SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[sandiego_urban]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51097072112_603e6996d2_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51096978331_14cb7c7b69_o.jpg

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[Andy-4-SD]

What's up, my name is Andy Kaiser. I assume many of you work in the commercial real estate space locally. I've been following this blog pretty much daily since I was in middle school... back when it was on page 350. Growing up in San Diego, I've always had a passion for real estate development and appreciate your guys' contributions that make this forum the peerless source for SD development news.

Now a decade later, I am completing my Masters of Finance & Real Estate in May 2021 from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and seeking opportunities in commercial real estate development here in San Diego. While 2 football championships in 4 years is nice, championship developments in downtown SD is what I seek to accomplish. Any advice for a newcomer entering the industry here in San Diego?

I want to put my name out there and network more with you all, please reach out to me if you're looking for new hires or would like to have a conversation. My LinkedIn is https://www.linkedin.com/in/andykaiser0/.

[SDfan]

What's up, my name is Andy Kaiser. I assume many of you work in the commercial real estate space locally. I've been following this blog pretty much daily since I was in middle school... back when it was on page 350. Growing up in San Diego, I've always had a passion for real estate development and appreciate your guys' contributions that make this forum the peerless source for SD development news.

Now a decade later, I am completing my Masters of Finance & Real Estate in May 2021 from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and seeking opportunities in commercial real estate development here in San Diego. While 2 football championships in 4 years is nice, championship developments in downtown SD is what I seek to accomplish. Any advice for a newcomer entering the industry here in San Diego?

I want to put my name out there and network more with you all, please reach out to me if you're looking for new hires or would like to have a conversation. My LinkedIn is https://www.linkedin.com/in/andykaiser0/.

Welcome! I too have been reading these threads since the 6th grade :)

I am not in commercial real estate, but Hughes Marino is probably SD's most experienced and locally based commercial real estate firm. I'd check them out and the orbit around them.

[Boatguy619]

Bankers Hill is getting more height and density. Picture taken the other day from Harbor Island. This tower will be the tallest in the area at 20 stories. It will be an even cooler approach into SAN splitting the skyline when it fills in more.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51093745738_c9d8f5d5af_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kQYNwE)2021-04-03_08-47-53 (https://flic.kr/p/2kQYNwE) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/29362128@N08/]

[Will O' Wisp]

What's up, my name is Andy Kaiser. I assume many of you work in the commercial real estate space locally. I've been following this blog pretty much daily since I was in middle school... back when it was on page 350. Growing up in San Diego, I've always had a passion for real estate development and appreciate your guys' contributions that make this forum the peerless source for SD development news.

Now a decade later, I am completing my Masters of Finance & Real Estate in May 2021 from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and seeking opportunities in commercial real estate development here in San Diego. While 2 football championships in 4 years is nice, championship developments in downtown SD is what I seek to accomplish. Any advice for a newcomer entering the industry here in San Diego?

I want to put my name out there and network more with you all, please reach out to me if you're looking for new hires or would like to have a conversation. My LinkedIn is https://www.linkedin.com/in/andykaiser0/.

Nice to meet you Andy. We've never done a general survey, but I get the general sense most of the people in these threads don't work directly in commercial real estate but rather in ancillary fields such as planning, engineering, or construction. Hard to say why, but I guess it can get boring to work all day and then come home to chat online about your work!

Getting a job in SD can be tricky, especially for a newbie. There can be a great deal of competition to live in a beach city :cool:
I've heard the City of SD might be opening up some positions in their Real Estate Dept in the May-June timeline for a July start date. The Dept has had some struggles in the recent past, but it's a decent place to work and the sheer range of properties they manage makes that sort of experience invaluable.

[SDfan]

Bankers Hill is getting more height and density. Picture taken the other day from Harbor Island. This tower will be the tallest in the area at 20 stories. It will be an even cooler approach into SAN splitting the skyline when it fills in more.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51093745738_c9d8f5d5af_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kQYNwE)2021-04-03_08-47-53 (https://flic.kr/p/2kQYNwE) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/29362128@N08/]

Love it. There is another 20+ story tower in the works in Banker's Hill, so more infill to come :cool:

[mhays]

Normally I'm skeptical of observation tower plans. But I like this one.

Some cities just put towers in boring spots, without having strong tourist crowds. Dallas' Reunion Tower is an example.

San Diego's would be a great location, with good crowds already within walking distance. There'd be cool stuff to look at in every direction. The waterfront point location would make it the symbol of the city and skyline.

The Olympic Torch concept looks better than the plates btw.

I do have a soft spot for Seaport Village though.

[BuildSanDiego]

I for one love the new rendering of the Sea Port tower. It's different and iconic. That's my opinion. Everywhere you go, you see all these towers that look alike. This is different and exciting. The only problem is the California Coastal Commission. Will they approve of the concept? That is the question. We all need to look outside the box.

[Andy-4-SD]

Welcome! I too have been reading these threads since the 6th grade :)

I am not in commercial real estate, but Hughes Marino is probably SD's most experienced and locally based commercial real estate firm. I'd check them out and the orbit around them.

That's awesome man, appreciate the advice. I have seen quite a bit about them and I know they're very active in the space.

[Andy-4-SD]

Nice to meet you Andy. We've never done a general survey, but I get the general sense most of the people in these threads don't work directly in commercial real estate but rather in ancillary fields such as planning, engineering, or construction. Hard to say why, but I guess it can get boring to work all day and then come home to chat online about your work!

Getting a job in SD can be tricky, especially for a newbie. There can be a great deal of competition to live in a beach city :cool:
I've heard the City of SD might be opening up some positions in their Real Estate Dept in the May-June timeline for a July start date. The Dept has had some struggles in the recent past, but it's a decent place to work and the sheer range of properties they manage makes that sort of experience invaluable.

Would be interesting to see what a survey would say. I'll look out for openings with the city, thanks for the pointer.

[SamFlood]

The Tower looks very Dr Seuss so it may be appropriate but something clean and classic stands the test of time. Space needle or the Stratosphere. At the end of the day its a tower not abstract art

[mello]

Drove by the large block long site bounded by Grape, State St, and Hawthorne yesterday. I noticed it had been all cleared 3 months ago, I did not see any earth moving equipment just a scraped lot. Anyone know whats going on there? It has a very large development approved for it, I remember the renderings from 3 years ago or so it was 7 floors at least and quite bulky.

