Chuze Fitness its newest location at 5995 Birdcage Centre Ln., formerly home to a Sports Authority store. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report–
Chuze Fitness is now open in Citrus Heights, with its official opening taking place Oct. 20 in a space formerly home to Sports Authority.
The Citrus Heights location includes amenities such as HydroMassage chairs, an indoor cinema area with daily movie showings, a pool, hot tub and more, the company’s website says.
Rates listed for membership range from $9.99 to $49.99, with the higher-level membership including unlimited access to the gym’s Kids Club. The club offers child care on site from 8 a.m. to noon, 7 days a week, and 4-8 p.m. on weekdays.
Chuze Fitness is located at 5995 Birdcage Centre Ln., in the Marketplace at Birdcage shopping center. Hours of operation are currently 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 4 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Spokeswoman Allie Droze told The Sentinel in an email that Chuze Fitness no long has 24-hour clubs.
The Southern California-based fitness chain has over 30 locations throughout California, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The next closest location will be on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento, according to the company’s website.
Firehouse Subs is located near the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue, at 7887 Madison Ave., Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
The latest restaurant to open in a shopping plaza undergoing major renovation on the northwest corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue announced its opening on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
Firehouse Subs is located next to Starbucks in a new commercial building in Sunrise Village. The restaurant offers a variety of firefighter-themed sandwiches, soups and salads, with interior decor including firefighter hats and a large image of Citrus Heights City Hall with a Metro Fire truck in front of it.
Menu offerings include the popular “Hook & Ladder,” a hot sub sandwich with smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, Monterey Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion, accompanied by a pickle slice on the side. The “Firehouse Meatball” sub sandwich includes meatballs, provolone, and Italian seasoning — also offered in a “Sweet & Spicy” variety.
Several salads are also offered, along with sides of macaroni and cheese, soup, chili, brownies, and other items. Catering options include platters and box lunches.
Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 by brothers Robin and Chris Sorensen, both firefighters, according to the company’s website. A November 2021 release by the company shows the Sorensen’s sold the business to the Canada-based Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons, for $1 billion.
The Florida-based restaurant chain now has over 1,200 locations, with each typically featuring firefighter-themed interiors. The company is also known for charitable giving to first responders through its Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
The Citrus Heights location was formerly home to a Coco’s restaurant, which was demolished as part of the current renovations occurring at Sunrise Village. Hours for the new restaurant are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, according to a news release.
The shopping center at the northwest corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue has seen ongoing development beginning last year with JoAnn’s moving into a new space at the center last March. The middle section of the center that was formerly home to JoAnn Fabrics is now under construction with much of the parking lot fenced off and heavy equipment at the site.
Existing businesses at the center are all undergoing a face-lift as part of the project. A new unconfirmed grocery store will also join several new tenants in the plaza, according to leasing information. A City Sports gym will also be occupying a 36,000-square-foot space next to Rite Aid, although an opening date has not been announced.
Homes along Arcadia Drive in Citrus Heights are part of the new Mitchell Village housing development. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip—
Less than 20 homes remain available to buyers, just 18 months after the first model homes opened in the Mitchell Village housing development in Citrus Heights.
The three communities of Heritage, Canyon, and Oaks at Mitchell Village initially had a combined total of 260 units, development plans show. Regional Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for KB Home, Craig LeMessurier, told The Sentinel about 200 families call development home.
“The residents are enjoying their new homes and KB Home is proud to have delivered an amazing community in this prime location,” LeMessurier said, noting that some homes remain under construction.
Home prices range from the $460,000s to more than $600,000 in the 56-acre development, borders Arcadia Drive and Fair Oaks Boulevard. The development has transformed a former golf course into a community with three distinct housing models and a green space.
Canyon at Mitchell Village features three and four bedroom homes starting at $485,460. The square footage ranges from 1,500 to just under 1,800. Heritage at Mitchell Village offers 1,680 to 2,385-square-foot homes starting at $513,605. Oaks at Mitchell Village has homes available in the 1,432 to 2,233-square-foot range starting at $497,990.
