal at best.

Sacramento Courthouse Renderings

A couple of conceptual drawings have been shared by Councilman Steve Hansen for the proposed Sacramento courthouse. The story is still the same in that there is no money to build the courthouse, but Mayor Steinberg is now looking for a public-private partnership to help pay for the buildings construction.

New drawings show a 17-story, glass-walled Sacramento courthouse

It was just three years ago this proposal was reduced in both size and budget by the California Courts Judicial Branch to a $300 million and 12 stories. Today the city is proposing an even larger building than the original design and a larger budget to build the proposed courthouse. I don’t understand the logic in proposing a structure that costs more than the cost-cutting proposal of 2012 that the State could not pay for, but now the city is somehow going cobble together just under $500 million by selling public land owned by the city and public donations?

New drawings show a 17-story, glass-walled Sacramento courthouse

The current courthouse proposal looks to be about the same height as the Federal Courthouse one block over on I Street at 350’ tall. The rendering do not show the south side of the proposal, I suspect it’s even less interesting. 

Federal Courthouse – Did You Know?

The Sacramento Federal Courthouse (Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse) is one of Sacramento’s most interesting high-rises in downtown. Built in 1999 at a cost of $134 million, its southern exterior wow’s you with its curved glass and attention to detail which is beautiful.

South side of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse

At 350 feet tall, this building looks dynamic when seen from the south on I Street, but if you’re in the Railyards or driving south on I-5 and viewing the north side of the building, the same building appears plain and does not even resemble the same structure. What you don't realize from the Fed Court design, is that the north side was built to be expanded- thus the plain facade.  The north facade is basic and simple to allow for the expansion in the future.  The footings, and the columns supporting the rear plaza and underground parking are huge to accommodate the additional loads for future development. At this time, no date is known for the courthouses expansion, just thought I would pass-on this fascinating info.

North side of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse. The left side of the
photo showing corner footing for future expansion.

North side of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse.  Looking down from above
the footings for future expansion can be seen in the corners of the parking lot.

Ground Testing for 19J

19J  - 11-story, 175-unit project

The Sacramento Bee's reporting that Mohanna Development Co. will be conducting several weeks of ground testing for foundation piles on site, and formal construction should begin before the end of the month. The building would then open 16 months later. These are positive signs and way beyond my expectations... lets hope it all falls into place. 

Hotel Tower Nearing Completion (22 photos)

Sawyer Hotel and Golden 1 Center at 5th & L Street Sacramento

The 16-story Sawyer Hotel and condominium tower on the north side of the arena plaza is about 70% finished. The tower will have 250-room hotel and 45 upscale condominiums and could open by late summer or early fall of 2017. The hotel tower is expected to cost $500 million.

Sacramento skyline with the Sawyer Hotel left center.
Taken from West Sacramento

View south down 6th Street from Railyards

Sawyer Hotel as seen from J & 4th Streets

Sawyer Hotel - A closer look at the odd placement
where the hotel below meets the condos above

Sawyer Hotel at 5th & J Streets

Sawyer Hotel J Street entrance

Sawyer Hotel J Street entrance

Sawyer Hotel J Street entrance

Sawyer Hotel on J & 6th Streets looking west

Sawyer Hotel as seen from K Street next to Golden 1 Center

Sawyer Hotel as seen from K Street next to Golden 1 Center

Sawyer Hotel as seen from K Street next to Golden 1 Center

Construction continues on the western portion featuring retail & entertainment

Construction continues on the western portion featuring retail & entertainment

Construction continues on the western portion featuring retail & entertainment

Looking west from the 16th floor of the Holiday Inn.

A closer look at the lower floors of the Sawyer Hotel

A closer look at the upper floors of the Sawyer Hotel

Sawyer Hotel on K Street

Continued work on the retail & entertainment
western side of the Golden 1 Center

Panoramic view of Sacramento looking west from the 16th floor
from the Holiday Inn