WEST SACRAMENTO-
At 180 feet tall, the cement silos were a major part of West Sacramento’s skyline, but Tuesday marked the beginning of their end.
As the city looks to phase out the industrial riverfront area to a booming urban development, the silos be a thing of the past.
“It is a very visible marker for us, potential investment partners and for the existing users. We are serious, we are going forward with this,” West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon said.
“Before we could remove the bridge district we had to remove the rail line that serves these silos. Seeing them come down today is the final piece to open up the water front,” said Mark Freedman, Bridge District Developer.
The plan is to build hundreds of new homes, retail shops, bike trail and street car line.
The area that houses the old CEMEX cement silos will serve as an end point for a new bridge that will connect the Pioneer Bluff to neighborhoods across the river.
“As we build these two new bridges and take down facilities like this, this is going to be a great new place in our city and in our region,” said Cabaldon.
As industries are being asked to leave the area, West Sacramento has helped them find new locations within the city.
Demolition of the silos will take just over a week to complete.
One of the two new bridges is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.
