The construction of downtown Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center, the revitalization of The Kay District, development at the railyards and across the river on the banks of West Sacramento … there’s a lot growing in the area, but one of the most interesting projects is actually in sleepy Carmichael. Last year, we discussed the vision and plans for the Milagro Centre on Fair Oaks Boulevard (“Food Court Redux,” by Douglas Curley, March 2014). The walls are now up, and tenants are moving in.
Envisioned as a higher-end dining and social experience modelled after the likes of Napa’s Oxbow Market, local developers Allan Davis and his late wife Nancy Emerson-Davis wanted to bring flavors of downtown Sacramento to Carmichael, while creating a social hub for the otherwise-decentralized suburb. Sadly, Nancy, the second of four children born to local builder Joe Benvenuti, passed away in March of this year just as the project was materializing.
“Nancy had lived in Carmichael for 45 years and was committed to the community,” remembers Allan Davis, who continues to run Milagro Properties. “We’ve had a lot of restaurants pop up over the years here, but they’re scattered, mixed in with all the unrelated stores, like auto parts places, and that’s just not conducive to a good restaurant environment. We wanted to bring a little flavor of downtown to Carmichael.”
Nearly 47,000 square feet of old strip mall have transformed into a hive of culinary and cultural business unique to the region. Already moving in are diverse eateries: newcomer Ghiotto Artisan Gelateria will join established artisans Insight Coffee Roasters and River City Brewing; more elaborate will be Mesa Mercado, a hot food and Latin gourmet goods concept from Ernesto Delgado of downtown Sacramento’s Tequila Museo Mayahuel. Broderick and Capital Dime’s serial entrepreneur Chris Jarosz plans on maximizing the social aspect of the Milagro Centre with a diverse menu for his venture The Patriot.
“Most negotiations with landlords, you’re conforming to them and their plans,” says Jarosz, who recently moved to Carmichael himself. “Allan and Nancy created a vision, but this will be representative of me so we’re really walking parallel lines in making a real destination in the community.”
While several of the businesses may open early this fall, Davis aims to host a grand opening Oct. 16, Joe Benvenuti’s birthday. He’s also considering Jan. 8, Nancy’s birthday.
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Comments
So very sad to hear of Nancy's passing.
It's good to see the business community making a good go for revitalization of the Carmichael area, however, are the businesses relocating there discussing with other business owners and the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce, and CPAC the possibility of rolling back traffic controls for the area? For instance, replacing traffic signals with "Round-a-Bouts" like those in the Truckee area? The benefits are:
1. Keeping Traffic moving
2. better access to businesses
3. Aesthetically pleasing
4. Slowing Traffic down (increasing the chances of random business)
5. decreasing traffic noise. (who wants to eat outside in 75 - 80 db traffic noise?)
6. Round-a-Bouts would fit into existing intersections without many modifications.
I bring this up because in the past, and up to the present traffic blows though Carmichael bypassing already existing businesses. Asking the County to further Aid in the Transformation of Main Street would be better met by business owners than a 25 year Carmichael resident.