Posts Mentioning RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Eric Fredericks 7:01 pm on May 30, 2008 Permalink | Reply  

    Help Improve Fremont Park 

    Have you ever thought that Fremont Park in Downtown Sacramento is underutilized? Ever thought it could be improved? Now is your chance to make a difference. LivinginUrbanSac has been doing a lot of legwork in putting together a public meeting on Fremont Park improvements. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 11th, 6pm at William Land Elementary School, 2120 12th Street [Map, Event Flyer].

    The park has a great children’s playground and several good establishments within a stone’s throw of the park (Mochii Yogurt, Naked Lounge, Nishiki, R15 / Cafe Bernardo, Starbucks, Uncle Vitos, Pronto, etc.). Those of you that are familiar with the park know that it is underutilized, but has great potential. I lived a block from the park when I first moved to Sacramento and now live about 3 blocks away. I mostly use it as a cut through when going to/from Cafe Bernardo. The only other times I’ve gone to the park to actually do something there was for the Chalk It Up Fesitval (which I absolutely love) and the Farmer’s Market. Otherwise, there’s just not been much appeal, probably because nearby Capitol Park and McKinley Park are just fantastic. I do agree with LivinginUrbanSac that the park has amazing potential and I’m excited to see what will happen at this meeting. Councilmember Fong, representatives from CADA and the City, business owners, and neighborhood residents will be attending the meeting. I hope to see you at the meeting and please invite others as well. Here is more info about the meeting from LivinginUrbanSac:

    Well, I haven’t been writing a lot recently, but here is why…

    I’d like to bring people reading this back to a post I did back in Oct 2006 Buildings in Search of a New Life and the Call to Action

    Toward the end of that topic I put it out there that what I would like more people in our community giving time and effort to causes that make our city better. I also mentioned that I would personally love in my lifetime to be someone that ‘walks the walk’.

    Well, I started on that recently…and while I hope to do even more later on, I thought it this would be a great place to begin.

    First a little background. My wife and I along with our 20-month old son live near Fremont Park, which we consider to be our backyard. We moved to the central city knowing we would not have a backyard, nor really wanting one. Our last home in Natomas had no real useful backyard and we both hated yard work. The trade off of a backyard we never really used for what we now enjoy with food, entertainment and culture within walking distance is well worth the trade off, especially considering we have parks all around us for our child to play in.

    Our “home” park is Fremont Park and while my son loves the park as is, there has always been a feeling to my wife and I that it can be so much more and something really special for all people in the neighborhood. I strongly feel Fremont Park can be the centerpiece of what is a good neighborhood with an even bigger potential for greatness.

    In addition to businesses already located around the park, as we see more housing, restaurants and retail develop in the area, such as ‘Hot Italian’ directly across the street, there is a tremendous amount of synergy to be had with a thriving city park in the center of it all.

    The thought of people grabbing a frozen yogurt from Mochii Yogurt, coffee and scone from Naked Lounge, a slice of pizza, sandwich or gelato from Uncle Vito’s or Hot Italian and taking it over to park to enjoy the day and socialize excites me. We don’t see nearly enough of that right now.

    So what I did was decide to figure out how I could get involved to make Fremont Park into what I think it can become. A thriving neighborhood park that is enjoyed by people from the neighborhood and surrounding areas through out the day.

    With all that said, I feel like it is up to us in the community to take care of our park.

    Over the past couple of months I have contacted CADA, City Parks & Rec, Councilman Fongs office, and fellow neighbors to see what can be done to improve on our neighborhood asset.

    My goal is to parlay liked minded citizens, developers, property owners, area business and government entities in this effort.

    People doing small and large things to help their community can do wonders for community spirit and pride.

    After a couple meetings with the extremely helpful folks at CADA and City Park & Rec, we have set a community meeting for June 11th @ 6:00 at William Land Elementary School on 12th and U to hear what you in the neighborhood think and would like to see our park go in the future.

    In the time leading up to June 11th, please be sure to take a walk through the park so we can get the best ideas and thoughts on what you would like to see accomplished.

