The M.A.Y. Building, located on the 1000 block of K Street between quintessential Sacramento icons The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and Crest Theatre, plays a key role in the continued K Street revitalization effort. Originally named the Mohr & Yoerk Building, it was built in 1910 as a meat market/grocery store on the ground floor, with apartments on the three stories above. Located in the bustling heart of Downtown Sacramento, the building went through ownership changes and reuse remodels roughly every two decades since. Its latest use has been as an office building with a brewpub on the ground floor. The building has since been registered as a state and city historic landmark, placing strict regulations on the degree to which the building could continue to be modified—and mandating the preservation of much of the building's original features.
The goal of owner-developer Sutter Capital Group and their architect, Craig Hausman, was to restore the building to its original purpose—transitioning the commercial offices into upscale apartments—and to peel back all of the layers of remodels and reuse over the decades, to reveal the building's original features, design, and heritage. The M.A.Y. Building, named in honor of the building's original owner and purpose—the Mohr & Yoerk Meat Company—does just that, while also providing an upscale living space with the modern conveniences and energy-efficient features of today. The M.A.Y. Building again boasts extensive, original, restored woodwork including crown molding throughout, picture rail, chair rail, and built-in cabinetry. Other original features that were restored include the marble-tiled lobby, original birdcage Otis elevator (the 2nd oldest elevator in operation in the city), winder-style staircase, a large central skylight, all windows, and the building's decorated brick exterior. The M.A.Y. Building brings a boost to the revitalization effort of K Street by bringing luxury housing to a once-blighted, several-block section of K Street.
The Gold Nugget Awards program draws thousands of commercial and residential project entries from around the world to recognize excellence in project design and development. Sutter Capital Group, Hausman Architecture, Ultimate Designs, and Brown Construction, Inc., received the highest honor, the Grand Award, for their work on The M.A.Y. Building. The Gold Nugget judges made special mention of Brown Construction in their decision, stating, "The judges commend the builder for their attention to detail in restoring and renovating this historic building back to its original use."
In addition to its city and state historic designations, The M.A.Y. Building is currently under review to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.
