Local

Discover Sacramento’s changing landscape and local landmarks

Stories by Sacramento Bee journalists, with AI summarization

This collection of stories explores Sacramento's evolving urban landscape, highlighting significant changes to the city's architecture and public spaces. The articles delve into various facets of urban transformation, such as the demolition and redevelopment of the Tower Records site into a new multi-use building and the ongoing efforts to secure federal funding for connecting Old Sacramento with downtown via a riverside park.

Further, the narratives recount the lasting influence of legendary architect Leonard Starks on the city's landmarks, while reflecting on Macy's impending closure on K Street, marking a shift in the area’s traditional retail environment. Read the stories below.

A rendering of a park built above Interstate 5, connecting Old Sacramento to downtown.

NO. 1: FUNDING REQUESTED FOR PROJECT TO RECONNECT OLD SACRAMENTO’S RIVERFRONT TO DOWNTOWN AREA

Downtown Sacramento Partnership to study plans to develop a park linking downtown to Old Sacramento. | Published May 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by Marcus D. Smith

Sacramento’s Tower Theatre stands next to a Tower Records store in 1968. The former Tower Records building was demolished in 2019 and is being rebuilt to be a multi-use building for retail stores and apartments. By W.A. Peterson

NO. 2: HOW DID TOWER BRIDGE IN SACRAMENTO GET ITS NAME? TOWER THEATRE? HERE’S A LOOK BACK

Both capital city landmarks opened in the late 1930s. | Published June 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Camila Pedrosa

Sacramento art dealer Pamela Skinner on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2024, stands inside the former industrial space that she converted into living space home at 1225 D Street in Sacramento’s Mansion Flats neighborhood. Skinner has listed her home for $1.6 million. By Paul Kitagaki Jr.

NO. 3: CONVERTED LOFT HITS SACRAMENTO DOWNTOWN MARKET WITH ‘ARTISTIC FLAIR.’ SEE THE CHIC HOME

What’s the asking price for this auto repair shop turned stunning luxury residence? | Published September 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio

Architect and artist Leonard F. Starks, 88, sits in 1978 among his paintings in the studio at his duplex – which he designed 40 years before – on Riverside Boulevard in Sacramento. The noted architect’s credits in the city include C.K. McClatchy High School, the Elks Tower and the demolished Alhambra Theatre. Early in his career, he helped design the buildings of the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

NO. 4: THIS LEGENDARY ARCHITECT DESIGNED MANY SACRAMENTO LANDMARKS. WHO WAS HE?

Leonard F. Starks designed movie theaters, skyscrapers, government buildings and homes. Where can you see his work today? | Published November 24, 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. 5: 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. 6: SEE HISTORIC PHOTOS OF THE DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO MACY’S, SET TO CLOSE LATER THIS YEAR

The construction of the store in the 1960s had a profound impact on the city, and these old pictures show how. | Published January 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Nathaniel Levine

Martin Anaya talks a selfie with Anastasia Kryukova outside a special screening of the film ”Sacramento” at the Tower Theatre on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, days before it officially opened. Writer-director-star Michael Angarano attended a post-screening Q&A with co-writer Chris Smith. By PAUL KITAGAKI JR.

NO. 7: WHICH LANDMARKS IN NEW FILM ‘SACRAMENTO’ WERE — AND WERE NOT — FILMED IN TOWN?

See which of the landmarks depicted in new comedy film “Sacramento” were actually filmed in Sacramento. | Published April 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by 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.