2020 to March 2021 . The only project delays were caused by contractor-side supply chain problems and work stoppages because of COVID-19 , says Leslie Fritzsche , the city ’ s economic investment manager . The hotel opened in late September .
Across the river in West Sacramento , city officials moved building plan review online just in time . In 2018 the California State Teachers ’ Retirement System came to the city with a proposal to build a new 10-story tower that would expand its headquarters on Waterfront Place . CalSTRS ’ project manager told the city that on a project that size , her team would need to load massive rolls of plans into trucks and haul them up the elevators at the Building Division for review . That would cost the contractor and the city lots of time and money , so instead she proposed that the city transition to electronic plan submission .
The division had been discussing just such a move and said yes . The team got the new software and procedures running , and the system went live right before the pandemic hit .
Now about half of applicants submit their plans electronically . With the in-person contact rules during the pandemic , without that system “ it would have been awful . It would have slowed things down so much ,” says Randy Goodwin , West Sacramento ’ s building official . Early in the pandemic some applicants were dropping hard copies of their plans outside and making hand signals through the windows to let staff know what they were leaving , he says .
In 2021 , the division is on pace to issue more permits than anytime in at least the last six years , according to city data . CalSTRS ’ new building will be finished in spring 2022 , according to the organization .
Back in Stockton , one of the first projects to benefit from that city ’ s new accelerated permit times is a new 638,000-square-foot Amazon distribution center , which broke ground this September and is projected to open this
month or next . It will generate 2,000 jobs and $ 1 million annually in new property taxes , according to the project ’ s developer . Under the old system , permitting a project that size would have taken 12-18 months , Black says . In Amazon ’ s case , if the project schedule holds it will be 6 months . “ COVID created a sense of urgency about everything ,” he says .
Airco Mechanical
A Leader in Gaming & Hospitality in Northern California
Steven Yoder writes about business , real estate and criminal justice . His work has appeared in The Fiscal Times , Salon , The American Prospect and elsewhere . Online at www . stevenyoder . net and on Twitter @ syodertweet .
Airco Mechanical has been a proud partner on multiple Gaming and Hospitality projects in our region . Our project experience includes Harrah ’ s Northern California in Ione , California , working alongside general contractor Swinerton , and the new Redhawk Casino Hotel being built in Placerville working with Level 10 Construction . These projects are contributing to the region ’ s growing tourism and hospitality industries , supporting jobs and economic growth .
Photo by Steelman Partners
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