Ice Blocks Building Was Set For Renewal Before Destructive Fire

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The Ice Blocks building stood for a hundred years, but it recently became a symbol of revival on R Street.

People were as excited for this project as they are over the arena. But now firefighters are taking the place of construction workers.

Flames shot up over an entire city block of Midtown Sacramento as the building burned Saturday morning. The historic Ice Blocks building, once made up of old thick wood and brick, now is demolished into a pile of smoky rubble.

"I have no idea what's going to happen now," said neighbor Brandon Wells.

Wells recently moved in nearby to be part of a massive revival of R Street.

"All R Street, you know the lofts that's been shooting up, and this was kind of the last holdout," Wells said. "The walkway to Safeway just finished, you'd see more foot traffic, the lighting, the parking."

The much-anticipated office and retail project would have been home to Sacramento Republic FC's new headquarters next summer.

"It's a devastating blow I think," said Todd Leon from the Capital Development Authority. "It's definitely a setback to some of the momentum we've had on R Street."

That momentum is still alive and well at another historic building on R Street:  the Warehouse Artist Lofts, where a new public market is in hot demand.

Benjamin Schwartz signed a lease a year in advance for his stylish shoe line.

"We make shoes start to finish right here in the shop. Customers come in and pick out all the options, sole colors, laces," Schwartz said.

Developers say they envisioned similar creative concepts for the century old ice storage facility. They now say future plans are still up in the air. For now, it's all about cleanup.