More than a century ago, what is now known as Sacramento’s River District was known for flooding.<\/p>\n
In the 1930s, it was known for canning. Later, it became a gritty mix of working factories and derelict buildings, close to downtown but isolated and often forgotten.<\/p>\n
But now, the 830-acre district north of the historic railyard and Sacramento’s downtown core is seeing an influx of residential, office and commercial land-use projects.<\/p>\n
In recent years, a new road and a light-rail extension have provided better connection to the rest of the city. More than $450 million has been invested in the district through public and private projects, bringing along more than 1,000 new jobs.<\/p>\n
Patty Kleinknecht, executive director of the River District nonprofit association representing business and property owners, said the area’s transformation has been the result of a “genuine partnership” among businesses, developers, transportation officials, government leaders and urban planners.<\/p>\n
“Particularly over the last five years, we’ve seen smart growth, mixed-use development close to the business center of our region, with easy access to a lot of different forms of transportation,” Kleinknecht said.<\/p>\n
Long-established companies still dot the area, including the venerable Blue Diamond Growers cooperative, dating back to 1910. But recent arrivals have been numerous, adding a modern vibe to the district.<\/p>\n
They include the California Lottery headquarters building, an imposing structure with curving exterior lines, hundreds of square feet of blue glass and aluminum, and LED lighting.<\/p>\n
Inside the building, food truck operator Krush Burger opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant late last year.<\/p>\n
The Party Concierge, the special event services\/amenities business whose facilities burned in an August 2012 fire, has reopened nearby in a 42,000-square-foot building at 601 N. 10th St. The significantly upgraded building features modern architectural touches inside and out, including ceiling-high windows letting in natural light.<\/p>\n
Last year, a new light-rail station opened at Seventh Street and Richards Boulevard. The open-air brick-and-metal structure, topped by a Township 9 sign that lights up at night, has the look of a train stop in a European capital.<\/p>\n
The station borders the 65-acre Township 9 mixed-use development site, where construction continues on the Cannery Place Apartments, a 180-unit, $40 million development that also will include retail. Construction is expected to be completed in October next year.<\/p>\n
Steve Goodwin, president of the River District board of directors and Township 9, uses the word “momentum” repeatedly when describing the area.<\/p>\n
“That’s momentum \u2026 from more employment, more businesses, more services and more investment,” he said.<\/p>\n
Goodwin remembers a different time, when the decades-old Tri-Valley Growers cannery was being readied for the wrecking ball, clearing space for Township 9 work.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been here for about 14 years now, and back then, well, it was kind of a dump. It was considerably more blighted,” he said. “There was a lot yet to be done. It was really in its infancy in terms of its redevelopment.”<\/p>\n
Numerous projects, including a widening of Richards Boulevard, altered the district, but Goodwin points to the Seventh Street extension project, completed in March 2004, as the key milestone.<\/p>\n
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