For Immediate Release
Contact: Leslie Valpey
916.329.4500
(March 9, 2006) – Thomas
Enterprises today submitted a revised application with the City of
Sacramento for the development of The Railyards, a 240- acre project at
the site of the Union Pacific Railyards in downtown Sacramento. The
application coincides with the opening of a permanent new office on the
southern border of the property at the Railway Express Annex, adjacent
to the Sacramento Depot.
Major elements of the plan include a sports and
entertainment district, a performing arts center, a meandering urban
waterway connecting to a residential area and a revitalized riverfront.
“This plan reflects the community’s vision for
this historic property,” said Suheil J. Totah, vice president of
development for Thomas Enterprises. “We will integrate the existing
downtown to a vibrant new neighborhood of mixed-use, high-density
housing with retail and entertainment venues and we’ll have a
transportation hub, offices, open space and cultural offerings. We are
committed to working with the community and local government leaders in
a public private partnership to make The Railyards a dynamic, regional
destination.”
Overall, The Railyards will create a mixed-use
urban village featuring a variety of housing, retail, office space, and
cultural and entertainment venues in a setting that celebrates the
region’s historic ties to the railroad. The Thomas development team is
in the final stage of concluding its transaction with the Union Pacific
Corporation to purchase the property. It is anticipated the transaction
will close in the coming months.
The Railyards will include 10,000 mixed-use high-density housing units,
including town homes and condominiums. Incorporated throughout the
project, housing will include exclusive for-sale, rental units and
affordable housing. Much of the housing will be in the northeast
quadrant of the property, where residents can sit, eat, shop and gather
together along an urban waterway.
The plan calls for the creation of a Sports and Entertainment District
on the northern border, with themed restaurants and clubs, parking,
office space, a hotel, retail and housing. A parcel of land is
designated for a possible sports arena; however, the project will move
forward with or without a facility.
This vibrant urban destination will showcase the preservation of seven
notable historic brick structures known as the Central Shops, which
were built by the railroad beginning in 1868. The district will feature
a performing arts center, incorporating an intimate new Broadway-style
playhouse and concert hall with easy access to nearby art galleries,
jazz clubs and outdoor restaurants.
Like the newly renovated Ferry Building
Marketplace in San Francisco, one of the historic buildings will be
transformed into a public marketplace, showcasing regional artisan food
and wine producers within an open-span public market facility. The
public marketplace will feature a variety of California wines and
specialty food items as well as meat and fish markets, bakeries, cheese
shops, fresh-cut flowers and fine-dining restaurants that embrace the
culture of the region and the valley’s ties to agriculture. A grand
outdoor plaza will host a farmers' market and include outdoor seating,
live entertainment and other amenities, making it a regional gathering
place for the community.
It is also anticipated that two of the vintage
buildings will be renovated to create the new Railroad Technology
Museum, expanding the offerings of the existing State Railroad Museum
in Old Sacramento.
Incorporating the look and feel of an urban village, this 24-hour
neighborhood will feature one and two stories of retail and
entertainment facilities with loft-style housing and office space
nestled above. Inviting outdoor seating will allow residents and
visitors to enjoy Sacramento’s temperate climate. Connecting plazas,
complemented with native plants and water features, will allow access
to enticing shops and larger appealing retail venues. Wide sidewalks
will facilitate the flow of pedestrian traffic to other amenities,
including health clubs and a nearby boutique hotel.
The Railyards will connect to the Sacramento
River where visitors will enjoy a reinvigorated waterfront with a
marina, restaurants featuring spectacular views, housing, parks and
open space, and pedestrian and bike trails for easy access to the
riverfront.
The city proposes to construct a new Sacramento Intermodal Transit
Facility (SITF) along with a new track alignment featuring light rail,
rail and bus connections, freight services and pedestrian linkages on
the south end of the property. This facility will support the growing
transportation needs of the region, including Amtrak’s third busiest
route in the nation, the popular Capitol Corridor.
A project website has been created to allow the
public to monitor progress at the site and follow upcoming developments
involving the project.
For more information visit www.sacramentorailyards.com.
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