    -Dog Park?
    -Better landscaping?
    -Better playground equipment?
    -Interactive water fountain feature?
    -Improved restrooms?
    -Public art and murals?
    -Programming and annual event ideas?
    -2nd Saturday ‘Art in the Park’?

    ….and just as important as physical improvements, what social and psychological barriers are there that keep people from Fremont Park?

    If we look at the transformation Southside Park has made over the last few years from a rundown park to a place where many people and families gather at all times during the day….how can we do that to Fremont Park?

    To make this happen, gathering other peoples input and ideas is needed. No one person has all the ideas and answers, and only together can we make this happen. What we need are people that share our same enthusiasm, are willing share ideas and to work toward this vision.

    So please join me and fellow neighbors on June 11th as we all take this first step in making something special happen in our community.

    If anyone out there has any questions/comments/ideas, please feel free to email me.

    Popularity: 1% [?]

     

  • Eric Fredericks 11:52 pm on May 22, 2008 Permalink | Reply  

    Saturday: A Sneak Peek at LJ Urban’s Revolutionary Good Project 

    LJ Urban, the revolutionary eco-urban development company based here in Sacramento, is opening their Good Project this Saturday (5/24) for a sneak peek. The project is open from 10-2 at 4th and B Streets in West Sacramento.

    I think it’s fair to call what they’re doing revolutionary because it’s unlike any project undertaken before. Sure, eco-friendly and green building is the new vogue. And yes, this isn’t the first urban project to go up in the redeveloping waterfront of West Sacramento. But, it’s probably the first project in the country that with each house sold trains a new Burkina Faso mason to build houses for families that need them. They are also cutting edge in the sustainable development world as one of the first LEED-ND certified projects completed in the country. And, they are not going to do the traditional billboard and media advertising like most companies do, nor will they have an on-site salesperson. They are going to host educational dinners, community movie nights, blogging, and the other events they’ve already been doing, rather successfully in my opinion.

    I really hope this works for them and they have continued success. There’s probably no company that deserves it more.

    This is also a big event because of the recent passing of Jason Presley, their marketing guru and friend of mine. I’ve been in contact with LJ Urban owner Levi Benkert and he’s told me it’s been a really emotional time for him because everywhere he looks, Jason is there. This is not the only traumatic event that Levi’s been through recently. I don’t want to spoil it, so you can read Levi’s heart-wrenching stories here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. The stories are definitely worth your time to read. There are some shocking things to read in this, even if you’ve never met Levi before.

    You can get more information on the sneak peak and the Good Project by watching the video above, visiting LJ Urban’s website, or continuing to read this article. Did I mention that there’s food and live music involved?

    From LJ Urban’s website:

    I feel like we have been getting ready for this moment forever, honestly for a little while I thought it would never come. But its finally time, and its for real.

    LJ Urban is pleased to announce the first of our homes in our LEED ND certified Good project is ready for you to come check it out (or at least it will be next Saturday) The project is one of the first in the country to be finished under the LEED ND certification pilot program.

    We are going to be hosting a sneak peak on the 24th of May where we are inviting you to come take a look for your self and see what we have been working on for the last 3 years. I can’t even begin to tell you what a big moment this is for all of us. We have been putting our hearts and tears (trust me there have been many) into making this the best most sustainable, livable, and just all around wonderful place in Sacramento.

    We are happy to welcome the The Live Lightly Tour, a veggie fueled RV that Matt and Sara are driving around the country to help educate everyone on ways to live a more sustainable life style, they will be set up outside the project giving tours of their RV. Also we are going to be enjoying Organic Carribean food served by Kimba from Roots and Kulchah. And as if that was not enough Dusty Brown a local Sacramento musician will be setting the mood with his groovy music.