Regarding Bankers Hill: With all the new things that have gone in the past 3 years it kind of feels like a mini West LA strip of residential buildings. The lot behind Evolution Vegan at 5th and Quince is a perfect spot for a tower been empty for 12 years at least. Oh there is also a new crane up on a very tiny parcel in BH with no underground parking??? Not sure what is is going to be maybe a tall thin residential similar to the one at Texas and EC Blvd with no parking due to City's new ordinance.

[unpermitted_variance]

Drove by the large block long site bounded by Grape, State St, and Hawthorne yesterday. I noticed it had been all cleared 3 months ago, I did not see any earth moving equipment just a scraped lot. Anyone know whats going on there? It has a very large development approved for it, I remember the renderings from 3 years ago or so it was 7 floors at least and quite bulky.



According to the city's development map, the site is "pending completion of building plans."

Article with renderings from 2017, looks pretty nice. Hope they keep the color.

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/sep/05/stringers-two-nine-story-buildings-little-italy/

https://media.sandiegoreader.com/img/photos/2017/09/05/State__Grape_hotel_t720.jpg?5755a55b677da5dfc6c8e05d88cfbaffe8abac5c

https://media.sandiegoreader.com/img/photos/2017/09/05/Columbia__Hawthorn_hotel_t720.jpg?5755a55b677da5dfc6c8e05d88cfbaffe8abac5c

[bgrapes]

-

[SDCAL]

Would be interesting to see what a survey would say. I'll look out for openings with the city, thanks for the pointer.

Welcome to the forum, Andy! This is a public forum and I think people on here are from a wide variety of backgrounds. I, for example, don’t have any professional connection to real estate, development, etc, and I just live downtown and like keeping up with the projects. I am in science/biotech and am particularly interested in some biotech moving from LJ/Sorrento Valley area to downtown, like they are planning to do at the Manchester site. I’m curious to see what that will look like as far as lab space, etc. Best of luck to you in your career. Don’t forget to come in here and give us the scoop on things once you get hired ;)

BTW, check out Alexandria real estate if you’re interested in biotech at all. They are in SD and other major hubs and specialize in high-end science focused spaces. Just did a large renovation in Torrey Pines area on a campus there. Their website has some career openings here in sd

https://www.are.com/

[sandiego_urban]

Haha I hear you. But the folks I am working with are very influential downtown civic leaders and power brokers and they've made clear to me an additional 150-250 feet is a top priority for them in the next CPU. Whatever avenues may get them that additional height will be explored and taken.

And yes, working on FAR too. Also looking at minimum FAR requirments downtown as well so we can stop wasting blocks on mid rise crap.
Below is an article by Lou Hirsh of Costar from January confirming what is said above. It looks like the raised height limits will also impact development around Miramar (UTC) and Montgomery Field (Kearny Mesa). :tup:

San Diego Relaxes Zoning Standards Impacting Development Under Flight Paths

By Lou Hirsh
CoStar News
January 15, 2021 | 5:19 P.M.

San Diego City Council has approved a change in zoning codes that relax density and other restrictions for certain projects placed under airport flight paths, as the city looks to boost development of affordable housing.

The changes, recommended last year by the Planning Commission, include relaxing the current 500-foot height limit for projects placed in some parts of downtown San Diego that are not directly underneath the path of planes traveling to and from the nearby San Diego International Airport.

The regional San Diego County Airport Authority has traditionally enforced the 500-foot restriction for all of downtown, based on guidelines from the Federal Aviation Administration, but the city has sometimes granted exceptions that came into conflict with the Airport Authority during times when flight paths were changed.

The city has ultimate authority on downtown project densities in flight paths, but generally must assume increased liability in cases where it overrules the Airport Authority on a project.

After receiving input from the development community, city planners last year moved to streamline certain building codes to help developers avoid conflicting policies enforced by various government entities with input on downtown development, including city, county, federal and port district boards.

Developers have also called for policies to relax density, height and other restrictions near the airport, in order to build higher density projects on otherwise underutilized parcels in certain high-demand areas of downtown. City planners also see denser and larger projects as an effective way to increase the stock of affordable housing in the region.

The San Diego Housing Federation estimates that the region has a deficit of 140,000 housing units that are affordable to working families, due largely to severe under-construction relative to rising demand over the past 20 years.

A proposed $900 million housing bond measure on the November ballot, which sought to build at least 7,500 new affordable units throughout the city, fell short of the required two-thirds approval from voters. However, voters did approve removal of a 30-foot height limit in the city’s Midway District neighborhood, clearing the way for future high-density residential projects near the aging San Diego Sports Arena.

According to a city staff report, the changes approved this week by City Council also allow for denser and potentially taller developments near two city-owned airports used primarily by smaller craft: Montgomery Field in Kearny Mesa and Brown Field in Otay Mesa.

Approved flight-path-related changes could also bring larger developments to the area around Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in the city’s Miramar neighborhood, though the federal government has a say in projects placed near military bases.



https://www.pacificcoastcommercial.com/post/san-diego-relaxes-zoning-standards-impacting-development-under-flight-paths

[sandiego_urban]

In addition to the Gaylord Project, it looks like the CV waterfront is finally starting to take off. I don't have full access to the article below, but it mentions construction of Amara Bay by Pacifica Cos. will be starting in the coming months.

[https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51103615828_57ba8f3522_c.jpg

https://www.costar.com/article/1876040484/rv-park-condos-hotels-arriving-on-long-empty-chula-vista-waterfront

[superfishy]

Being primarily a lurker on here, thanks for the updates everyone.

Do you guys think it may be time for a new SD development thread soon? its becoming increasingly hard to keep up with the status of new developments, at least for me..

[Andy-4-SD]

Welcome to the forum, Andy! This is a public forum and I think people on here are from a wide variety of backgrounds. I, for example, don’t have any professional connection to real estate, development, etc, and I just live downtown and like keeping up with the projects. I am in science/biotech and am particularly interested in some biotech moving from LJ/Sorrento Valley area to downtown, like they are planning to do at the Manchester site. I’m curious to see what that will look like as far as lab space, etc. Best of luck to you in your career. Don’t forget to come in here and give us the scoop on things once you get hired ;)

BTW, check out Alexandria real estate if you’re interested in biotech at all. They are in SD and other major hubs and specialize in high-end science focused spaces. Just did a large renovation in Torrey Pines area on a campus there. Their website has some career openings here in sd

https://www.are.com/

Thanks! Biotech in San Diego is exciting to watch right now. Lots of young talent, your "yuppies", live downtown, so it makes sense to offer places to work there as well. Alexandria and IQHQ are both interesting players to watch in the biotech development space.

