Sacramento-area neighbors oppose plan to turn old Macy’s into self-storage and apartments
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A proposal to redevelop the vacant Macy’s building at Country Club Plaza into a self-storage facility and apartments is facing opposition from community members in Sacramento County.
The project, located at Watt and El Camino avenues, was discussed at a community planning advisory council meeting on Tuesday night. The council recommended that the county planning commission reject the proposal, though the recommendation is nonbinding.
The plan, presented by Tourbineau Real Estate Partners, involves converting the former Macy’s building, which has been empty since 2016, into a self-storage facility on the upper floors with retail on the ground floor along Watt Avenue. Additionally, the developer proposes building 174 new apartments in a four-story building on the property’s excess parking lot.
The developers said the two projects are interconnected and conditioned as one plan, meaning both must be completed together.
Community members expressed concerns about the proposal, citing increased traffic, construction noise, environmental impacts, and a perceived lack of need for self-storage in the neighborhood.
“The building is not in good shape. The building desperately needs preservation, and because of the long-term issues with disinvestment on the property, it’s very difficult to find a use that can accomplish preservation, accomplish some of the other goals, and is financible, and so we’ve come forward with a plan,” said Steve Hansen, who presented the project proposal.
“I do not understand at all why a self-storage place is needed,” one community member said during public comment. “And then as a condition, it’s a condition for this large apartment complex. It’s already extremely busy at Watt and El Camino.”
The project still needs approval from the county planning commission. The council pre-authorized an appeal Tuesday night, meaning that if the planning commission approves the project, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will have the final say.
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