Watch CBS News

First Project In River District Redevelopment Breaks Ground

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A major construction project is finally under way in an area north of downtown Sacramento that has been idle during the recession but is seen as an integral piece of the city's future growth.

While development has been stymied throughout most of Sacramento, in the River District the shovels are finally hitting the ground.

What will soon stand along Cannery and Scalehouse is an apartment complex that some 300 people will call home.

"This is 180 units, all affordable to families between the 50-60 percent of the area median income," said developer Michael Johnson with Urban Core-Integra.

At a price of $40 million, the Cannery Place Apartments hopes to serves as kick start for an area that once was home to abandoned warehouses.

"Turning what was once this old cannery and had a history of its own, to this new housing, which is going to be a place where they can live, work and play," said Steve Goodwin, president of the Township 9 project.

Getting to the groundbreaking has been no easy feat. With the economy coming to a standstill, the dirt remained untouched and the tractors sat idle.

The project, which is financed in part by the Sacramento Redevelopment Agency, came just in time before the state took away redevelopment dollars across California.

It'll mean money in the pockets of hundreds who will be hired, and this is just the first project planned here.

"When we start the other construction, which is set to start in the next year, we are talking thousands of jobs," Councilman Steve Cohn said.

The empty fields will soon become more apartments, retail space and office buildings. There will even be a small amphitheater for concerts and shows.

If all goes as planned, we should see this all complete by 2020.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.