Home run views? New apartments on Sacramento River offer ballpark and riverfront vantages
In cities like San Diego, Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis, residents are enjoying the vibrant energy of live baseball without leaving the comfort of their home.
Now, West Sacramento has joined the trend.
Tenants at the city’s new 285-unit luxury apartment complex, 805 Riverfront, can look over into Sutter Health Park and hear the crowd roar and watch home run balls soar over the outfield fence — all from the privacy of their own balcony or the outdoor Sky Lounge.
The mixed-use housing project is tucked between the Sacramento River and Sutter Health Park, where the Athletics will play professional baseball for the next three years. The ballpark is also the longtime home of the Triple-A River Cats.
The cozy stadium’s right-field gate is straight across the street, and West Sac’s scenic Riverwalk Trail can be directly accessed from the apartment building. Right next to the property, the shining Tower Bridge reaches skyward. And the surrounding neighborhood buzzes with a subtle but distinct urban appeal.
“This is really the first residential project of scale that’s been built right on the river,” said Craig Stradley, principal at Mogavero Architects, which designed the state-of-the-art building.
93% of apartments under lease
Brown Construction built the five-story complex, which is located in West Sacramento’s historic Bridge District, a once-industrial area that has been redeveloped over the past decade.
Of the 285 upscale apartment homes, 93% are under lease, according to Naree Heitz, community manager at 805 Riverfront.
In drawing up the blueprint, Sacramento-based Mogavero Architects made sure the apartment building maintained a strong connection to the surrounding environment. The designers orientated the building, aligned windows and selected open-air spaces to maximize panoramic views of the Sacramento River, Tower Bridge and downtown Sacramento’s skyline, Stradley said.
A pedestrian path from the lobby leads directly to a multitude of amenity spaces that look out over the river such as the two-level fitness center, game room and resort-like swimming pool. Corridors are filled with natural light. A number of units come with projecting balconies that provide additional vantage points for enjoying the river and distinct views of neighboring Sacramento, he added.
“Our unique design and stunning location overlooking the water creates an amazing vibe, allowing us to be close to downtown, but away from the hustle and bustle of city life,” Heitz said. “We are directly across from the baseball field, and ... we have retail space and a new social club coming soon. “
Nick Wooten, owner of West Sacramento Entertainment, plans to open Birdies Social Club in the building’s retail unit on the street level. The entertainment and restaurant venue will occupy 75% of the building’s 10,000 square feet of commercial space, according to David Herrera, executive vice president of property management company Colliers. There will be outdoor seating available.
Watching baseball in Sky Lounge
The apartment complex has 55 homes that face Riverfront Street and the ballpark, Heitz said. All residents can enjoy the top-floor, open-air Sky Lounge, which accommodates up to 50 people. The lounge has a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, bar and grill, as well as two flat-screen televisions. The space can be rented for private parties, Heitz said.
“it’s the energy of the stadium and hearing the action that is the best part,” said Cesar Medina, principal and architect at Mogavero Architects. On the Fourth of July, he added, the venue turned into a “huge party” as people gathered to watch the fireworks show over the stadium.
Other 805 Riverfront amenities include EV chargers, a coffee bar in the lobby and a pet-friendly policy.
Studio units currently run about $1,700 per month, one-bedroom flats around $2,100, two-bedroom apartments are near $2,600 and three-bedroom units fall in the $3,400 range, Heitz said.
While Mogavero is helping reshape West Sacramento’s identity as a vibrant, forward-thinking town with projects like 805 Riverfront, other cities across the United States have embraced the idea of ballpark condos, too.
In San Diego, a stunning, 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom townhome nestled within the gates of Petco Park recently hit the market for $1.55 million. The residence is located in the The Legend Condos tower, where the seventh floor deck offers spectacular city views, an outdoor grilling spot and a fire pit. An oversized rooftop deck has multiple seating areas.
When a 1960s building was converted into a residential complex in downtown Pittsburgh, some rental apartments were updated with views across the Allegheny River into PNC Park, home of the Pirates, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, the concept isn’t new. About a dozen roof decks, some dating back to the 1900s, overlook Wrigley Field, where the Cubs play.
More ballpark views
At St. Louis’s One Cardinal Way, a 29-story, 297-unit rental tower that overlooks the Cardinals’ Busch Stadium. Rents at One Cardinal Way range from about $1,500 per month to more than $6,000 per month, the Wall Street Journal reported. The building has a commodious amenity level with an infinity pool that overlooks the field.
Minneapolis hasn’t been left out of the movement. The new North Loop Green 360 residential building features an amenity space with a bird’s-eye view of Target Field, home to the Minnesota Twins, as well as apartments with views of the ballpark where you don’t even have to leave your bed to watch games. Rents start around $1,750 per month, but can run up to $12,000 per month, according to the Wall Street Journal.
More housing projects along the river and near Sutter Health Park are coming to West Sacramento. Among them:
▪ Construction of a mixed-used project called Phase VI in the Bridge District will bring a seven-story building with 260 apartments, a five-story building with retail, residential amenities and office space and 21 townhomes to the northeast corner of Riverfront and Mill streets.
▪ Plans for an eight-story residential tower called River II with 165 units, a business hub, fitness center, clubhouse and an outdoor pool and courtyard on the second floor have been approved at 50 Waterfront Place.
▪ Development of 106 single-family homes in a project called Four40West is under way at 440 Sixth St. Some homes will have rooftop patios.
▪ Construction of an affordable housing project with 60 apartments, dubbed West Gateway Place II, is underway at 802 Delta Lane.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
