Big changes for Old Sacramento: Hotel planned for ‘the heart’ of historic district
Big changes are in store for Old Sacramento.
The California State Parks department is proposing to build a hotel on a grass-covered parcel in the historic district, one of the largest redevelopment projects in the neighborhood in years. The proposed site is a roughly one-block plot of land at J and Front streets, near the California State Railroad Museum.
The block was one of the first to be developed in Sacramento. A series of small wood buildings were constructed there in the 1840s, along with the former City Hotel. In recent years, the site has been used for public gatherings and events, including movie nights and concerts.
“The idea of having a great hotel in such a key location, really in the heart of one of our biggest tourist draws in the region, would be a great asset not just for the Old Sacramento waterfront but for the entire region,” said Scott Ford, economic development director for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership business group.
A new hotel in Old Sacramento would represent another major investment in the city’s historic district and riverfront.
A broad plan to invest $40 million into a new park and other amenities in Old Sacramento was temporarily placed on hold when the pandemic struck. However, the City Council earlier this year voted to spend $4.2 million on security cameras and lighting in the neighborhood. A Ferris wheel was erected near the riverfront and a large neon sign reading “Old Sacramento Waterfront” visible from Interstate 5 will soon be installed.
“In the past few years we’ve strengthened our partnership with the state when it comes to managing Old Sacramento, and I’m happy to see they are moving forward with another badly needed hotel,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said in a statement. “The pandemic delayed our own plan to modernize the waterfront and create new attractions for residents and visitors, but the hotel taxes we were going to use for it are coming back and I’m determined to get going before the end of my mayoral term.”
John Fraser, the Capital District superintendent for the state parks department, said the new hotel will “fit with the historic context of the area.” A virtual public hearing will be held on June 16 to solicit ideas on the hotel’s size and design. Registration for the workshop is available at hotelstudyoldsacramento.com/participate.
“This is a state historic park and this project should really fit within the space,” Fraser said. “If we don’t get that part right, nothing else can really work.”
Following the public input, state parks officials will likely issue a Request for Proposals from developers interested in building the hotel and taking control of the land through a long-term lease. That process is expected to start next year, Fraser said.