What do you think the railyards will look like in 5 years? (Sacramento: hotels, neighborhoods)

[NewToCA]

Good, nice to read about some progress there. Between this and initiating some construction on K St...

[Majin]

Well it's been almost 2 years and it already doesn't look like the first picture.

Anybody have any update on whats going on? Seems like theres a fair amount of construction there now. Is it only underground infrastructure or are they putting in some streets now?

[wburg]

Mostly the new track realignment, including the underground passageways that will run beneath the tracks to the passenger depot (and, in the other direction, to the Shops buildings.) Once the tracks are realigned they can finish the bridges. Wire is being strung for the Green Line light rail line (they're building the Township 9 passenger shelter too.)

[TaraReynolds1997]

The same. Sacramento needs to get their act together, Big Time. Nice new International Airport, now how about some sights to see besides Old Sacramento?? Not to mention jobs, infrastructure, you know, all the other things that make a city a City instead of, yes, a Cow Town.

Take the money out of your pockets, folks, and put it back in my city.

[wburg]

If you think the only thing to see in Sacramento is Old Sac, you have no clue.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by wburg

If you think the only thing to see in Sacramento is Old Sac, you have no clue.

Have to agree with you. There is a wealth of things to see in Sacramento. Old Sac is the least of them, in my opinion, but worth at least one visit just for the experience.

[sacramento916]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Have to agree with you. There is a wealth of things to see in Sacramento. Old Sac is the least of them, in my opinion, but worth at least one visit just for the experience.

With that said, Sacramento really does need this railyards project. It's downtown/urban areas are far too small for a metro its size. It does need a more interesting urban center, and even with the railyards developed, it would be too small. I suggest linking and developing the West Sacramento side and truly linking it with the Railyards and a redeveloped River District to truly have an attractive urban area, centered on a reclaimed and developed riverfront that can really make Sacramento an urban attraction and finally put it in the leagues of cities such as Portland or Austin as an attractive mid-sized city, at least in the media's eyes.

[wburg]

Want the urban center to grow? Work to stop the suburbs from growing...otherwise you're just blowing more air into a balloon full of holes. Without development pressure, there isn't enough economic pressure to build upward in the central city.

[sacramento916]

Originally Posted by wburg

Want the urban center to grow? Work to stop the suburbs from growing...otherwise you're just blowing more air into a balloon full of holes. Without development pressure, there isn't enough economic pressure to build upward in the central city.

Not happenning soon with our enlightened planning dept.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by wburg

Want the urban center to grow? Work to stop the suburbs from growing...otherwise you're just blowing more air into a balloon full of holes. Without development pressure, there isn't enough economic pressure to build upward in the central city.

This is only true if metro Sacramento is only going to slightly grow in the next couple of decades.

If the Sacramento metro area grows by 250-300 thousand folks over the next decade then I'd say there is plenty of potential for suburban growth without harming urban development. As I recall, the Railyards at full build out was anticipated to add 20-25 thousand folks to the urban residential area.

You see trade offs, but if the metro expansion numbers are anywhere near what has happened the past few decades, I don't see that being the case.

There are plenty of examples where significant urban development has taken place even though suburban areas grew too.