Sacramento's Capitol Mall gets a lawn makeover.
They say you can tell a lot about a homeowner by the appearance of their front yard. In Sacramento's case, that "front yard" is the Capitol Mall. Much like a home's curb appeal can shape visitors' first impressions, the Capitol Mall's central lawn plays a critical role in defining how locals and visitors perceive the area.
Recognizing this, the City of Sacramento, in partnership with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and Visit Sacramento, has launched a $250,000 project to revitalize the Capitol Mall medians. This effort includes replacing the patchy grass with a lush, freshly re-sodded lawn, upgrading the irrigation system for long-term maintenance, and planting rose bushes and other flowers to enhance the space's vibrancy.
Funding for this project comes largely from donations by property owners along the Capitol Mall corridor.
This isn't the first attempt to reimagine Capitol Mall. In 2011, the City of Sacramento, along with the American Institute of Architects, hosted the Catalyst Capitol Mall Design Competition to generate innovative ideas for transforming the space into a vibrant public hub. The competition attracted local and international designers, urban planners, and architects, resulting in a wealth of creative submissions.
Video highlighting the winners of the 2011 Catalyst Capitol Mall Design Competition.
The winning design, titled Capitol Canopy, was crafted by landscape architects Kimberly Garza and Andrew tenBrink. Their vision proposed an urban forest with a lush tree canopy, creating inviting spaces for public gatherings and events.
Renderings of the award-winning Capitol Canopy design by Kimberly Garza and Andrew Ten Brink.
Other notable entries featured observation towers, water features, and elevated walkways, each reimagining Capitol Mall as a dynamic civic space. One ambitious proposal even included a nine-story observation tower and a series of water features designed to connect the Mall with Sacramento's waterfront.
Despite the excitement and forward-thinking ideas the competition inspired, most of these plans were never realized, largely due to economic constraints and shifting city priorities.
Fast forward to today, and the city has adopted a more modest, pragmatic approach. While this current project may not be as visionary as past proposals, it represents an achievable step forward. By focusing on the fundamentals—revitalizing the lawn and beautifying the medians—the city is laying the groundwork for future enhancements.
