Sneak Peak: Bringing a City’s History to Life

In Rancho Cordova, California, Mills Crossing, a 10-acre mixed-use development, embodies the city’s rich history and culture. The community drove the process and helped set clear goals around amenities that provide public value to the neighborhoods, support health and wellness and promote an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. And they wanted a center to call their own, reflecting their community and their heritage.

The new center features 56,000 square feet of community space across three buildings, including a health clinic, an arts center and performing arts space, and an event hall with small-tenant food and beverage space along the public corridor. The design ties the land, river and sky together, reflecting the city’s defining eras — the Gold Rush, winemaking and aerospace development. Public amenities serve the community in multiple ways, addressing the city’s health, arts, cultural and community priorities. Outdoor spaces, including a public plaza along Folsom Boulevard and a project green, are activated and varied, connecting people with nature and their neighbors.

The project underscores the city’s commitment to environmental resilience and preservation with energy-efficient buildings focused on passive systems to reduce fossil fuel use. Louvered screens, building canopies and glazing areas mitigate solar heat gain, aided by high-efficiency mechanical systems, recycled materials and photovoltaic systems. The strategies marry the design concept to the city’s broader sustainability ethos, creating a harmonious blend of historic narrative and environmental stewardship.