[HurricaneHugo]

Being primarily a lurker on here, thanks for the updates everyone.

Do you guys think it may be time for a new SD development thread soon? its becoming increasingly hard to keep up with the status of new developments, at least for me..

We need someone to create it and give a rundown on all the major projects in the pipeline.

I'm too lazy for it so...:D

[Andy-4-SD]

In addition to the Gaylord Project, it looks like the CV waterfront is finally starting to take off. I don't have full access to the article below, but it mentions construction of Amara Bay by Pacifica Cos. will be starting in the coming months.

[https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51103615828_57ba8f3522_c.jpg

https://www.costar.com/article/1876040484/rv-park-condos-hotels-arriving-on-long-empty-chula-vista-waterfront

Projects set to begin construction in coming months on the 550-acre Chula Vista waterfront site include Pacifica Companies' Amara Bay, with up to 1,500 residential condos, a hotel, offices and retail. (Pacifica Companies)
By Lou Hirsh
CoStar News

March 27, 2021 | 6:42 AM
The first pieces of a long-sought, multiphase development of the Chula Vista, California, waterfront are falling into place, with an RV resort park opening next month and a 1,500-unit condominium complex set to break ground early next year on one of the state’s last large swaths of coastal land still available for new projects.

“The community of Chula Vista actually really wants to see something done there,” said Ryley Webb, land development manager for San Diego-based developer Pacifica Companies, during an online conference hosted by the University of San Diego’s Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate on March 25.

The condo units are part of Pacifica Companies’ mixed-use Amara Bay project, which is also planned to include a 250-room hotel and 420,000 square feet of office and retail. Developers see the 35-acre project as a way to contribute relatively affordable new housing to the South Bay area and deal with a longtime housing shortage in San Diego County.

Amara Bay has so far avoided the backlash from neighboring residents and environmentalists that met other high-density projects put forward in the county in recent years by other residential developers.

Webb said this is partly because Chula Vista residents have long been looking for new development to replace older waterfront buildings that served as electric generation plants and aircraft production facilities, but subsequently were demolished after going unused for decades.

“They want that bayfront to be something special, so if anything, we actually got community assistance in getting these projects moved forward,” Webb said of the Chula Vista response to Amara Bay.

He added that Pacifica is considering renegotiating its development agreement with the city and port district to eventually include rental apartments at Amara Bay, which is expected to be completed over the next three years.

Developers said construction is also expected to move forward in 2022 on the 550-acre waterfront’s planned centerpiece feature, a $1.1 billion Gaylord resort and conference center being planned by Houston-based RIDA Development. Over the next decade, several developers are looking to put new hotels, restaurants, offices and housing on one of the state’s largest pieces of coastal land still available for development.

For more than two decades, planners with the city of Chula Vista and regional Port of San Diego have been looking to introduce commercial, civic and recreational elements to the waterfront.

City and port officials last month finalized arrangements for the public financing portion of the Gaylord hotel project, which was approved in 2018 and includes a 1,600-room hotel and 275,000 square feet of convention space, slated for completion in 2025 on a 36.5-acre site.

Port officials said the $328 million public tab comes with future revenue sharing with the developer. It would be financed through a combination of revenue bonds and a 5.5% tax on hotel room bills.

Elsewhere on the waterfront site, developer Sun Communities has an April 1 opening planned for Costa Vista RV Resort Park, a $55 million project that includes 225 recreational-vehicle spaces, an on-site pool, entertainment arcade and business center. Local officials said the RV park is the first new commercial project completed on the Chula Vista waterfront in nearly 40 years.

[aekrid]

Crane is up on 220 W Broadway.
https://i.imgur.com/aLP5yd3.jpg?1

[Streamliner]

A court ruling just came out allowing the height limits to be extended from 45 feet to 65 feet in the area surrounding the Morena Boulevard Trolley stop and an increase to 100 feet near the (currently u/c) Tecolote Trolley stop.

[unpermitted_variance]

A court ruling just came out allowing the height limits to be extended from 45 feet to 65 feet in the area surrounding the Morena Boulevard Trolley stop and an increase to 100 feet near the (currently u/c) Tecolote Trolley stop.

Here's the U-T article: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-04-15/ruling-clears-way-for-high-rise-housing-along-new-morena-boulevard-trolley-line?_amp=true


This is excellent news; in its current state, the trolley stations along Morena Boulevard have fairly abysmal population within their walksheds. The NIMBYs will hate this but it will be great to see some serious density start to happen along the Morena corridor.

[mello]

I'm confused is this the height limit being raised along the entire Morena corridor to Clairemont Dr? Or just around the Morena and Tecolote stops? This area could add quite a bit of density if it was lined with 50 to 65 foot residential along the entire strip.

[unpermitted_variance]

I'm confused is this the height limit being raised along the entire Morena corridor to Clairemont Dr? Or just around the Morena and Tecolote stops? This area could add quite a bit of density if it was lined with 50 to 65 foot residential along the entire strip.

I believe this affects the areas within the Balboa Station Specific Plan (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/balboa_station_area_specific_plan_september_2019.pdf) and Morena Corridor Specific Plan. (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/morena_corridor_specific_plan_1.pdf)

Here are the proposed land use maps for each showing the boundaries of the plan areas:

Morena Corridor Specific Plan

https://i.imgur.com/eh15qaB.png

Balboa Station Area Specific Plan

https://i.imgur.com/GxsjFOB.png

It upzones the strip along Morena, but leaves most of the single-family land untouched. Could have added a lot more density, but this is probably what was politically feasible. The NIMBYism in that area is surprisingly strong for what seems to be a pretty marginal neighborhood.

Someone more knowledgeable of SD planning could correct me if I'm wrong on any of this of course; the article is pretty vague about what exactly this court ruling affects.

[Streamliner]

I believe this affects the areas within the Balboa Station Specific Plan (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/balboa_station_area_specific_plan_september_2019.pdf) and Morena Corridor Specific Plan. (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/morena_corridor_specific_plan_1.pdf)

Here are the proposed land use maps for each showing the boundaries of the plan areas:

It upzones the strip along Morena, but leaves most of the single-family land untouched. Could have added a lot more density, but this is probably what was politically feasible. The NIMBYism in that area is surprisingly strong for what seems to be a pretty marginal neighborhood.

