SACRAMENTO-

Not far from City Hall, Kevin Johnson called the Oak Park neighborhood his home.

From humble beginnings, Johnson now runs Sacramento as its mayor.

“It’s sometimes hard to believe a kid from this neighborhood is able to go to college and come back and end up being mayor of the city he grew up in,” Johnson told FOX40.

It’s part of the reason he says he wants to transform the city and return it to its glory days.

“As a kid growing up, I remember going to K Street and there was vitality and energy,” he said.

The pedestrian mall along K Street in downtown has since faded, and is now filled with empty storefronts.

Johnson said a big piece of his revitalization puzzle is the construction of a new entertainment and sports complex. He says the project will bring 4,000 jobs to the city.

After a year of ups and downs the project is expected to hit its stride with the demolition of the Downtown Plaza mall, the site of the future arena.

“Our job is not done. We have a lot to celebrate, we have a lot to be proud of,” Johnson said. “We’ve done a great deal over the last year, but we’ve got to finish what we start.”

See the second part of Johnson’s interview Tuesday night on FOX40 News at 10.