SOCA Pick D & S and The Taylor Group for K Street

Here is the SOCA letter to the Mayor and Council stating our position on the development of the West end of K Street.  This is for the Council meeting Tuesday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m. Please see the next post below for Action Alert Info and background and how you can help and have your voices heard.  The Council Ad-hoc Committee REJECTED the selection committee recommendations that both SOCA and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership support.

July 9, 2010

Mayor Kevin JohnsonNew City Hall

915 I Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Mayor Johnson:                                                            RE: K Street Development

The Sacramento Old City Association supports the recommendation of the Selection Committee to award the development of the 700 block of K Street to the D& S proposal and the 8th Street site to the David Taylor proposal.

At our last board meeting Leslie Friitzsche presented information  describing all four responses to the City’s RFQ.  At the conclusion of her presentation and our deliberations, the board voted unanimously to support the Selection Committee recommendation. Our reasons:

•  Having separate  developers for the two sites will increase the possibility of both sites being successfully completed.  Less risk is involved.

•  The D & S proposal for the 700 block saves all the buildings on the street not just the façades.

•  The David Taylor proposal restores the historic Bel Vue Apartments on 8th Street.

•  D & S has local businesses lined up as tenants for the 700 block.

•  Mixed income housing will be available on the alley and over the shops on K Street in the 700 block.

•  Mixed income housing will be developed in the 800 block.  The City needs more housing in the downtown area that people who work downtown can afford.  SOCA believes that proposals with high end condos can come after the workers are housed.

•  The projects chosen by the Selection Committee require less subsidy than the others.

We trust that you and the City Council will consider our position when deciding which of the four proposals to choose.

Sincerely,

Linda Whitney

President

cc:  Council Members.