Someone more knowledgeable of SD planning could correct me if I'm wrong on any of this of course; the article is pretty vague about what exactly this court ruling affects.

I think you're right about the Morena Community Plan Update. I think there was litigation trying to hold that up, but that's what just got cleared (Tecolote Station/Morena Station are within that plan area). I don't think there were issues with the Balboa Station Specific Plan though.

[unpermitted_variance]

I think you're right about the Morena Community Plan Update. I think there was litigation trying to hold that up, but that's what just got cleared (Tecolote Station/Morena Station are within that plan area). I don't think there were issues with the Balboa Station Specific Plan though.


From the U-T article:


A legal effort to block a separate new growth blueprint for neighborhoods farther north on the new trolley line also was unsuccessful.

That lawsuit, filed by Friends of Rose Creek, was about a plan to allow projects with significantly greater numbers of housing units per acre in northeastern Pacific Beach. It also was dismissed.


It was a challenge to the city’s Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan. The lawsuit filed by Morena United was a challenge to the Morena Corridor Specific Plan.

...

The plan affecting northeastern Pacific Beach covers 210 acres and aims to transform the area from an auto-oriented commercial corridor into a dense residential village surrounding the new trolley station.

It increases the number of housing units allowed in the area from 1,221 to 4,729. That’s a near quadrupling of what current zoning allows, and six times the 763 housing units already there.

[unpermitted_variance]

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f966b05/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2160+0+0/resize/840x473!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fc1%2Fa296f25649c8918e01092aa5b173%2Fgc-02.jpg
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-21/san-diegos-grand-central-station-moving-forward

The SPAWAR "Grand Central Station" plan is moving forward. Not sure about the buildings/heights involved (still very early in the process) but the transit implications are interesting. It's a huge amount of money to spend on a shiny project that will not go very far to fix the city's car dependency (although what will?) However, the enhanced airport connection is a very good idea, albeit imperfect considering it still requires a transfer from any other transit route.

This could also mean that the current Old Town station site and its parking lots could be redeveloped in the future, as well as many adjacent parcels that had their coastal height limits recently removed. Could be interesting to keep an eye on, but I'm wary of Hasan Ikhrata's big promises on this one.

[SDfan]

Was just downtown, and fencing is up at 800 Broadway. They got a demo tractor there too.

Property details: https://www.loopnet.com/listing/800-e-broadway-san-diego-ca/9925012/

[colemonkee]

^ It's like a mini Aqua. Not too shabby!

[HurricaneHugo]

Horton Plaza is nothing but bones now

This is where the 24 hour fitness waas

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l9L73ANDZPaSnfhNkrRzXU868PO1Wlo3oUO6a38y668si-48QT9hdTCqhEUzkZYbfxvt0vYSiVoSPybEdvjUF4AYE1voQ44fwbduW4nH4DQiS6Ds0L-PVqgs6SxESSN8_QG5J9hRh4QwG-G2PO5IV3qZz7FxHdTrsQNugHOc7KupL7Dex0tw6BiWHlxgFmqBdAsNDZ_7x-l2pTi63elg7RxfG2aWXcVHScmaY_DqsQEtcu_WKTMzeWyxSTP-dvBMxO7mjGq0YtsJUL8xiYEOTnN62-UvIJwQBn7_XtBoY02jLKg2l4fIgFeYmYg0_r3RBeSfU4oCSFXBAbhq-tVhWUFSYs2e6hcH2T-ONe5C_DPNcWaZwtVbYSratSpf3xVCWeI7V4EvBWfExWeO9c_7fR-VA9TKznwaM9JighDu17JVBhTcRS3hJDhWKuSor_-Tsuq5nRBXhpIGckd2mbC2GEhiJyaGryGazGavWn3nOb9Iwoa_CnDLJuJcjhlT6EKVDTMHRLirXjaAjU0t5BcsLEnp-sU72e2tuXYbTVB-O9mf6IMGhYyA50xn_goILqAOnA9f6lYpRNOrp5q8ygRmTUwywrOKh6Kdq7JFbfxXip4mLdrLs5Szk4DJyXwNxAmN8VVEoG_ZPdQu1XSzpUp7Xcwi2WPKcEthH9el7U_x5VZEmA1pbh-2nte48ynu461rGBTL6Y6dJP3r8aAo8bCywNd8=w1204-h903-no?authuser=0

[SamFlood]

Demo started on Broadway Navy building



https://coolsandiegosights.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/00-img_9962z.jpg

https://coolsandiegosights.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/01-img_9987z.jpg

photos courtesy https://coolsandiegosights.com/

[mello]

Nice with 800 Broadway finally moving forward we will have a nice cluster, forming a square actually, of height in the Eastern Core. Bosa Block, Symphony towers and Vantage Pointe!! Kind of becoming our own little version of Bunker Hill in DTLA. Who is the developer on this one again?

Fingers crossed waiting on announcement of 7th/Market!!🤞

[Will O' Wisp]

https://coolsandiegosights.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/00-img_9962z.jpg


Damn, look at those outside walls and floors. That's gotta be 2-3 solid feet of reinforced concrete.

This AMG demo crew is certainly earning their pay.

[dl3000]

Damn, look at those outside walls and floors. That's gotta be 2-3 solid feet of reinforced concrete.

This AMG demo crew is certainly earning their pay.

They must be making serious money because they also are demoing the Midway Post Office, which is another concrete fortress. I hope they can recycle all that aggregate and steel.

[HurricaneHugo]

Plan would transform car-centric El Cajon Blvd into pedestrian-friendly area

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-04-26/new-plan-would-transform-car-centric-el-cajon-boulevard-into-vibrant-pedestrian-friendly-area

[mello]

I saw two new projects breaking ground while driving between the 805 and Park Blvd yesterday. One where the old Poker Room just west of the Water Tower was torn down, it has digging equipment on site. Another a bit west of Texas St is an obvious active construction site beginning a project.

At Ohio St (or Illinois always get the two confused) there has been a lot cleared now for 4 to 5 months that had outdated structures on it so I'm assuming construction will be beginning soon.

Still waiting for all those crappy used car dealerships East of the 805 on EC to start being replaced with infill, frankly I'm surprised no projects have gone in on that stretch only a self storage facility.

