Hundreds of people gathered steps away from Aggie Square’s future public square today (Sept. 19) to hear Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s final State of the City address, in which he held up the innovation district as a model partnership that can improve the city and region.

“I chose to deliver my last State of the City speech here at Aggie Square because it represents everything I believe a city should aspire to,” Steinberg said. 

He cited the project’s economic impact on the region — expected to be $5 billion annually — as well as the startups it will help launch, the 5,000 new jobs it will provide and the investment it will make in the surrounding communities through affordable housing, money for home repairs and more.

“We are here today at Aggie Square because the future of this city lies in our neighborhoods,” the mayor said. “A good capital city grows and diversifies its economic base, starting with its downtown. But a great capital city goes further and makes sure no neighborhood is left behind, especially those cast aside by once-discriminatory — and now just traditional — ways of doing things.”

Nearby communities were highlighted at today’s event through performances by local musicians; the Pledge of Allegiance was led by students from the Language Academy of Sacramento, a bilingual immersion school located steps away from Aggie Square and which has been part of the Quarter at Aggie Square program.

City Council Member Eric Guerra, who represents the area adjacent to Aggie Square and whose son is a first grader at the Language Academy of Sacramento, said the partnerships and collaborations formed through Aggie Square have “moved the relationship a long way” toward nearby residents having better access to housing, job opportunities and more.

Aggie Square a model

Steinberg announced last year he would not seek election to a third term, but today offered his help to whoever succeeds him, urging more ambitious projects like the $1.1 billion development of Aggie Square, even if they require tough conversations.

“We spend a lot of time, energy and resources being for or against a project or initiative instead of the coalition- and community-building that would extend more opportunity to every corner of our city,” he said. “Like we all did at Aggie Square.”

He called for Sacramento to implement a broader program to reserve part of the tax revenue from new projects to fund infrastructure and economic development; Steinberg cited Aggie Square, which returns a portion of property tax revenue to the city to fund public projects for the surrounding area.

Teamwork highlighted

Aggie Square is no longer just a concept. The mayor’s speech was delivered in the shadows of 200 Aggie Square — the seven-story wet lab that will form half of the life sciences, technology and engineering space — and 300 Aggie Square — the eight-story classroom and office tower that makes up the life-long learning space. Reflected in the glass of the buildings was the ongoing work on Anova Aggie Square — a mixed-use student housing and office building — and 400 Aggie Square — “the building on the square” and the future home of UC Davis’ Veterinary Genetics Laboratory.

Chancellor Gary S. May praised Steinberg for his partnership in getting Aggie Square to this point.

The two have worked together on Aggie Square since before May even took up his post as chancellor. May, when he was chancellor-designate in 2017, hosted a Sacramento delegation that included Steinberg for a tour of the Technology Square innovation district in Atlanta and a discussion of how something similar could be created in Sacramento.

“And now here we are seven years later, and just look around and you’ll see what cooperation and partnership are capable of building,” May said, adding praise for the work of developers Wexford Science & Technology and the construction firms that have worked on Aggie Square. 

“This was an idea that, together, has come out of the ground.”

May said he looks forward to hosting Steinberg again when Aggie Square’s first buildings open early next year.