Broadway Revitalization Breathing Life Into Part Of Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Bay Area folks used to see Sacramento as a stop to Tahoe. Now some like Shasta Smith and her partner Dennis are hoping to call it home.

"It's a lot of fun, not as busy," said Dennis.

Not too busy, but still booming, he says. That's why they're looking to buy one of these urban condos at The Mill off Broadway.

The 32-acre development Stretches from Fifth Street to 32nd Street and broadway. What used to be an old sawmill is transforming into a modern community with 1,000 condos, a public park, public market, and a new bike and walking tunnel to the river.

"It's like a little village right on the edge of downtown," Sales Agent Nichole Zaragoza-Smith.

Attracting an edgy, younger crowd.

Dave Herrera owns the 1950s building off 24th Street and Broadway which will soon be replaced by The Real Pie Company.

"They're gonna build the real pie company to fit the era of the building," said Herrera.

But that old meets new concept doesn't sit well with those worried about gentrification and rising rents displacing low-income residents.

Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen, who represents the district, says people struggling to find affordable housing will benefit from the revival too.

"We're working on retaining the number of public housing units in the area and hopefully improving or replacing them and potentially adding workforce housing as well," said Hansen.

The Broadway Corridor, once the so-called lost city between Midtown and Land Park, suddenly the "it" place to be.

"It's about time that it's happening- I think this is a really nice, fitting piece to the puzzle," said Shasta Smith.