[TimeToBuild]

http://https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-27/bullet-dodged-350m-california-theatre-project-on-track-to-replace-decaying-building-with-condos-hotel (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-27/bullet-dodged-350m-california-theatre-project-on-track-to-replace-decaying-building-with-condos-hotel)

FINALLY!

[SDCAL]

Fingers crossed waiting on announcement of 7th/Market!!🤞

I have been waiting for an announcement from them for 6 years.

Is there supposed to be one coming ??

[Eightball]

A court ruling just came out allowing the height limits to be extended from 45 feet to 65 feet in the area surrounding the Morena Boulevard Trolley stop and an increase to 100 feet near the (currently u/c) Tecolote Trolley stop.

still seems awfully short ... why not 130 ft at least? :tup:

[Streamliner]

http://https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-27/bullet-dodged-350m-california-theatre-project-on-track-to-replace-decaying-building-with-condos-hotel (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-27/bullet-dodged-350m-california-theatre-project-on-track-to-replace-decaying-building-with-condos-hotel)

FINALLY!

Bullet dodged? $350M California Theatre project on track to replace decaying building with condos, hotel

City Council OKs construction permits despite objections from affordable housing proponents contesting the developer’s plan to build seven, income-restricted condos
Jennifer Van Grove
April 27, 2021
San Diego Union-Tribune
(https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-04-27/bullet-dodged-350m-california-theatre-project-on-track-to-replace-decaying-building-with-condos-hotel)
https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6a5a619/2147483647/strip/true/crop/704x822+0+0/resize/840x981!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa1%2F51%2Ff7f323af4ed59ae8f76eded13705%2Fcalifornia-theatre-main.png

The Melbourne, Australia developer seeking to replace downtown’s decaying California Theatre with a 41-story, boutique hotel and condo tower successfully sidestepped an effort by affordable housing proponents to invalidate the project’s permits.

Tuesday, the City Council OK’d the permits with district representatives voting unanimously to affirm a February decision by San Diego’s Planning Commission.

The decision came in spite of dozens of public testimonials challenging the commission’s earlier determination. Several council members also expressed reticence at signing off on a housing project in which just 2 percent of the for-sale units, or seven condos, will be set aside for buyers making 100 percent of the area’s median income.

...

The project’s construction timeline is dependent on financing, the developer said.

[mello]

The project’s construction timeline is dependent on financing, the developer said.

Hmm so this whole time they still don't have financing or do the banksters have to see that the city will let you build first i.e. "construction permits"?

I was super excited about the article but looks like this gorgeous tower still isn't a sure thing as it hasn't secured financing yet. Lets hope they were just waiting on this ruling and already had a lender ready to roll.

[Streamliner]

The project’s construction timeline is dependent on financing, the developer said.

Hmm so this whole time they still don't have financing or do the banksters have to see that the city will let you build first i.e. "construction permits"?

I was super excited about the article but looks like this gorgeous tower still isn't a sure thing as it hasn't secured financing yet. Lets hope they were just waiting on this ruling and already had a lender ready to roll.

Yeah I'm hoping it was just a "let's give them a generic quote because we don't want to provide any concrete timelines", but I'm also being optimistic on this one because I love the design.

[SDfan]

The CA theater project will get built. They are a very reputable developer, and had strong trades union backing. With interest rates as low as they are, and folks in the upper classes dumping money into real estate, we should see the one go up in the coming year.

[SDCAL]

The CA theater project will get built. They are a very reputable developer, and had strong trades union backing. With interest rates as low as they are, and folks in the upper classes dumping money into real estate, we should see the one go up in the coming year.

If interest rates are low and folks in upper class dumping money into real estate, why can’t 7th/market get off the ground?

Is Cisterra reputable?

I ask this out of frustration and genuine curiosity, I’ve been following downtown developments for nearly two decades and that site has been planning a project since I first started following.

[Will O' Wisp]

If interest rates are low and folks in upper class dumping money into real estate, why can’t 7th/market get off the ground?

Is Cisterra reputable?

I ask this out of frustration and genuine curiosity, I’ve been following downtown developments for nearly two decades and that site has been planning a project since I first started following.

Remember what he said about "strong trades union backing"? Take a guess what 7th & Market most definitely does not have.

[SDfan]

Remember what he said about "strong trades union backing"? Take a guess what 7th & Market most definitely does not have.

yup :grumpycat:

[mello]

So securing financing is partly based on having union support? The court case with 7th and Market was cleared two years ago so how are unions still affecting the green light on Cisterra's project now?

Another thing I just thought of, Bosa is holding off on his ready to go semi twin to Pacific Gate because he feels demand for high rise condos is quite soft and is still trying to sell out Savina and PG.
Contrast this with CA Theatre, it's in a waaay less desirable part of DT than Bosa's site yet they think they can sell luxury condos there.... What do you guys think. :shrug:

[Will O' Wisp]

So securing financing is partly based on having union support? The court case with 7th and Market was cleared two years ago so how are unions still affecting the green light on Cisterra's project now?

Another thing I just thought of, Bosa is holding off on his ready to go semi twin to Pacific Gate because he feels demand for high rise condos is quite soft and is still trying to sell out Savina and PG.
Contrast this with CA Theatre, it's in a waaay less desirable part of DT than Bosa's site yet they think they can sell luxury condos there.... What do you guys think. :shrug:

You have to look at this from the perspective of an institutional investor. Investors hate uncertainty. They don't want to spend years or even decades sitting on a fat stack of cash when it could be invested and making them more money. They want to know exactly when their money will be needed and how much, so they can arrange for the funds to be available then and keep them working beforehand.

This is where 90% of NIMBY and trade union power comes from. If a developer is determined, and city leaders approve, the project will get built eventually. But "community opposition" can create a cloud of uncertainty for investors. Will someone file a CEQA lawsuit? They'll probably lose, but there's a good chance a judge will file a stop-work order if there's even an outside possibility there really was something left out of the EIR. And what if there was? No way of knowing that for certain, and if there was that resets the whole environmental process. What if they lobby city council to get the project killed? In San Diego that generally doesn't work, but you can never really know with politicians. What if they start a protest in front of your future construction site and construction partner decides the bad press isn't worth it? And so on and so on...

