Sacramento turns tap on new international company
Sacramento will add to the collection of international companies when Nestle Waters North America, Inc. converts a warehouse located in the Power Inn area into its new bottling facility. The company recently signed a lease for 214,000 square feet of industrial space in South Sacramento and will begin operations in January 2010.
Chosen primarily because of its proximity to Northern California customers, affordability and the business-friendly environment, the company will infuse $14 million into the local economy and add about 40 full time, high paying jobs. |
Crest Theater: history in brief
The Crest Theater has long been a jewel on the K Street mall in downtown Sacramento. The site originally opened as a vaudeville theater in the early 1900s and converted to a motion picture theater in the 1920s. The theater was remodeled and opened as the Crest in 1949 and showcased motion picture films for 30 years until 1979 when changes in the industry, television, and the decline of K Street mall forced it to close. It was reopened in 1986 by the current operator who has run it as an important theater and entertainment venue, anchoring the 1000 block of K Street for the past 23 years. Want more info on the Crest Theater? Click here. |
$600,000 Brownfields Grant awarded to Sacramento
The City of Sacramento was selected as a recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Community-wide Brownfields Assessment and Clean Up grants, which help promote revitalization efforts of potentially contaminated sites. "We have a real opportunity to use this grant to leverage redevelopment activities throughout Sacramento," said Mayor Kevin Johnson. "Key infill areas are ripe with redevelopment potential, and the capital from these grants will go a long way in jumpstarting some of those projects." The grants - totaling $600,000 - will fund necessary environmental assessments on projects that have immediate clean-up and redevelopment potential in the South Sacramento area, and provide funds to remediate land for a future park at 19th & Q streets.
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 Economic Development secures $26,000 for business retention outreach
The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency recently announced that the Economic Development Department will receive $26,000 in federal stimulus funds for business retention and expansion outreach. This money will bolster the department's Business Visit Program - which comprises a business walk series targeting specific commercial corridors and one-on-one outreach to individual businesses.
"Our program fosters and strengthens our relationships with businesses, making sure their needs are being not only heard, but addressed," said Jim Rinehart, economic development manager. "It is the department's goal to increase business outreach efforts and connect them to information and resources. This grant funding will help support these efforts."
Economic Development will roll out additional business walks and seminars to inform, educate, and engage the business community and make Web site improvements to include additional informational tools to assist businesses located in the City's enterprise zone.
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Crest Theater's marquee gets make over 
Improvements are underway at the historic Crest Theater, a symbolic Sacramento fixture on K Street since 1913.
In January, City Council approved a loan that will ensure that the iconic marquee continues to shine bright on the 1000 block. This improvement effort comes at a time when the block is building positive momentum as an up-and-coming entertainment district. In addition to safety and energy efficient fixes, new fade-resistant paint will replicate the historic aesthetics of the sign. Soon, bold and bright colors of the Art Deco era will appear, restoring the classic emblem to its original splendor. |
City, partners "hit the streets" to check in on area businesses 
As part of the Economic Development's Business Visit Program, Mayor Kevin Johnson, Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond, as well as members of the North Franklin Business Association and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helped kick off the first ever business walk for the North Franklin Business Association.
Walk participants - complete with walking shoes, clip boards and surveys - "hit the streets" to find out how businesses are doing on Franklin Boulevard between Broadway and Fruitridge roads.
"Today's business walk was an important endeavor for the City," said Jim Rinehart, economic development manager. "It allowed us to go into the community, check in with businesses, and get a pulse on how they are doing. This is just the first step of many in making sure that our small business community continues to succeed."
About 150 businesses were surveyed and information gathered will be used to implement specific plans and strategies that further enhance the success of local businesses, including a seminar to provide information on resources and programs available to assist these businesses. |
Study examining cars on K Street zooms ahead
It was 1969 when cars disappeared from the K Street Mall - a time when many cities across the nation were in favor of a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere to induce downtown activity. Today, partnering with the Department of Transportation, Economic Development is conducting a study to examine the benefits and associated impacts of returning cars to K Street.
The study, which will be completed in early 2010, will look at options for incorporating vehicular and bicycle traffic to the current pedestrian and light rail activities on K Street between 8th and 12th streets. It will analyze circulation and traffic, pedestrian and bicyclist patterns, and the potential parking or passenger drop-off and valet. The study will outline the necessary infrastructure needed for the conversion.
In conjunction with the study, the City is also considering a pilot project. Currently, the project team is exploring adding vehicles to K Street either 8th to 10th streets or 10th to 12th streets for the two block pilot project.
Ultimately, this effort will help to increase access to and visibility of businesses, promote a safe environment by adding more "eyes on the street," and help to stimulate additional economic activity.
For additional information about the project, visit the Project Web page.
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