Downtown Sacramento
Encyclopedia
Downtown Sacramento is the central business district of the City of Sacramento
. Downtown is generally defined as the area south of the American River
, east of the Sacramento River
, north of Broadway, and west of 16th Street. The central business district is generally defined as north of R Street, south of H Street, east of the Sacramento River, and west of 16th Street. Downtown Sacramento is currently undergoing a major revitalization project.
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and Capitol Avenue, which are equivalent of M Street; Front Street in Old Sacramento, which is equivalent to 1st Street; Broadway, which is equivalent to Y Street, and Alhambra Boulevard, which is equivalent to 31st Street.
building, the house of California State Government
. The major shopping center is the Westfield Downtown Plaza
, an outdoor shopping mall that includes Macy's
. The recently renovated and expanded Sacramento City Hall is also located downtown. The Sacramento Convention Center Complex is a major events venue downtown. The recently renovated Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament located at 11th and K Streets. It is the largest historical cathedral west of the Mississippi River
.
has been closed to all automobile traffic. The only traffic is the occasional light rail train
. The K Street Mall functions as a shopping area.
Another pedestrian mall
in downtown is 11th Street between L Street and a little past K Street. However, no light rail runs on the 11th Street Mall.
provides light rail and bus service through downtown. Interstate 5 separates Old Sacramento State Historic Park
from the western edge of downtown. State Route 160 (15th and 16th Streets)
borders the eastern edge of downtown on a pair of one-way surface streets. The historic Sacramento Valley Amtrak Station is located downtown just north of Westfield Downtown Plaza, and is serviced by Amtrak
Capitol Corridor
and three other routes, in addition to being the western terminus of the Gold light rail line. The return of streetcars to downtown is currently being evaluated in a joint effort by both Sacramento and West Sacramento. Interstate 80, Interstate 80 Business (Capital City Freeway), U.S. Route 99 and U.S. Route 50 all intersect in the area.
are located near the State Capitol
and the Embassy Suites is located west in the downtown area, closer to the Sacramento River
and the Crocker Art Museum
. A mid-rise Holiday Inn
is located off of Interstate 5, near Old Sacramento. A 230-room 15-story Residence Inn by Marriott
is located at 15th and L Streets, which is on the northeast corner of Capitol Park
. The Citizen Hotel is a 200-room Sacramento boutique hotel in the old Cal West historic building at 10th and J Streets.
recently opened in the restored Elks Lodge building at 11th and J Streets.
at 10th and K Streets, and an IMAX
theater located at 13th and K Streets. Westfield Downtown Plaza also has a large multiplex cinema. The Sacramento Community Center Theatre is located on 13th and L Streets, and has regular performances by Broadway Sacramento, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra
, the Sacramento Opera, and The Sacramento Ballet
. The Wells Fargo Pavilion
(formerly Music Circus) located on 14th and H Streets provides a unique 'theater in the round' live theater and musical experience. The historic Memorial Auditorium at 16th and J Streets holds many performances from comedy acts, traveling bands, and speakers. The Cosmopolitan Cabaret, located at 10th and K Streets, is a 200-seat venue offering musical comedies in an upscale setting with table service.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. Downtown is generally defined as the area south of the American River
American River
The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
, east of the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
, north of Broadway, and west of 16th Street. The central business district is generally defined as north of R Street, south of H Street, east of the Sacramento River, and west of 16th Street. Downtown Sacramento is currently undergoing a major revitalization project.
Politics
- Congress – Doris MatsuiDoris MatsuiDoris Okada Matsui is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district consists of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding area...
- State Senate- Darrell SteinbergDarrell SteinbergDarrell Steven Steinberg is a Democratic politician from Sacramento, California. He is currently serving his second term in the California State Senate, representing the 6th District. He has been the Senate President Pro Tem since 2008...
- State Assembly – Roger DickinsonRoger DickinsonRoger Dickinson is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, serving the 9th district since December 6, 2010. Before that he was a Sacramento County supervisor...
- County Supervisor – Roger DickinsonRoger DickinsonRoger Dickinson is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, serving the 9th district since December 6, 2010. Before that he was a Sacramento County supervisor...
- City Mayor – Kevin JohnsonKevin JohnsonKevin Maurice Johnson is the current mayor of Sacramento, California. He is Sacramento's first African American mayor. Prior to entering politics, Johnson was a basketball player in the NBA, playing point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns...
Streets
Downtown Sacramento streets use a numbered and lettered grid system, with lettered streets running east/west, and numbered streets oriented north/south. The exceptions to this include Capitol MallCapitol Mall
Capitol Mall is a major street in the city of Sacramento that leads to the iconic Tower Bridge which connects Downtown Sacramento with the Yolo County city of West Sacramento. The Capitol Mall was previously also known as State Route 275, but was relinquished to the city in January 2006. A plethora...
and Capitol Avenue, which are equivalent of M Street; Front Street in Old Sacramento, which is equivalent to 1st Street; Broadway, which is equivalent to Y Street, and Alhambra Boulevard, which is equivalent to 31st Street.
Major features
Included within downtown is the California State CapitolCalifornia State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
building, the house of California State Government
Government of California
The government of California operates in the context of a democratic republic with three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the Governor of California and the other elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the California State Legislature which...
. The major shopping center is the Westfield Downtown Plaza
Westfield Downtown Plaza
Westfield Downtown Plaza, formerly known as Downtown Plaza is a shopping mall owned by the Westfield Group, located in downtown Sacramento, California, United States near the state capitol building...