If a project's schedule might randomly shift by 2-10 years, an investor just isn't going to make a commitment until that uncertainty is reduced. They're going to wait until the environmental process is complete (including resolving any CEQA challenges), the building permits are secured, and city hall has given their stamp of approval. But then, their money is still invested in other things so it will take time to pull it out of that and bring it to bear on your new development. Hence why you often see a 2-3 year wait after a controversial project gets its final approvals and the funding is completely secured/construction begins.

By the by, Bosa said demand for waterfront high rise condos is soft. Aka the ultra-high premium market. CA theater's condos will be expensive, but not "we're going to throw in an on-demand car and driver service for no extra charge" level of expensive like Pacific Gate. Still room for growth there I'm guessing.

[SDCAL]

You have to look at this from the perspective of an institutional investor. Investors hate uncertainty. They don't want to spend years or even decades sitting on a fat stack of cash when it could be invested and making them more money. They want to know exactly when their money will be needed and how much, so they can arrange for the funds to be available then and keep them working beforehand.

This is where 90% of NIMBY and trade union power comes from. If a developer is determined, and city leaders approve, the project will get built eventually. But "community opposition" can create a cloud of uncertainty for investors. Will someone file a CEQA lawsuit? They'll probably lose, but there's a good chance a judge will file a stop-work order if there's even an outside possibility there really was something left out of the EIR. And what if there was? No way of knowing that for certain, and if there was that resets the whole environmental process. What if they lobby city council to get the project killed? In San Diego that generally doesn't work, but you can never really know with politicians. What if they start a protest in front of your future construction site and construction partner decides the bad press isn't worth it? And so on and so on...

If a project's schedule might randomly shift by 2-10 years, an investor just isn't going to make a commitment until that uncertainty is reduced. They're going to wait until the environmental process is complete (including resolving any CEQA challenges), the building permits are secured, and city hall has given their stamp of approval. But then, their money is still invested in other things so it will take time to pull it out of that and bring it to bear on your new development. Hence why you often see a 2-3 year wait after a controversial project gets its final approvals and the funding is completely secured/construction begins.

By the by, Bosa said demand for waterfront high rise condos is soft. Aka the ultra-high premium market. CA theater's condos will be expensive, but not "we're going to throw in an on-demand car and driver service for no extra charge" level of expensive like Pacific Gate. Still room for growth there I'm guessing.

This is all general, but for 7th/Market specifically are you saying unions are what’s still holding-up the project? If so, what do they want exactly? As Mello stated, that was litigated 2 years ago and Cisterra supposedly has had full entitlements with only the funding holding it up. Are unions still engaged in some sort of litigation or threats? You mention investors being turned off by community opposition, I live in the neighborhood and people seem positive about this project, it’s been a surface lot for over 2 decades. Also, a lot of cities that have far stronger unions than San Diego manage to get things built a lot quicker.

[TimeToBuild]

This is all general, but for 7th/Market specifically are you saying unions are what’s still holding-up the project? If so, what do they want exactly? As Mello stated, that was litigated 2 years ago and Cisterra supposedly has had full entitlements with only the funding holding it up. Are unions still engaged in some sort of litigation or threats? You mention investors being turned off by community opposition, I live in the neighborhood and people seem positive about this project, it’s been a surface lot for over 2 decades. Also, a lot of cities that have far stronger unions than San Diego manage to get things built a lot quicker.

My takeaway is that because the unions held up the project it effectively restarted the financing rounds which delayed things beyond the end date of litigation by a year or so. AND then the pandemic hit/coupled with an election year creating a whirlwind of uncertainty. This uncertainty compounded by a significant part of the project relying on a five star hotel/residences. A lot of projections suggest we won't be back on track with our tourism/tradeshow/convention industry for another 4 or 5 years. So my bet is those financing this project or thinking about financing it will want it to align with that timeline. Meaning breaking ground sometime in 2022 or 2023 to open in ca. 2025

[Will O' Wisp]

My takeaway is that because the unions held up the project it effectively restarted the financing rounds which delayed things beyond the end date of litigation by a year or so. AND then the pandemic hit/coupled with an election year creating a whirlwind of uncertainty. This uncertainty compounded by a significant part of the project relying on a five star hotel/residences. A lot of projections suggest we won't be back on track with our tourism/tradeshow/convention industry for another 4 or 5 years. So my bet is those financing this project or thinking about financing it will want it to align with that timeline. Meaning breaking ground sometime in 2022 or 2023 to open in ca. 2025

Said it better than I could've :tup:

[Northparkwizard]

Jonathan Segal's proposed high rise in Little Italy on Union between Cedar and Date.

https://i.imgur.com/mAOdQuk.png

[mello]

Notes on 7th/Market: The Ritz Carlton is only about 25 max 30% of the project its just the upper floor section. Most of it is residential and office space. If it broke ground now it would open in late 23 early 24. By then we should have a lot of that biotech office space online so more high end business travel could fill those rooms.

Even if tourism/convention biz is only at 70% of pre CV levels in early 24 this is a small and unique property as it will be the only 5 star hotel in DT so it has a decent shot
at staying full.

Question: What is up with East Village Green Park that was supposed to have started construction last year anyone heard any updates?

[unpermitted_variance]

Jonathan Segal's proposed high rise in Little Italy on Union between Cedar and Date.


Where'd you find this? Can't find any info anywhere.

As to be expected with Jonathan Segal, it's a sleek and refined looking project; I love how skinny it is. Unfortunately it would probably mean the demolition of another historic house in the neighborhood, which I hate to see. Would much rather have the parking lot next door redeveloped.

[Northparkwizard]

Where'd you find this? Can't find any info anywhere.

As to be expected with Jonathan Segal, it's a sleek and refined looking project; I love how skinny it is. Unfortunately it would probably mean the demolition of another historic house in the neighborhood, which I hate to see. Would much rather have the parking lot next door redeveloped.

https://www.instagram.com/jonathansegalfaia

[SDCAL]

My takeaway is that because the unions held up the project it effectively restarted the financing rounds which delayed things beyond the end date of litigation by a year or so. AND then the pandemic hit/coupled with an election year creating a whirlwind of uncertainty. This uncertainty compounded by a significant part of the project relying on a five star hotel/residences. A lot of projections suggest we won't be back on track with our tourism/tradeshow/convention industry for another 4 or 5 years. So my bet is those financing this project or thinking about financing it will want it to align with that timeline. Meaning breaking ground sometime in 2022 or 2023 to open in ca. 2025

Thanks, this does make sense. I just hope it doesn’t get scrapped, I agree the pandemic threw a huge curveball into it. I think they were close to breaking ground right before that hit.