The green space running through the center of the development was required to stay undeveloped due to a 100-year flood plain associated with Arcade Creek. Under an agreement with the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the undeveloped acreage now includes a meandering trail with five bridges and two soon-to-be play structure areas. The trail system will be managed by the parks district.
The trail will connect with a future 2.9-mile trail system the city is planning, documents show.
Paved trails through the area are nearing completion, however several access points from the development remain under construction during a recent visit by Sentinel staff.
“The trail system should be completed by end of year the parks will be finished in early 2023, weather permitting,” according to LeMessurier.
As previously reported, streets in the Mitchell Village development all feature names highlighting local history. For example, visitors turning off Fair Oaks Boulevard to enter the subdivision are met with a pair of new model homes on Neff Court.
The court’s name hails back to the Gold Rush Era, where D.S. Neff owned and operated the 17 Mile Road House on Auburn Boulevard, a once-popular teamster stop for those traveling from Sacramento to Auburn.
LeMessurier expects the last homes to be completed by next summer, inviting potential buyers to visit the model homes saying “the last handful won’t last long.”
A vacant building now sits where Teriyaki Land once operated at 8136 Auburn Blvd. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Investors looking for a small piece of commercial property along Auburn Boulevard can own a one-third acre lot with 80 feet of frontage on the main thoroughfare for $675,000.
The 1,246-square-foot building at 8136 Auburn Blvd., once home to Teriyaki Land, is now listed by Aborn Powers, according to commercial real estate site LoopNet. The property includes 20 parking spaces. The building was built in 1975, according to the listing.
Teriyaki Land operated out of the small, white building at the intersection of Rollingwood and Auburn Boulevard until August 2021, according to a previous report by The Sentinel. The business closed for unknown reasons.
Online reviews for the restaurant posted on Yelp were mixed, with both five-star and one-star reviews. Reviewers indicate the restaurant operated throughout the pandemic, offering delivery options.
The charred shell of an RV remains fenced off behind Hobby Lobby in Citrus Heights, as of Oct. 15, 2022. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip—
The charred shell of a motorhome destroyed in a Sept. 14 fire remains in a parking lot behind Hobby Lobby, as management struggles to find a company willing to move the vehicle.
The vehicle was a total loss after the fire, and Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said a few tow companies were called to the site, but the motorhome is too badly damaged to move. She is now seeking a salvage company that can remove the wreckage.
“I regret it is taking so long, but we are aware and are working with Hobby Lobby and the property owner to get it removed,” Carpenter said in a statement to The Sentinel Monday. “I’ve been researching and making calls but have a hit a wall.”
A chain link fence was installed around the vehicle to prevent people from entering the motorhome, according to Carpenter. The vehicle is unstable due to the fire damage as well as further vandalism that occurred after the fire, she said.
A representative for Hobby Lobby who spoke with The Sentinel Monday confirmed the vehicle is un-towable, and said he is working with Sunrise Marketplace to find a solution.
The Sentinel previously reported the vehicle’s only occupant was 69-year-old Ron Shank. Shank said he was at a grocery store when the fire broke out and did not know what caused the blaze. Shank said he is retired and was living in the vehicle as he traveled.
The vehicle was parked between two semi trucks in an area behind Hobby Lobby when the fire broke out.
Sentinel staff report–
The City of Citrus Heights announced Friday that an application was submitted last week that “lays out a footprint” for a potential hotel at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane.
“The proposed hotel land use at the 2.8-acre site supports the vision set forth in the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan to redevelop the 100-acre Sunrise Mall property into a mixed-use destination with multifamily residential, retail, entertainment, hospitality, office and community space,” the city said in its Oct. 14 announcement.
Specific details have not been released, and the application is the first step towards development of the site, with applicant Antioch Street Limited, LP, at this point only having submitted a tentative parcel map application. The city’s announcement said Antioch Street is in discussion with Presidio Companies, which has developed and operated hotels under Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott brands.
Presidio Managing Principal Guneet Bajwa said in a prepared statement included in the city’s announcement that “Citrus Heights has great market potential and the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan creates an opportunity for Presidio to tap into this key strategic location with the signature quality, destination-style product we are known for.”
