Friday, July 4, 2008

Cesar Chavez Plaza

Back in downtown Sacramento, this park used to be called City Hall Plaza, but was renamed in honor of the union organizer and Chicano community leader Cesar Chavez (not based here, but influential in the wider California latino community)

The park is the centerpiece of a set of public buildings, most notably city hall, which provides a focal point for the space.
A close-up shows the landscaping detail, with a fountain in the center and a mix of restrooms and a little cafe structure to the left.
More views of the plaza. One perspective shows one of the skyscrapers proposed for downtown Sacramento, while another shows how the old city hall is a feature of the plaza landscape (plus the sensitive addition of the new city hall to the rear). One can see how this park is a superb urban grace note...
Another view of the plaza, showing the "Rachet Wrench Building" in the background and the central fountain.
The cafe/restroom area, plus some publicity for plaza music events. This place was always used for occasional concerts and political things.
...and in this case a farmers market on the circular walk around the fountain.
The greenspace of Cesar Chavez Plaza, with a great shot of Sacramento towers....city hall clocktower in the foreground, an old skyscraper, and the California Capital in the background, an excellent catch of the genus loci of downtown "River City"

1 comment:

The Urbanophile said...

Those pics remind me of the Indianapolis downtown mall. Chezar Chavez plaza is not that unlike University Park. And the city hall/annex not that unlike the Indianapolis Central Library and its expansion.