No Recession at New Hotel

Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy is busy going over Wednesday's menu with his servers. "We've been practicing all week so we're excited about tonight," said Tuohy. The Grange was set to serve its first dinner crowd at its new 10th and J location Wednesday evening.

"It's very exciting," said Tuohy, who arrived in Sacramento earlier this year and spent three months visiting local farms and producers to select vendors for Grange. "The whole mission of the restaurant, farm to table, locally-focused ingredients, a seasonally-driven menu that changes daily speaks to what I like to do and how I like to cook."

The Grange may lure foodies, but The Citizen, which is run by San Francisco-based Joie de Vivre, will likely lure business and leisure travelers to the site.

The 198-room Citizen is Sacramento's first downtown luxury boutique hotel.

Developer Kipp Blewett of Rubicon Partners called the project a labor of love. "All of us are from Sacramento and we really did this as a tribute to Sacramento. The building is 80 years old," he said. "We're not looking at the next few years. We're trying to give it a use that will make it last for another 80."

Blewett said he's heard all of the warnings about the recession, but the project was launched long before the economy went south.

"We're not seeing any problems with the downturn," Blewett said. "We have 60 events; weddings, anniversary parties, charitable events for the month of December alone."

The Citizen is housed in a completely restored 1920s-era high-rise located two blocks from the State Capitol. The guestrooms' design was inspired by the political overtones of Sacramento's character. Each room features one of 40 classic political cartoons and bedside lampshades inscribed with text from the California constitution. "It really gives the customer all of the upside of a new hotel, but all the character and class of an old-world boutique hotel," said Blewett.

On the 14th floor, the Governor's suite balcony offers sweeping views of the State Capitol, while the mayor's suite balcony offers views of City Hall Cesar Chavez Park.

George and Lana Trovao live in downtown Sacramento and said they've been watching the renovation project take shape. "We've been watching the progress and wondering how they would work it all out," said George. "And boy, it's fantastic.

"We love seeing the improvements in downtown Sacramento, especially on J Street. It needs it very badly," said Lana Tovao. "This is the first step, wonderful."