City spokesman Elyjah Wilbur told The Sentinel that the application “requests subdivision of the existing parcel thereby creating new parcels that can be sold or leased for development.” He said the next steps will include “implementing entitlements such as a project design review application that lays out the specific site planning and architectural details, including the number of rooms and stories, amenities, landscape plans, elevations and branding.”
Wilbur also confirmed that the land use will not affect the US Bank at the corner of Sunrise and Greenback, with the hotel use proposed “for the surplus parking area of the eastern half of the parcel.”
Hotel plans have long been in the city’s vision for redeveloping Sunrise Mall, through its Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan to guide development.
The Sentinel previously reported the 289-page plan for Sunrise Tomorrow was developed at a cost of over $1 million to the city. The city has also footed the bill for an extensive Environmental Impact Report in an effort to make the property “shovel ready” and as attractive as possible to developers.
The plan envisions creating a walkable “21st Century Main Street,” with five big ideas guiding the plan: creating an economic engine, livable neighborhoods, streets for people, connected green spaces, and making the site a “community and regional destination.”
The four-phase plan is projected to cost $818 million, and take 20 years to be fully completed. Up to 2,200 multi-family residential units are included in the plan, along with 480 hotel rooms, 320,000-square-feet of retail, 960,000-square-feet of office/employment use, and 450,000-square-feet of community or institutional space.
The first phase aims to develop the unused parking areas over the next five years. The second phase is expected to incorporate office space, retail, dining, and an extended-stay hotel. The third and fourth phases include redeveloping the existing mall into a “21st Century Main Street.”
The City Council approved the Sunrise Tomorrow plan in November last year, with then-vice mayor Porsche Middleton calling the plan “bold,” “big,” and reflecting “the dreams of Citrus Heights.”
File photo, Blue Sky Auto Repair, at 7601 Greenback Ln. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip—
A Citrus Heights business owner says a thief stole several catalytic converters from his vehicle parked over night at his place of business.
Eric Bassett, owner of Blue Sky Auto Repair at 7601 Greenback Ln., says surveillance video shows a male individual working about two hours to remove all four catalytic converters from his Toyota Tundra. While many vehicles only have one, some models of Tundra reportedly have up to four catalytic converters.
“I think he was fairly inexperienced,” Bassett said. “Somebody who knew what they were doing, it shouldn’t take them that long.”
Basset says he contacted Citrus Heights police and provided a the surveillance video to authorities. Police Lt. Chad Morris confirmed that officers took a report of the incident on Sept. 28, but the investigation is suspended due to “a lack evidentiary of leads.”
Morris said police were not able to identify the man based on the video provided by Bassett.
Despite Bassett’s encounter, Morris says catalytic converter thefts are down overall in the city compared to the same time period last year.
From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 this year, police saw 129 catalytic converter theft reports compared with 198 for the same time period in 2021.
Thieves steal the exhaust part for the precious metals inside, Morris said. The parts are not numbered, making it difficult for police to identify victims and make arrests.
Gov. Gavin Newsom this year signed two bills aimed at curbing the underground market for catalytic converters. ABC10 reports the bills make it illegal to buy the parts from anyone other than a licensed dealer or dismantler, while also requiring buyers and sellers to keep records of the transactions. California leads the nation in catalytic converter thefts, according to the report.
Morris said parking a vehicle in a secure area that is well-lit can help deter thieves. Some automotive shops also offer services to further deter thieves by welding metal rods onto the part.
All of the recommended safety measures were in place on the night the incident occurred, Bassett said. The cost of replacing the parts can run between $9,000 and $13,000, he said. Others put the estimate around $6,000 to $7,000.
For Bassett, the most frustrating thing about the incident is the lack of response from passers by shown on the video.
“I think the most upsetting part for me was watching video, and I could see the guy,” Bassett said. “He was here for two hours. He went back and forth four or five times, and he was sitting under the truck right over here.”
“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard cutting metal, cutting pipe, it’s loud,” the owner said. “It’s three o’clock in the morning, and on the video I see people walking by, paying no attention, called no cops.”