, an outdoor shopping mall that includes Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
. The recently renovated and expanded Sacramento City Hall is also located downtown. The Sacramento Convention Center Complex is a major events venue downtown. The recently renovated Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament located at 11th and K Streets. It is the largest historical cathedral west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Pedestrian malls
K Street between 13th Street and Westfield Downtown PlazaWestfield Downtown Plaza
Westfield Downtown Plaza, formerly known as Downtown Plaza is a shopping mall owned by the Westfield Group, located in downtown Sacramento, California, United States near the state capitol building...
has been closed to all automobile traffic. The only traffic is the occasional light rail train
Sacramento Regional Transit District
The Sacramento Regional Transit District, commonly referred to as RT, is the agency responsible for public transportation in the Sacramento, California area. It was established on April 1, 1973, as a result of the acquisition of the Sacramento Transit Authority...
. The K Street Mall functions as a shopping area.
Another pedestrian mall
Pedestrian mall
Pedestrian malls in the United States are also known as pedestrian streets and are the most common form of pedestrian zone in large cities in the United States. It is a street lined with storefronts and closed off to most automobile traffic...
in downtown is 11th Street between L Street and a little past K Street. However, no light rail runs on the 11th Street Mall.
Transportation
Sacramento Regional TransitSacramento Regional Transit District
The Sacramento Regional Transit District, commonly referred to as RT, is the agency responsible for public transportation in the Sacramento, California area. It was established on April 1, 1973, as a result of the acquisition of the Sacramento Transit Authority...
provides light rail and bus service through downtown. Interstate 5 separates Old Sacramento State Historic Park
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
Old Sacramento State Historic Park is the historic region of Sacramento, California, which has been designated as a state park. It is generally referred to as Old Sacramento, or Old Sac, and since the 1960s has been restored and developed as a significant tourist attraction. All of it is...
from the western edge of downtown. State Route 160 (15th and 16th Streets)
California State Route 160
State Route 160 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California consisting of two sections. The longer, southern, section is a scenic highway through the alluvial plain of the Sacramento River, linking SR 4 in Antioch with Sacramento via the Antioch Bridge...
borders the eastern edge of downtown on a pair of one-way surface streets. The historic Sacramento Valley Amtrak Station is located downtown just north of Westfield Downtown Plaza, and is serviced by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
The Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
and three other routes, in addition to being the western terminus of the Gold light rail line. The return of streetcars to downtown is currently being evaluated in a joint effort by both Sacramento and West Sacramento. Interstate 80, Interstate 80 Business (Capital City Freeway), U.S. Route 99 and U.S. Route 50 all intersect in the area.
Hotels
There are many major hotels located in the downtown area. The Hyatt Regency and a Sheraton GrandSheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
are located near the State Capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
and the Embassy Suites is located west in the downtown area, closer to the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
and the Crocker Art Museum
Crocker Art Museum
The Crocker Art Museum is one of the leading arts institutions in California, and the longest continuously operating art museum in the West. Located in Sacramento, California, the Crocker has been an art innovator since 1885...
. A mid-rise Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
is located off of Interstate 5, near Old Sacramento. A 230-room 15-story Residence Inn by Marriott
Residence Inn by Marriott
Residence Inn by Marriott is a brand of extended stay hotels. The chain was launched in 1975 in Wichita, Kansas by Jack DeBoer, and acquired by Marriott International in 1987. As of April 2005, there were over 450 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The brand's slogan...
is located at 15th and L Streets, which is on the northeast corner of Capitol Park
California State Capitol Museum
The California State Capitol Museum comprises a museum in and grounds around the California State Capitol in Sacramento, California, USA. The building has been the home of the California State Legislature since 1869...
. The Citizen Hotel is a 200-room Sacramento boutique hotel in the old Cal West historic building at 10th and J Streets.
Restaurants
Numerous restaurants are located in the downtown area, including a McCormick & Schmick'sMcCormick & Schmick's
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants is an American seafood restaurant chain, based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1979, the publicly-traded company operates a total of 92 locations in North America under various brands. This includes seven Canadian locations that operate under the Boathouse...
recently opened in the restored Elks Lodge building at 11th and J Streets.
Theatres
Near the convention center are the Crest TheatreCrest Theatre
The Crest Theatre is an historic theatre located in downtown Sacramento, California.-History:It originally opened in 1912 as the Empress Theatre, and at that time was used as a vaudeville palace. It later became the Hippodrome. On September 14, 1946 the Hippodrome's marquee suddenly fell to the...
at 10th and K Streets, and an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theater located at 13th and K Streets. Westfield Downtown Plaza also has a large multiplex cinema. The Sacramento Community Center Theatre is located on 13th and L Streets, and has regular performances by Broadway Sacramento, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra
Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra
The Sacramento Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra in the Sacramento region, established in 1997 after the disbandment of the Sacramento Symphony that same year...
, the Sacramento Opera, and The Sacramento Ballet
The Sacramento Ballet
The Sacramento Ballet was founded in 1954 by Barbara Crockett and Deane Crockett. During Ms. Crockett’s tenure as Company Director, The Sacramento Ballet gained national recognition as one of the finest regional arts companies...
. The Wells Fargo Pavilion
Wells Fargo Pavilion
The Wells Fargo Pavilion is a theatre venue, located in Sacramento California and owned by California Musical Theatre & Sacramento Theatre Company.- Overview :...
(formerly Music Circus) located on 14th and H Streets provides a unique 'theater in the round' live theater and musical experience. The historic Memorial Auditorium at 16th and J Streets holds many performances from comedy acts, traveling bands, and speakers. The Cosmopolitan Cabaret, located at 10th and K Streets, is a 200-seat venue offering musical comedies in an upscale setting with table service.