Re: Johnathan Segal project in LI - love the sleek design!!

[SamFlood]

Tower on 6th

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51169852949_38b221ec86_b.jpg


more Navy demo

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51169072521_066c17c05f_b.jpg

[mello]

From a distance in Midway area or so this tower looks significantly taller than the 14 floor one next to it that was completed 2 years ago. It also doesn't look like its ready to top out I'm wondering if the developer is sneaking in some extra floors because it is supposed to be 20. It looks much higher than a 6 floor difference to its neighbor. Maybe it has 12 to 14 foot ceilings or something rather than the standard 9 ft. :shrug:

[gjime196]

so close to the runway. For Real?!

[Nv_2897]

Front Street Tower
It seems that there are plans in the works for a 21 story office tower behind the Sofia Hotel.
Project Completion: TBD (In the works)
https://www.rios.com/projects/front-street-tower/
https://i.imgur.com/w1Zc4Uk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pponXeO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2gTeiYy.jpg

[Streamliner]

Tower on 6th

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51169852949_38b221ec86_b.jpg


Where is this one located? I can't pinpoint it on a map

[Streamliner]

--
(Oops, somehow posted twice. I only average like 20 posts a year so give me this one)

[Streamliner]

Front Street Tower
It seems that there are plans in the works for a 21 story office tower behind the Sofia Hotel.
Project Completion: TBD (In the works)
https://www.rios.com/projects/front-street-tower/
https://i.imgur.com/w1Zc4Uk.jpg

Wow, this would be great to see. I want more office space downtown, so if they think the demand is/will be there, good.

Design-wise, it evokes the demolished mid-Century Courthouse building that used to exist right across the street. Makes for some visual interest instead of a simple glass box.

[SamFlood]

Where is this one located? I can't pinpoint it on a map

6th and Olive.

https://goo.gl/maps/c13WsGNfZRJqNMMP7

[dirt patch]

The project’s construction timeline is dependent on financing, the developer said.

Hmm so this whole time they still don't have financing or do the banksters have to see that the city will let you build first i.e. "construction permits"?

I was super excited about the article but looks like this gorgeous tower still isn't a sure thing as it hasn't secured financing yet. Lets hope they were just waiting on this ruling and already had a lender ready to roll.Cash is king. Lenders are kings!!!! Only ones that can break ground: Bosa, Pinnacles, and Holland-very deep pocketed developers. Rest: no need apply

[dirt patch]

Construction costs are very high and market is pretty much saturated with high end residences. Not as many high rises will break ground downtown in the next few years. Still, several may still break ground due to deep pockets.

[Will O' Wisp]

There's more opportunities for funding than your conventional economics might indicate. Every government on the planet just spent a year throwing off money, which has sent inflation skyrocketing. But it's not visible, every developed economy is experiencing a spike in inflation near simultaneously so there's no baseline to even measure it against. Even so, there's widespread knowledge that this is occurring so the finance world is throwing everything it can into non-inflationary assets aka real estate.

[RST500]

Navy favors massive project with 10K housing units on NAVWAR site:


https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-05-14/navy-favors-massive-project-with-10k-housing-units-on-navwar-site?

[Will O' Wisp]

Navy favors massive project with 10K housing units on NAVWAR site:


https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-05-14/navy-favors-massive-project-with-10k-housing-units-on-navwar-site?

Ho-ly crap.

https://navwar-revitalization.com/draft-eis/

548262531

Preferred Alternative: Public-Private Redevelopment – NAVWAR and Higher Density Mixed Use with a Transit Center

10,000 residential units
2,058,750 square feet of commercial space
2 hotels with 450 total rooms
433,750 square feet of retail space
109 buildings: 2 low-rise, 19 low to mid-rise, 51 mid-rise, 35 high-rise, 2 standalone parking structures
Tallest buildings up to 350 feet, which is approximately 32 floors
On-site transit facility at OTC Site 1

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8c0187f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x1414+0+0/resize/840x495!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Fdf%2F5d55a4ce4dcf8667617d2cabcb77%2Fsd-photos-handouts-sd-fi-navwar-deis-1.jpg

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6f5cf15/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x1500+0+0/resize/840x525!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdb%2F7a%2Ffbabf24344d78ab87c285e20167d%2Fsd-photos-handouts-sd-fi-navwar-deis-2.jpg

[Derek]

Oh man, can’t wait to hear what the NIMBYs have to say about this. :D

[roletand]

Not a new building, but it looks like someone finally leased the old Thomas Jefferson School of Law building in East Village. Does anyone know who it is?

This was buried in an article about Travis Swikard's new restaurant, Callie, going into where Bottega Americano used to be.

Right now, he’s waiting for a revamp of the restaurant’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. The upper floors of the Island Avenue building were recently leased to a scientific company that will be building laboratories and clean rooms in the space that require a separate HVAC system. Swikard doesn’t mind the latest delay. He’s excited about the jobs the new science center will bring to East Village, where he hopes to become a longtime part of the neighborhood’s future.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/dining-and-drinking/story/2021-05-04/long-awaited-callie-restaurant-in-east-village-to-open-june-4

[HurricaneHugo]

Navy favors massive project with 10K housing units on NAVWAR site:


https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-05-14/navy-favors-massive-project-with-10k-housing-units-on-navwar-site?

A second downtown!

Does this mesh with the "Grand Central Station?"

What would be the height limit for the area?

I know it says 350 ft but I'm not sure if that's just the project proposal or the actual limit

[SDCAL]

I was looking at the website for Horton Plaza and noticed some interesting things. First off, it looks like they significantly re-designed the office buildings? The prior renderings were darker and these are white and the design looks different :

http://www.rios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Horton-Plaza-RIOS-Nordstrom-Corner-EGD-1536x864.jpg

Also, what is “Googie”? When I saw the rendering below, I thought they had scored Google as a tenant which I was going to say is impressive. Then I looked closer and it says “Googie”. Is that just a name filler for the renderings?

http://www.rios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Horton-Plaza-RIOS-Overlooking-Clearing-EGD-1280x1600.jpg

[Will O' Wisp]

A second downtown!

Does this mesh with the "Grand Central Station?"

What would be the height limit for the area?