    Its a sneak peak because we are not quite ready to start selling the homes. When we do start (June 1st) we are going to be coming at it from a whole different angle that you would expect. Instead of having an agent sit there for hours and hours every day wasting energy waiting for people to show up, we are going to be hosting “eco-urban 101” dinners. The dinners are going to happen every few weeks and are going to be open to 10 people each time. At the dinners you will be able to learn just what is so different about eco-urban housing from the team here at LJ Urban and various other people who worked on making this project a reality. Its sort of a green building class, and will be open to anyone who is interested. We are not trying to sell the houses at these dinners but instead educate people on what we did to make this a sustainable neighborhood. We set out to change the world and want this project to be a beacon of sustainable building at its best. I am very excited about being able to tell the story of Good.

    The sneak peak is going to be held Saturday the 24th from 10-2 at Good. Good is at the corner of 4th and B Sts in West Sacramento. We hope to see you there!

    If you have not already, don’t forget to sign up on the Good project interest list so you will be kept in the loop about the next eco-urban 101 dinner. We expect them to fill up fast and are not going to do them all the time so if you are interested please don’t wait. There will be a sign up sheet in the Model on the 24th for you to sign up. Or you can email me at Levi(at)LJUrban.com

    Levi

    Popularity: 3% [?]

     

    • Jennifer Caldwell 5:03 pm on August 8, 2008 Permalink

      my husband and I would like to know more about residential space in Sacramento -we’re looking to buy ~1700 ft2

  • Eric Fredericks 11:49 pm on March 5, 2008 Permalink | Reply  

    My Animal Rescue Story (And Another Reason to Hate Leaf Blowers!) 

    As I was walking to work Monday morning, I noticed a few people gathered around what appeared to be a leaf on the sidewalk. I figured that it must be somewhat interesting, so I walked up for a closer look once the people moved on. As it turns out, it was a tiny green hummingbird that was sitting on the ground, breathing very heavy. I could see that it was not able to fly. I felt really terrible for it and compelled to do something to help it out, but I wasn’t sure what I could do. So, I kept on walking. But, after just a few steps, I decided to go back and at least save the poor animal from being squished on the sidewalk.

    I had never picked up a bird before, let alone a hummingbird, so I was very concerned. The hummingbird easily fit into my palm with room to spare. To be honest, I think it was somewhat happy that I picked it up, because I think it knew that it really needed help. I happened to be right by a little garden next to the Department of Education building, and thought that it would be safe to leave it there while I tried to find someone that could help it. I did consider taking it across the street to Capitol Park, but figured that there were too many predators there. Little did I know that it possibly would have been a better move.

    When I got to the office, I did some Google searches hoping to find an agency to contact—but no luck. Most I found to be focused on cats and dogs. I e-mailed a few local friends and asked them if they knew of anyone. No luck.

    I took a morning break and went to check on the bird. It was in the exact same place I left it—under a small tree mixed in with some leaves and grass up against a fence. A seemingly safe spot.

    I had an errand to run at lunch, but checked on the bird on my way. Still fine.

    When I was about to eat my lunch, I received a call from a friend that I had e-mailed earlier in the day. He said that he sent my e-mail plea around to his co-workers and received about 20 responses. From those responses, he picked out the best-sounding agency and graciously offered to call them for me. I said fantastic. I was feeling so optimistic at this point.

    Then this is where the story turns sad… (but please read to the end)

    On my way back to work, I walked past the garden. Immediately, I noticed something had changed. I walked up a little closer… and the ground previously covered with leaves and grass was now just dirt. No bird in sight.

    I frantically started digging through some of the small piles of leaves left behind. I didn’t hold out much hope, because it looked like most of the leaves and grass were already collected by the leaf blowers. There were some leaves on the other side of the fence on property that I would have a very difficult time getting permission to access. I thought if the bird wasn’t swept up, it would be over there and nearly impossible to spot amongst the leaves. I searched for a few minutes, but unfortunately, I could not find the bird. I decided to give up and go back to work. I chalked it up as one more strong reason I hate leaf blowers (more on that later).

    While at work, I received e-mails from people that were contacting places to help me. One place, Wildlife Care, contacted me to rescue the bird and I gave them the bad news. They told me what to do next time I faced this situation: pick up the bird; take it to an indoor location; keep it warm; place it somewhere like a bathroom, closet, or shoe box where it will be temporarily safe; and call them. I also learned that mammals cannot contract the diseases or mites that the birds may be carrying. So, that was reassuring.

