It is on the Sacramento Railyards that the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad was established in 1863. To support the railroad construction, a large industrial complex called the Central Shops was constructed on the site. However, with neglected buildings and environmental contamination resulting from decades of industrial use, the blighted area of the Railyards remained for a long time an empty spot right in the middle of the City.

In 2002, when Union Pacific decided to sell the abandoned 240-acre Railyards, a prime opportunity arose to expand downtown Sacramento northward, over the railroad tracks.

*Lead Design Principal at Jerde Partnerships