What does it mean? Bright blue art engulfs concrete tower behind a Sacramento Safeway

Driving down Alhambra Boulevard you may notice a tall, circular tower behind Safeway — at night, you’ll see a vibrant blue grid attached to its outer walls.

Frank Ferreira asked Bee Curious, a community-driven series in which journalists answer reader questions about the building and the art it adorns. Here’s what we found:

What is the large concrete building near Safeway off Alhambra?

The tower is known as the Alhambra Reservoir. It was completed in 1937 as part of the Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” said Carlos Eliason, a spokesman for the city. The water tower belongs to the department of utilities and holds part of the city’s water supply.

The outer shell of the tower stands at 124 feet tall and can hold 3 million gallons of water in the top 35 feet of the tower, Eliason said.

Having the tower hold its water supply at the top, is so that it assists with water pressure.

“Holding water at an elevation gives you a certain amount of water pressure in the lines through the distribution system,” Eliason said. “Without getting too much into the science, basically you you get a certain amount of pressure, the higher up the water is actually held.

What does the art on the tower mean?

Throughout its history, the Alhambra water tower has showcased different public art. At one point there was a giant fly on it, Eliason said.

Artist Michael Bishop created the design featured now.

It’s difficult to see the artwork during the day, but in the dark, the tower is illuminated by vibrant blue lines that represent Sacramento.

The piece “is an abstract representation of the city grid and the waterways,” Eliason said.

Sacramento’s “grid” typically refers to the downtown and midtown neighborhoods. The city is at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers. The circle in the middle, Cap Radio reported in 2016, represents the tower itself.