East Sacramento Improvement Association

A Little ESIA history

Feb 01, 2004

Were you aware that the East Sacramento Improvement Association was founded and incorporated 45 years ago in 1958? Glenn and Sidney Pope and Kay Lobner were among the founding members. They saw a need to preserve and protect the residential character of East Sacramento. I do not think that even they envisioned that the Association would be so successful and still growing strong today.

It was Mercy Hospital and it?’s expansion plans that galvanized the neighborhood into action in 1957 and 1958. Mercy wanted to expand much further into the neighborhood than the present hospital footprint; the Association successfully headed it off. However, we were not able to prevent the removal of a half dozen beautiful Victorians along J Street near 39th. The parking lot and medical building replaced them. Mercy?’s attempt years later to build the Mercy McMahon senior apartments as a 6-story building was stopped. They ultimately built the 2 and ?½ story building that sits there now. Can you imagine what a 6-story building would have looked? Ugh!

Over the years the Association developed an outstanding reputation of successfully defending East Sacramento from inappropriate development. One City manager told Sidney Pope that because of the Association's efforts, East Sacramento did not evolve into something that looks like Watt Ave. An article in the Sacramento Bee in 1987 described the decision making process that the 3M Company (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing) went through when they decided to relocate a research and administrative division to Roseville, California (then sleepy Roseville). 3M indicated that the final persuader was the charm of the tree-lined streets and the established neighborhoods of East Sacramento. They reminded them of their own midwestern neighborhoods.

In the 1970?’s and 80?’s Sacramento only had a few neighborhood organizations and the East Sacramento Improvement association was often asked to help other neighborhoods form their own associations.

Over the years the Association has tackled both big and small issues in defense of the neighborhood. You probably were not aware that the new owners of the old Rosemont Restaurant (now Andiamo?’s) wanted to convert it into a huge card room! Or that East Lawn Cemetery wanted to develop 3 story office buildings on their grounds. The biggest effort was to stop the city?’s proposal to connect Elvas to Richards Blvd in 1987. This would have added additional 25,000 cars per day on to Elvas Ave. If this had gone through the traffic on Elvas and surrounding streets would probably be closer to an additional 50,000 cars today! Right on the heels of this major effort came the Association's successful battle to head off the Centrage development and its proposed 26 story skyscrapers.

The Association, however, does more than just oppose projects that would be detrimental to the neighborhood. In 1978 long time ESIA member Marilyn Mahoney suggested that the Association recognize people and businesses that have made positive and negative contributions to the neighborhood. Thus was born the Orchid and Onion Awards that have been given annually ever since. The Association led the efforts to rezone the Alhambra corridor preserve its architectural uniqueness and to limit building height. This took several years of committee meetings before the laws were changed. But the results were worth it. Thanks to these efforts the new Rite-Aid and all other new projects will have architectural similarities and Alhambra Blvd will never become a Watt Ave ?“look-alike?”. The Association was the first to form a graffiti patrol under the able leadership of Katherine Travers-Cohn. We are a charter supporter of the area?’s Pops in the Parks concerts, provide seasonal decorations for McKinley Park?’s Duck Island, and are charter supporters of the establishment of the East Sacramento Room in the Clunie Clubhouse to serve as a permanent place to display East Sacramento?’s history. And the Association even has a web site!

Well, Sidney, Glenn, and Kay, and all the other charter members, thanks for having the foresight to form this wonderful association. We have such a strong history for being the best and the most effective neighborhood association that I am sure we will be still going strong well into the 22nd Century! Sidney and Glenn Pope have passed away. The Orchid Award was re-named the Sidney Pope Memorial Award to recognize Sidney?’s significant contributions to East Sacramento.