The houses were sold the first week they were on the market, proving a demand for downtown-midtown housing. After that, Regis and other builders began hunting for opportunities to build more. Included in approximately 800 units under construction or planned are 154 for-sale homes and condos. Since the end of World War II, homeowners have fled from the older city to newer suburbs. But that's changing in Sacramento and all around the nation.
Observers usually give several basic reasons.
The commute is getting so bad that many who work downtown want to move closer to work. There are about 100,000 workers in downtown public and private office buildings, noted Tom Lee, head of the city's Development Services Department. It's a big group, and the hankering by even a small percentage to escape the commute by living downtown can affect demand considerably. In Sacramento, much of the change is due to the public sector. That group is also building the Fremont Building, a 69-unit apartment complex.