Hector Alcazar, manager of El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant, stands outside after a fire damaged the building. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report–
Following repairs after a fire on Wednesday morning, El Tapatio Family Mexican Restaurant reopened its doors to diners Friday evening.
“After another long day of work alongside an excellent team of people both internally and externally we are thankful to announce that we will be reopening for Friday dinner service,” the restaurant said in a social media post at 1 a.m. Friday morning. “We can’t put into words the amount of love we’ve felt and received over the past 2 days.”
The restaurant later confirmed doors had reopened for dinner on Friday, Oct. 14, at 4 p.m.
As previously reported, a fire broke out in the rear of the restaurant around 7 a.m. on Oct. 12, with responding crews finding “heavy fire” coming off the back side of the building. The cause of the fire appeared to be a bin with “several oily rags” that spontaneously combusted, according to a fire captain at the scene.
Fire crews put hose lines in place and worked on the roof to prevent the fire from spreading to the rest of the building, with fire crews observed with chainsaws cutting holes in the roof to extinguish the blaze.
“We are forever grateful for our local firefighters, our excellent team of plumbers, electricians and fire restoration team!” the restaurant said on social media the day of the fire. “We strongly believe that in all negative times there are positives if you seek them, and we can not fathom the comments and love that we have received from our community!”
BeanHeads Coffee is located at the corner of San Juan Avenue and Sperry Drive, in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Those passing by the coffee shop at the corner of San Juan Avenue and Sperry Drive have found its doors closed during regular business hours in recent days, prompting questions as to the future of the establishment.
BeanHeads Coffee opened its doors in August 2021 at 6001 San Juan Ave., with owner Tim Snipes aspiring to make it the first craft coffee shop in Citrus Heights. On Monday morning, the doors were shut and a few pieces of mail were observed beginning to collect inside the door.
Asked in an email Monday if the location has permanently closed, or if the closure is temporary, Snipes said: “not sure yet.”
Snipes told The Sentinel previously that Citrus Heights was slated to be his first BeanHeads location, but he couldn’t pass on a Natomas opportunity when the previous owner retired and left a fully equipped coffee shop in a former Java City building.
Snipes has been in the coffee business since 2006, and has operated a coffee kiosk business model in local hospitals, according to a previous report by The Sentinel.
Geoffrey the Giraffe can be seen inside the Toys R Us section of Macy’s at Sunrise Mall. // S Williams
By Sara Beth Williams–
A long-cherished and popular national toy store will be holding its official grand opening later this month, with a week of celebration and giveaways inside Macy’s Women’s within the Sunrise Mall.
Toys R Us announced in 2021 that at least 400 locations across the United States planned to open inside Macy’s in a “store within a store” model throughout 2022. All in-store locations are expected to be open by Oct. 15, according to NPR news.
The Toys R Us official grand opening will begin Oct. 15, according to Macy’s Visual Captain Sydney Hammes, who is in charge of overseeing and setting up displays and signage across the local store. The nine-day-long grand opening celebration will include kids’ activities and giveaways, centering around Geoffrey the Giraffe’s birthday. Hammes said all the Toys R Us locations within all Macy’s locations will be holding similar activities between Oct. 15 and Oct 23.
The mall anchor retailer already has a well-stocked toy section with Toys R Us branding and fixtures visible in Macy’s Women’s at the Sunrise Mall.
“It’s a big Toys R Us event, we’re going to have music playing, we have Geoffrey on a bench here,” Hammes said. “I’m very happy Geoffrey is back.”
Giveaways will center around specific toy brands, with a different theme for each day. Specific themed days will include Barbie Day, Play Dough Day, Pokémon Day, LEGO Day, Geoffrey’s Birthday, and others. Themed displays and activities will be set up inside the Toys R Us section.
“I’m super excited about it. I was a Toys R Us kid back in the day,” Hammes said.
The national toy store brand filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and closed all of its locations, including the previous location at 7800 Greenback Ln. That building has since become a Hobby Lobby.
According to NPR news, the toy store’s merge with Macy’s is part of a partnership with WHP Global, which acquired the Toys R Us brand in March, 2021.
