Cell phone use while driving - NOT! (except when looking for parking)

The city is actively overhauling the Downtown Parking system using a combination of smart tools and experimentation.  They're catching up to other "destination cities".

As the public drives to events at the new arena they (or better yet whoever is riding shotgun) can check their smart phones for available parking in garages and on city streets - and they'll be able to check prices and perhaps pay for garage spots in advance too.

Smart meters have been deployed that allow you to add money and avoid a ticket from your smart phone so you can watch the Kings win in overtime, have a nice relaxing dinner or enjoy an  concert encore.

And now SPOT zones are being tried out in Old Town and the Handel District. SPOT (for Special Pricing Over Time - AKA "dynamic parking") would allow residents and visitors to extend their parking time beyond the metered limit, as long as they're willing to pay a premium.

This new technology will give the city's parking authority the ability to monitor demand based upon what is happening at Downtown Commons.  Actually, the City spent about $8M before the ESC was approved to upgrade the city's parking technology - and that investment has apparently already nearly paid for itself with improved parking efficiency and revenue.

Midtown could be next  For more details about Sacramento' parking go to more about parking plans ...

Sources: SacBee, DSP, City of Sacramento

Coming Soon! Neighborhood de ja vu - The old made new again!

"Sacramento's oldest residential neighborhood is now it's newest!" *

If you've been looking for the exciting "Urban Experience"" without the feeling you'll be living in a box, this may be for you!  Introducing "The Creamery"

Having been treated to a preview of these homes as they are being built I have to say that 4 things stood out:
1)The openness of the main living areas  2)The cleverness/thoughtfulness of the overall community blueprint   3)The two car garage! and...4) The rooftop deck option.

This brand new development, bordering the Downtown/Midtown revival offers 3 floor plans including 2-3 bedroom units of 1,745 and 1,818 square feet and a 4 bedroom model of 2309 square feet.  All have rooftop deck options and a 2 car garage (in the urban core!) Plus an innovative grey water landscape irrigation system and more.
Interested in learning more? Contact me now for more information or a special preview opportunity before these homes go on the market.  They will sell fast.

What's in a name?  This community is located at the site of the former Crystal Creamery Dairy foods plant.  Hence it's name "The Creamery"  :)

* Michael Paris, BlackPine Communities.  Images courtesy of BlackPine Commuities

Ally Art enlivens Downtown and Midtown

Local artist have been enlivening Sactowns ally-ways for many years...

 Now, Sacramento Business Journal's photographer Dennis McCoy has put together a great, colorful collection of ally murals.

Take a look at his  Ally Art slideshow.  Interesting stuff...



Source: SBJ, SacBee

Ice Rink FUN returns to Downtown Sac...

That was then...

DSP crews ready the area for the installation of the ice rink...

This is now...

(...or at least it will be on November 6th, 2015)

Now in it's 24th year - they must be doing something right! - the Downtown Sacramento Partnership is again operating the immensely popular Ice Rink at 7th and K.  The City of Sacramento got the tradition started in 1991 and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership took over shortly thereafter.  And it's not just for city folk in Midtown and Downtown, people come from far and wide to join in the fun.

For information about how the skating sessions are scheduled, questions about prices, equipment rentals,"The Rules" and much more check out Downtown Sac
Oh, and  did I mention, everyone skates FREE on Nov. 6th? 

Photos: DowntownSac.org

Streetcars - by the numbers, that you may not have thought about...

The Numbers: 1,1,2,60 and 15 (One, One, Two, Sixty; Fifteen)

One:That's the number of streetcars that travel at a time; not 2 or 3 cars strung together as you'll often see with Light Rail.

One: That's the number of dollars it will take to ride the Streetcar.

Two: Your ticket would be good for 2 hours

Sixty: That's the number of people that 1 street car can transport.

And Fifteen:  That's how often Streetcars will come by your stop, about once every 15 minutes.

MORE NUMBERS... 1.67 = 1

$1.67 a day: That 's about what it it will cost residential property owners if the assessment district is approved.  That works out to approximately 1% of the cost of the project.

So let me get this straight; up to 60 people per trip could be traveling throughout the Downtown/Midtown and West Sac communities. At a cost to residential homeowners of less than 1/2 the cost of a Starbucks coffee!

How many passenger cars will that take off the Downtown/Midtown streets? And what will that cost? Priceless!

Streetcars verses Busses, making sense of it...

Some ask: Why not just run a bus line to connect the Central Business District?

Streetcar advocates say:  Because bus lines do not generate economic activity.

Many studies have shown that streetcars generate economic benefits for the districts they serve.  The reason apparently is that developers and businesses know that a fixed transportation line is going to be in place for many ,many years and  so their investment in buildings or businesses have a chance to grow and succeed with a flow of people past their door.  A bus line can be changed fairly easily, leaving a business without a "delivered"customer base.

Here's more information about the "Why's and Wherefore's" of Streetcars verses the bus;  2012 Urban Review study

People Movers - behind the scenes Streetcar financing efforts go on...

"Once bitten, twice shy!" says City Councilman Steve Hansen, referring to ongoing efforts to find a way to finance the construction of a Streetcar system to serve the business districts of Sacramento's Downtown, (eventually) Midtown and the city of West Sacramento.

City leaders are working on a community facilities district financing plan (akin to a PBID (What's a PBID?) that would ask affected property owners to assess themselves to pay the city's portion of the cost to build the service.

Click here for more story details...

Image and additional content from SacBee