Sunrise Mall ‘Tomorrow’ plan to get a piece of $22.5 million grant

By Mike Hazlip—
An infusion of cash is slated to go toward the Sunrise Tomorrow project, aimed at redeveloping the nearly 100-acre Sunrise Mall site.

The $22.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation was awarded to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and aimed at accelerating infill development in 10 areas throughout the region, according to City of Citrus Heights Communications Officer Marisa Brown. The funds are earmarked for areas identified as infill development and designated Green Zones, Brown said.

Citrus Heights is slated to see $450,000 of the $22.5 million, Brown said. Those funds are allocated to support engineering work and infrastructure related to the Sunrise Tomorrow project such as roads and public improvements.

Brown could not give further details, saying specific projects will depend on future development needs.

“The engineering information and/or plans will ultimately inform projects submitted by developers,” Brown said. “The city does not own the mall site, and its redevelopment will ultimately be driven by the property owners bringing forward projects consistent with the plan vision.”

Representative Ami Bera issued a press release saying the grant will support SACOG’s “Green Means Go” program. The multi-year program is aimed at lowering emissions and improving transportation in the greater Sacramento Region.

What’s in the plan?
As previously reported, the plan envisions creating a walkable “21st Century Main Street,” with five big ideas guiding it: creating an economic engine, livable neighborhoods, streets for people, connected green spaces, and making the site a “community and regional destination.”

The plan allows for tripling of the development previously allowed at the site, with a maximum of 480 hotel rooms, 2,220 residential units, 320,000-square-feet of retail, 960,000-square-feet of office space, 450,000-square-feet of community/institutional uses, and 6,400 parking spots.

Up to 25 acres of open space and 1.5 miles of pathways are also envisioned in the plan, with much of this space being able to be integrated throughout the site, the document shows.

A central feature of the open space areas is Sunrise Commons, an area centrally located on the western side of the mall in a little-used parking area between Sunrise Boulevard and the mall’s entrances. The plan includes setting aside up to 80,000-square-foot for the area.

Centrally located within the site, the outdoor space could be used for events and indoor/outdoor dining, the plan envisions.

The plan also envisions constructing an event center up to 24,000-square-feet in size that could house dining and entertainment venues. Tent-like structures built in other cities, such as the Arizona State University’s SkySong, are shown to illustrate the idea.

A large area at the north end of the site is designated as an “employment anchor.”

“Envisioned as an employment district with office space and supporting uses, including a business hotel, child care center, and restaurants,” the plan says. Two additional employment anchors are also shown in the plan.

Market demand for office space has waned in recent years since the pandemic forced many workers into home-offices, and the city says the final build-out at the site will depend on market demand.

Another key aspect of the plan is an emphasis on public transportation and pedestrian access to the site’s interior. The document shows a new bus transit center along northbound Sunrise Boulevard that could be integrated with existing and future bus routes.

The plan envisions a 20-year timeline for redevelopment, with work anticipated to occur in phases. The city has been criticized about whether plans for the aging mall will ever materialize, to which city officials often point to the mall being privately owned by multiple owners.

Meghan Huber, the city’s economic development and community engagement director, said last year that a common misunderstanding is that the city has more influence over the mall than it actually wields.

“There is a common misconception that the City owns the property and can control its improvement or be part of business decisions,” Huber said of the mall property. “The City does not own the property and has no decision-making authority regarding investment.”

Despite the title, the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan is a general set of guidelines for development of the prime commercial site, according to the 147-page document. The City Council approved the plan, acknowledging that the build-out could look quite different in the end, depending on what private developers pursue.

Related: City says developer considering hotel at Sunrise and Greenback