    A few hours later, feeling quite disheartened, I decided to go back and take one more look at the location. I searched a little more thoroughly this time as I was waiting for someone. With both of us looking, we couldn’t find the bird.

    As I was leaving for the last time, something shiny and pink caught my eye. I went back and took a closer look. Low and behold, it was the hummingbird! Sadly, the bird was upside down with its head smashed against the wall. At first I thought it was dead, but I saw that it was breathing… barely.

    I quickly picked up the bird and started heading directly to my apartment (I was only a few blocks away). I called Wildlife Care and asked them what I should do. They gave me some instructions on how to give it sugar water, hoping this would give it a burst of energy. They said that hummingbirds need nectar about every 20 minutes or so to keep up its metabolism, otherwise they lose energy and get into trouble. I shut the bird in our bathroom (so our cat wouldn’t get it!), put it in a shoe box, tried to give it sugar water, and waited for instructions on who I could get it to.

    After about 15 minutes, I received a phone call from someone that lived in South Natomas (part of suburban Sacramento). I drove the bird with the shoe box open to the caretaker’s house. The bird wasn’t a big fan. In fact, it tried to fly away a few times but couldn’t, which I took trying to fly as a good sign. Still, the bird did not look so good.

    I dropped it off at the caretaker’s house. She told me that I could call and find out how the bird was doing.

    Today, I received a call from her. She told me that the bird had passed away about two hours after I dropped it off.

    I really wasn’t surprised. The bird was in really poor shape. But, as I said before, I really felt compelled to do something and I’m glad I did. What an amazing experience it was to hold a hummingbird in my hand! They are truly beautiful creatures. I’ll probably never have the opportunity again. I really did not want to give it away, but I knew I had to so it had a chance to survive. Plus, I’d imagine it’s pretty impossible to keep a hummingbird as a pet. I’ll probably never look at a hummingbird the same way again.

    The photo above was taken by photographer oskay on Flickr. I thought that it looked most similar to the bird I saw. I’m fairly certain that was an Anna’s hummingbird. Sadly, the most similar photo online to the bird I saw was actually a dead bird—probably because the bird I saw was in such poor shape. You can view that photo here.

    So, you’re probably wondering why I posted this story on here? Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered animals on the ground that shouldn’t be there while I was walking around Sacramento. This is a somewhat common occurrence for me on my walks here. Now I know that I really should pick up some of these animals and call a rescue agency to come and save them. There are too many predators around to not do something. We have many urban parks and tree canopied streets in the core of Sacramento. Naturally, we have many animals too and we should be mindful of them on our walking and biking trips. If you do encounter an animal in need of help, I highly recommend Wildlife Care Association – (916) 965-9453.

    The other reason I mentioned this is because I absolutely hate leaf blowers! They are a serious problem here in Sacramento. We have the most amazing urban forest of any city I’ve visited, but the forest has its drawbacks. One is leaves on the ground. Most every block of sidewalks is cleared of leaves rather quickly—and I do agree that this is necessary because the leaves are very slick when they are wet—however, the negative externalities from clearing the leaves are quite significant.

    Leaf blowers are almost always gas-powered here. Considering the number of leaf blowers constantly going in Sacramento, I’m sure this has an impact on air pollution. Not to mention noise pollution. I get so sick of listening to leaf blowers running all day long. Sometimes I like to take little catnaps at lunch, and many days its impossible to do so with all the noise!

    So, what to do? Considering the extra time it would take, using brushes and sweeping is probably too costly for companies or property owners to implement. I don’t know enough about leaf blower technology to recommend much, but I’m so annoyed with them. Especially now—helping to contribute to the death of the little bird.

    I deeply appreciate everyone’s help! Sorry that I don’t have more positive news to report.

    Popularity: 1% [?]

