Sacramento Bee: ‘Hub of a city.’ Large apartment building opens in Sacramento neighborhood in transition

For years, the neighborhood south of the California State University, Sacramento campus was defined by traffic jams and some under-used lots. “It was kind of a mess,” Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris said.

“It was just a matter of putting the pieces together.” One of those pieces is now complete: the 223-unit Wexler student apartment building has opened at the corner of 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard. More than 700 students live in the complex just a few blocks from the southern entrance to campus and adjacent to one of the region’s busiest mass transit stations.

“This in particular is really very important because it involves students and housing,” Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, said at a ceremonial opening of the building Wednesday. “And we know there’s been a dearth of opportunity for the young people who we really want to have a place where they can study and learn and actually feel like they’re part of the community too.”

The Wexler is one of a handful of new residential buildings that have either opened in recent years or have been proposed near the Sacramento State campus. Restaurants, a popular bakery and other shops have also opened within a few blocks.

“This is almost right here a hub of a city,” Matsui said.

Projects such as the Wexler will help ease the morning gridlock around Folsom Boulevard — traffic jams that Harris said he used to get stuck in often. The University/65th Street light rail and bus station is next to the building, and local officials said the Wexler is the region’s first “student transit-oriented development.”

More than 40,000 light rail riders and 30,000 bus passengers use the station each month.

“We know that transportation continues to be a challenge for college students and having the option of being only a few blocks from campus and just steps from the 65th street transit center is a wonderful solution,” said Henry Li, general manager and CEO of Sacramento Regional Transit.

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