Category: Notes

A Bittersweet Celebration At Wildrose Farm

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Javed Siddiqui managed to save a number of historic building from the bulldozers at his family’s Historic Wildrose Farms, 5190 Garden Highway. He invited a few people from the Preservation Community who encouraged his dogged efforts to prevent the wholesale destruction that was originally slated as part of a levee upgrade project. From left to Right: Mike Malinowski AIA; Javed, Paul Boghosian prominent local preservation consultant and her partner Don Cox, Tim Sullivan Engineer and former City Building Official, and Roberta Deering Sacramento’ Preservation Director. We traded stories at Swabbies on the River over lunch, and then drove the short distance along the levee road to the site. It is really hard to understand why so much property was razed and taken, as looking at the result does not provide any clue why a fraction of the swath of now empty land would not have more than sufficed for the needed flood control project. The original water tower was saved, along with a few ag buildings; but much was lost including three houses from the early 1900’s and a large two story bunkhouse from the same era that was nearly intact in its historic presentation. The buildings that were salvage now act as a demarcation of the ‘new’ property boundary – adjacent to an empty field stripped of the native oak grove as well as the many historic structures lost.

Ridgeway Studios goes into CONSTRUCTION

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YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!! My most sincere thanks for the extraordinary efforts of so many in helping make the Ridgeway Studios project a reality. With permits in hand, the financial foundation in place, all that remains is – to quote the indefatigable Cyrus Youssefi – “Now we just build it”. As you all know all too well, even though the building is modest in size, it presented as complex an undertaking as a project orders of magnitude larger. The only way it could happen was with a team spirit, and concerted efforts from many many hands and minds to come up with this plan that found that delicate balance between all the stakeholders and issues such as life safety, historic fabric, creating an interior that is pleasant, comfortable and functional; all while working with the available resources. My sincere apologies to those I forgot to send this note to personally, and apologies also for not listing all the things you personally did to help this happen; please pass this along as appropriate! Well Done! Cheers Mike Michael F. Malinowski AIA President, Applied Architecture Inc 2012-2014 AIA National Director 2009-2010 AIACC Vice President Communications/Public Affairs 2008 President American Institute of Architects Central Valley 2007 Chair, Development Oversight Commission, City of Sacramento 2550 X Street Sacramento CA 95818 Corner of 26th and X 916 456 2656 voice 916 456 1050 fax mfm@appliedarts.net> mfm@appliedarts.net www.appliedarchitecture.net 30 years of sensitive and sensible architectural solutions ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.

The Million Dollar Bus Stop

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Million Dollar Bus Stop Friday, March 29, 2013 _____ A single pole and sign simply can’t compare to a new million-dollar bus shelter in Arlington, VA. With its heated concrete floor, stainless-steel benches and architectural glass and steel canopy, the so-called ” Super Stop” at Columbia Pike and Walter Reed Drive is the future of bus-stop design in the Washington D.C. suburb. Officials have 23 more stops planned. Arlington County Arlington County Arlington County officials say the $1 million bus stop is the first of many. But, as one might expect, the public is not too thrilled. “Is this made of gold?” one commuter wondered to the Washington Post. Besides the exorbitant price tag, the lavish Arlington County prototype has seats too cold to sit on and offers little shelter if the wind or rain blows in the wrong direction, reports say. Officials Defend Project Officials say the actual construction and fabrication of the stop cost $575,000, while $440,000 was spent on construction management and inspections. Federal and state transportation money paid 80 percent of the tab. County officials have defended the stop, saying it was an investment in infrastructure to support the area’s renewal and anticipated growth. The new stops will also accommodate streetcars planned for the area, but the rest of the stops won’t hit the million-dollar mark, officials say. “Our goal, if at all possible, is to do it for less,” Dennis Leach, Arlington’s transportation director told the Washington Post. When prototypes are involved, Leach said, “you end up heavily front-loading on the costs.” The rest of the stops are expected to run about $904,000 each. NO . this is NOT an APRIL FOOLS joke . sadly this is a real news item. Your tax dollars at work.