     

    • Val 9:51 am on March 6, 2008 Permalink

      Jeez Eric, I was hoping that he was gonna make it. You were awesome to have taken the time to rescue him. Despite what Russ says.. I think you’re alright!

  • Eric Fredericks 11:58 pm on February 11, 2008 Permalink | Reply  

    Condos, Lofts, and New Homes in Downtown and Midtown Sacramento 

    UPDATE (2/13/10): I’ve added a few more properties to the list below. Please check to make sure all places are still for sale. Some are converting to rentals.

    A local real estate agent contacted me for my recommendations on new condo, loft, and homes for sale in the urban core of Sacramento for a client. I compiled a list with a few comments and links to websites and sent my response back… then I found this fantastic thread that covers all of the projects going on in the Sacramento urban core. This thread is definitely worth checking out, even if you’re not from Sacramento. There are hundreds of photos and many of the projects are ready for construction.

    Nonetheless, the information I gathered for the agent could be useful for those looking to buy because most other sites include apartments and commercial projects. Of course, the real estate market in Sacramento has crashed and burned. The urban core has held it’s own so far, but that’s a topic for another day. If you’re interested in finding a home or condo, please let me know at eric (at) neighborhoods.org

    Here’s the list I compiled:

    Midtown

    L Street Lofts (L near 19th) – Perhaps the best current option for urban chicness. They are a bit pricey and not quite yet finished. Located in the best neighborhood in Sacramento in my opinion—my own neighborhood!

    Whiskey Hill Lofts – Not passed by these much, but they look pretty nice… perhaps a little awkward. The neighborhood is rapidly becoming more lively.

    Alchemy (R & 26) – They are quite ugly in my opinion, but are more affordable for Midtown. Also in between two light rail stops, definitely qualifying as a TOD in my book.

    Metro Square – This is the established crown jewel of smart growth in Midtown, and has gained notoriety around the country. For us locals, it just blends in well with this quiet, beautiful part of Midtown.

    Sutter Brownstones – Beautiful Chicago-style brownstones in the eastern part of Midtown.

    Tapestri Square – Interesting neighborhood in Midtown, away from most of the action. A style that hasn’t been seen in Sacramento before.

    Washington Park Village – Nice homes constructed in a transitioning part of Midtown.

    1600 H Street Lofts – Coming on the market soon. Looks to be fairly hip, but located on car-friendly 16th Street.

    Downtown

    14 & R The Residences – Probably the coolest block in all of downtown with the very urban 14 & R lofts above the new hip eateries, bars, and salon.

    500 N Street – Perhaps the tallest for sale units structure in all of Sacramento. Old and outdated outside, but remodeled inside. Very near the Downtown Mall.

    9 on F – Just opened and I’ve only passed by. Looked really cool from what I’ve seen and they’re the only LEED-H certified townhomes. Definitely a neighborhood in transition.

    SoCap Lofts – Has some very nice units. While I’m not the biggest fan of the neighborhood—several state buildings and small industrial sites—I’m hoping these come down in price because they have my interest right now.

    Penthouses at Capitol Park (L&15) – Don’t know much about these but I would imagine they have an amazing view of the Capitol and Capitol Park. Also, this is one of the most lively blocks in all of Sacramento.

    Some other homes and condos worth mentioning include:

    12-13-P-Q quadrant – Very nice single family homes, but high density. Way out of most people’s price range, but this is my favorite residential development in Sacramento.

    Stanford Park Condos on P around 15th and 16th Streets – I think built in 1981. Quaint but poor interior layout. My former neighborhood, which was also fantastic.

    Analysis

    We really don’t have that many multi-unit condo projects in Downtown-Midtown, at least that are newer. The newer projects are mostly rental right now. The ones that have entitlements are on hold because they don’t have financial backing in this market downturn.

    If anyone wants to add more—I’m sure I missed many—please let me know and I’ll add them. Hopefully this gives some homebuyers a place to start in the Sacramento core.

    Popularity: 100% [?]

