Local

6 Sacramento landmarks, what is, and was, the fate of each?

Stories by Sacramento Bee journalists, with AI summarization

Sacramento's cityscape has shifted as famed sites like the original Tower Records building make way for modern developments such as new five-story apartment complexes with retail space. The beloved Capital Athletic Club downtown now hums to fresh life as the Capital YMCA, offering renovated facilities and attracting former and new members alike.

Grand movie theaters like the Alhambra and Fox Senator once drew crowds but have largely vanished, replaced by office towers and housing, while only a few, like the Tower Theatre and Crest Theatre, continue to operate. The closure of downtown staples such as the Macy’s department store and the uncertain future of landmarks like the Renaissance Tower and the Sacramento Zoo’s relocation plans reveal ongoing debates about how Sacramento balances its historic legacy with changing economic demands and community needs. Each vanished landmark leaves memories and influences decisions about what the city will become next.

The pool at Capital Athletic Club is seen in an undated photo. The operators of the fitness center said it would be closing at the end of the month after 38 years in downtown Sacramento.

NO. 1: YMCA IS TRANSFORMING WHAT WAS ONCE SACRAMENTO’S CAPITAL ATHLETIC CLUB. HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGING

The YMCA is in the early stages of its renovation before its grand opening early in 2025. | Published September 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Biderman

The Renaissance Tower stands on K Street in Sacramento on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, a few days before its planned auction. The 28-story office tower was city’s tallest structure when it opened in 1989. It’s now tied for fifth. By Hector Amezcua

NO. 2: AS RENAISSANCE TOWER AUCTION APPROACHES, BUSINESS LEADERS RETHINK SACRAMENTO’S DOWNTOWN

It was the city’s tallest building for a time. | Published October 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Annika Merrilees

Save the Alhambra boosters with a “battle flag” that says “Don’t tread on me” wave from atop the old theater building in January 1973, before the East Sacramento structure’s demolition. By OWEN BREWER

NO. 3: DOZENS OF 20TH CENTURY MOVIE THEATERS DISAPPEARED FROM SACRAMENTO. WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?

In 1973, a decades-old cinema was demolished in favor of a Safeway grocery store. | Published November 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Graham Womack

A construction worker walks Thursday morning, Sept. 5, 2024, on a wall of a rising five-story, mixed-use building on Broadway in Land Park across from Sacramento’s Tower Theatre. A heat wave

NO. 4: SEE AERIAL VIEW OF FIVE-STORY HOUSING PROJECT GOING UP WHERE TOWER RECORDS ONCE STOOD

A new residential future on Broadway is taking shape – and it has some scale. | Published November 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio

Pedestrians walk past the Downtown Commons Macy’s in Sacramento on Monday, March 4, 2024.

NO. 5: WHY IS DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO MACY’S CLOSING? WHAT’S NEXT FOR BUILDING? EXPERTS WEIGH IN

What’s next for Sacramento’s downtown Macy’s building? | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annika Merrilees

In a packed council chamber, locals show their support for the relocation of the Sacramento Zoo to Elk Grove on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, during the Elk Grove City Council meeting. By José Luis Villegas

NO. 6: SACRAMENTO ZOO SCRAPS ELK GROVE RELOCATION PLANS, CITES RISING COSTS

“We truly believe that ending the Elk Grove project is the most responsible choice for the long-term sustainability and success of the zoo,” the CEO said. | Published April 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Darrell Smith Marcus D. Smith

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.