Crocker Village Construction Starts As Gas Station Plan Still In The Air

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Construction on a Curtis Park shopping center is moving forward, even though developer Paul Petrovich is involved in ongoing litigation with the City of Sacramento.

Petrovich's construction company announced Monday he's preparing the dirt for future construction in Crocker Village. And if they don't start construction this summer, Safeway could end the contract for the planned store and walk away.

"It's one of the poorest communities if not the poorest community in the city," said Jay King, referring to the Oak Park neighborhood. "The average income is $18,900."

King says adding 200 jobs with a Safeway and gas station in Crocker Village could make or break the future of Oak Park.

"Living wage paying jobs that are union jobs with benefits!" He explained. "That's going to bring $7.5 million in revenue to the Oak Park community."

A spokesperson for Petrovich says any resident living in Oak Park or South Sacramento will be offered the job through the Urban League. And if a person isn't qualified, the Urban League will train the applicant itself.

"Why would anyone reject it?" King said.

But Curtis Park homeowner Jeff Lennox says his opposition comes down to one thing.

"It's the traffic and, yes, it's just not what they promised," Lennox said.

He says bringing jobs to the area isn't the problem. It's the gas station planned for the southwest corner.

"I could live without a gas station because there's one over here, there's one over there," Lennox said. "Do we really need another one?"

King says Mayor Darrell Steinberg promised to get this project done and resolved.

"I said 'Mayor, you're the only person that can fix this!'" King recounted. "And he said 'you're right. I am the only person who can fix this and I will.'"

Steinberg's office declined to comment on the issue. Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association President Eric Johnson said while the association is still not in favor of the gas station, they're happy to see progress made towards "the vision of a walkable, bikeable, environmentally sustainable Crocker Village."

Ross Himbauch disagrees with some of his neighbors and says the construction is a change for the better.

"I'm in favor of it!" he said. "They had to do something with it and I want a gas station!"

Sacramento City Councilman Jay Schenirer declined to comment on camera but did say he doesn't oppose the jobs and stores planned for the area, just the gas station.