     

  • Eric Fredericks 10:59 pm on July 18, 2007 Permalink | Reply  

    Day 17: Gaslamp Quarter – San Diego, CA 

    We’re back in California today to one of America’s favorite cities, San Diego. I took this photo in one of my favorite entertainment spots in the country—The Gaslamp Quarter. This photo is looking down E Street toward Horton Plaza, the gigantic downtown outdoor shopping center.

    The Gaslamp has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants and bars in the country—many of them with outdoor seating. Outdoor seating is a good thing to have in a city with such beautiful weather. There are dozens of ethnic restaurants and a wide assortment of bars and clubs for any type of nightlife lover. The downside of the Gaslamp is its elitist feel. It seems to be geared toward tourists and is very expensive. Don’t be fooled by some people calling it a tourist trap, however, as many locals also hang out here. I had such a blast and the people were incredibly friendly, though I’ve heard the opposite from locals.

    Also, don’t be fooled into thinking that San Diego is a walkable paradise. There are many walkable neighborhoods in the San Diego region. The trolley system is pretty good. The new high rise condo and apartment towers exploding all over downtown is astounding. But, this region still has an addiction to the automobile, and in particular, freeways.

    There is a freeway everywhere you look in the region, and where there is not a freeway, there’s a pedestrian-hostile arterial waiting for you. Many of the TODs you hear about are TADs in reality (transit-oriented development versus transit-adjacent development). There is just a lot of concrete everywhere.

    I really do like San Diego, but I place it behind San Francisco, Sacramento, and maybe a few others for my favorite California cities. San Diego can easily become one of the most walkable cities in the world, and it’s on its way in some regards. The focus really needs to turn from the car to the pedestrian. It will (hopefully) always have the great walking and biking weather.

    This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

    Popularity: 1% [?]

     

    • wburg 4:48 pm on July 19, 2007 Permalink

      TADs, I love it…quite a few of the coming-through-the-pipe condo projects in the Sacramento area are calling themselves “transit-adjacent” and trying to equate it directly with transit-oriented development. I consider it my responsibility to give them a hard time about it, if only to educate about what TOD actually is and what it means—and why “transit-adjacent” isn’t enough.

  • Eric Fredericks 6:28 am on March 8, 2007 Permalink | Reply  

    Leaving “The House” For the Neighborhood: A Seattle Story 

    I love feel good stories involving someone ditching uber-suburbia for the life of an urban walkable neighborhood. The Zillow Blog has a great article on such a story—moving from a huge house in Texas sprawl to a condo high-rise in Downtown Seattle. Article author Sabra Davis writes about her experiences in Seattle that are (not surprisingly) similar to my experiences here in Downtown Sacramento.

    “Instead of feeling anonymous in the big city, we’ve grown to feel welcomed and wanted, and we’ve become friendlier, too. We’ve discovered that most people, whatever their walk of life, are pretty darn nice,” wrote Ms. Davis. I can definitely relate. Except she mentions that she and her husband eat out 85% of the time. I probably eat in 85% of the time, despite the great restaurants here. If I didn’t, I’d gain too much weight. See my comments about her article on the blog post. Photo courtesy of Zillow Blog.

    Popularity: 1% [?]

     

    • Dave Dash 7:33 am on March 8, 2007 Permalink

      You have a hair dresser? Wow, California is demanding ;)

      When we were house hunting a few years ago, we restricted ourselves to the city (of Minneapolis) and chose the house that needed a lot of work, but was an easy walk to two lakes, the Uptown business district, and plenty of other amenities. We never calculated how much we saved since we’ve gone down to one car… but maybe that’s why we eat out a lot.

    • erin 10:14 am on March 11, 2007 Permalink

      Living in the city definitely gives people more incentive to explore culture and nightlife, plus meet their neighbors (since they’re so much closer). Of course, one of the advantages of living in a single-family home is that, while it may be further away from things to do, you don’t have to put up with noisy neighbors on the other side of your bedroom wall.

c
compose new post
j
next post/next comment
k
previous post/previous comment
r
reply
e
edit
o
show/hide comments
t
go to top
l
go to login
h
show/hide help
esc
cancel