It is supposed to usher in new life for downtown Sacramento. A Sacramento skyscraper condominium/hotel project would bring two towers, 53 stories high at the northwest end of Capitol Mall. “The Towers on Capitol Mall” were advertised to potential investors and condo owners that it would be the “epitome of class, where urban chic meets the ultimate in elegance.”

There are some rumblings from city hall in Sacramento that this project may not get going at all. A source in the mayor’s office has let ValleyVue know there is serious question as to how viable the project is, going so far as to say it may not happen at all, comparing it to the city’s failure to plan for a new basketball arena. This would be a serious failure for Mayor Heather Fargo, whose main focus during her years of office has been to spur development downtown.

The two towers would be built separately, the second being constructed after successful completion of the first. The project has captured the imagination of many Sacramento residents, who see it as a cornerstone to many projects being proposed downtown. The 53 residential stories the towers would make them the tallest buildings on the Sacramento skyline. Some people have complained about losing views from other buildings. Also, people have worried the height of the project would overwhelm the Capitol building. To this end, there has been talk about widening the building height restriction limits already set by Sacramento planners.

However, most of the talk has been positive. Since many experts agree that a way to “turn around” a blighted downtown is to add more people of varying economic classes, many people see the Towers as a spark for needed downtown residential development. Others liked the addition of a 4 star hotel in the area between the Capitol, the Convention Center, Old Sacramento, and Raley Field baseball stadium. Indeed, as soon as the project started moving forward, Sacramento saw several other high-rise projects proposed, including a business building with a replica of the Parthenon as its crown that would go nearby on the Mall.

Hopefully this project will be able to move forward. For some reason or another, in her latest term of office, Mayor Fargo seems to be hitting various snags. From the collapse of talks with the Sacramento Kings on a new arena to the continuing difficulty in jumpstarting the development of the downtown rail yards, the city seemingly cannot push major projects through to fruition. The Towers project, although very large in symbolic significance, is not a huge chunk of land, nor is it necessary for taxes to rise to pay for it. Most reports have said that pre-construction commitments to buy condos have been solid. It should be a good test to see if the Fargo administration can keep this promising project going.