I know it says 350 ft but I'm not sure if that's just the project proposal or the actual limit

Option 4 (the preferred option) and Option 5 include the Grand Central. SANDAG and the Navy have been working together on this from the start, the two projects are basically one and the same.

The height limit is 350'. Technically the TERPS limits slope from 350' on one side of the property up to 600' on the other, but after discussion with various institutional stakeholders 350' was what everyone agreed on. Or more bluntly, it was what everyone was willing to publicly say was perfectly safe, without any reservations. Which is important to the people pushing this one forward, because they already have enough potential issues to work through with this project without adding on that massive one. No one will be able to build taller than 350' unless the Navy decides to amend the EIR in the future, and they've indicated they're not very interested in going through all of this again...

[Streamliner]

I really hope the SPAWAR development goes somewhere, with the preferred option. I haven't been following this one much, but I imagine quite a few people will come out against this. Especially those wealthy homeowners in Mission Hills. Though honestly I think their new "skyline" view will be quite attractive as compared to a view of warehouses and junk shops that currently populate the Midway area.

[dirt patch]

Cisterra most likely will be able to break ground on a 22 story residential tower with Target on the 1st floor. Juicy opportunity for lender/investor in the ballpark area.

[Will O' Wisp]

Cisterra most likely will be able to break ground on a 22 story residential tower with Target on the 1st floor. Juicy opportunity for lender/investor in the ballpark area.

Looks like we've got some pics

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9259496/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2800x3000+0+0/resize/840x900!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F88%2F25%2F39cf2e164cf28fa9ece0d8499018%2Fradian-2.jpg

It’s official: Target will open a store in downtown San Diego (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-05-18/its-official-target-will-open-a-store-in-downtown-san-diego)

[mello]

With it had more height, 22 floors meh. Well its something. What will they be tearing down to build this, looked at that block it doesn't have a vacant spot?

[SDfan]

TBH I don't mind 20-somethings. Better than the 6-7 boxes we have on Market, and it adds some diversity from 400+ gang.

[JerellO]

Agreed. If everything was 400-500 feet we would have a plateaued skyline. I think a mix of anything 150-500 is a good mix that adds to the depth of density for people to see.

[roletand]

With it had more height, 22 floors meh. Well its something. What will they be tearing down to build this, looked at that block it doesn't have a vacant spot?

The developer is required to keep the facade of the Farkas building, so the tower will sprout out of the middle/top of what's already there. The renders on Cisterra's site show it pretty well. https://www.cisterra.com/9g

[HurricaneHugo]

With it had more height, 22 floors meh. Well its something. What will they be tearing down to build this, looked at that block it doesn't have a vacant spot?

Well it's tall for the area isn't it?

[iReserve]

TBH I don't mind 20-somethings. Better than the 6-7 boxes we have on Market, and it adds some diversity from 400+ gang.
I just received a "Notice of Application" from The City of San Diego. It seems Cresleigh Homes just filed an application to construct a "37-story, 430-foot tall mixed-use development comprised of 475 dwelling units, 2,037 square feet(sf) of commercial space, and 55 parking spaces, ...located on a 20,063 SF lot at 611 Island Avenue...". I looked up the address, it is currently "Ballpark Self Storage".:notacrook:

[SDfan]

I just received a "Notice of Application" from The City of San Diego. It seems Cresleigh Homes just filed an application to construct a "37-story, 430-foot tall mixed-use development comprised of 475 dwelling units, 2,037 square feet(sf) of commercial space, and 55 parking spaces, ...located on a 20,063 SF lot at 611 Island Avenue...". I looked up the address, it is currently "Ballpark Self Storage".:notacrook:

Oh shit! Yes please! I looked up Cresleigh, they don't appear to have done high rise residential before, so I'm a little leary.

[DTSDguy]

I just received a "Notice of Application" from The City of San Diego. It seems Cresleigh Homes just filed an application to construct a "37-story, 430-foot tall mixed-use development comprised of 475 dwelling units, 2,037 square feet(sf) of commercial space, and 55 parking spaces, ...located on a 20,063 SF lot at 611 Island Avenue...". I looked up the address, it is currently "Ballpark Self Storage".:notacrook:

Long time lurker here, decided to join and hopefully contribute.

I'm excited to see something proposed for the Ballpark Storage site. Looks like Cresleigh has done some mid-rise work, here is the link to an article for a 9 story project they are working on in Sacramento: https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2017/10/31/more-units-other-changes-for-48-3-million-downtown.html

That intersection is begging for some life. Does anyone know if the hotel proposal from J Street hospitality across the way is still on the books? Link: http://jstreethospitality.com/project/tapestry-homewood-suites-by-hilton/

[TimeToBuild]

I just received a "Notice of Application" from The City of San Diego. It seems Cresleigh Homes just filed an application to construct a "37-story, 430-foot tall mixed-use development comprised of 475 dwelling units, 2,037 square feet(sf) of commercial space, and 55 parking spaces, ...located on a 20,063 SF lot at 611 Island Avenue...". I looked up the address, it is currently "Ballpark Self Storage".:notacrook:


Not going to complain if they replace the storage building, but would prefer if it filled in the empty parking lot across the street next to Tivoli. Perhaps it was mislabeled? I do remember seeing the large hotel project mentioned above pegged for that lot so maybe we get both, and someday the Ritz Carlton/office project on the other corner of that intersection

[DTSDguy]

Looks like the Downtown Interactive Development map has been updated and includes full plans for 611 Island.

They are keeping the facade of Ballpark Storage, looks pretty great. Don't know how to post images here... hope the link works.

Link: https://ago-item-storage.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/adfbfa94d78c464eadad82cc4d631d9d/687976_611_Island_Development_Plans.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjECIaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJIMEYCIQDYegNTqkjFlAnzqsf%2BK6u6Ai7%2FjFePx1M84bsi0%2FTaQgIhAOaS4IBPdvBD6RfyRbfZgyH1wBYef7m7OtHj4Pfw%2FhJ7KoMECMv%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEQABoMNjA0NzU4MTAyNjY1IgycFpg4VbxY4Dy6dg8q1wP1Zq6e52iRjQ0A9VrU0jgmYyHdoFMdoE0swZMjxqdRPkNL6r2t2maJQxaN57JdiOiORzvjyCo6DCoB7xSRdusqPuvyhZtVm68gvqEnRidcczIzojB0WjBb4ZBasKmOQb1Dd84kLqtoQrPNwy%2FL1CHVgvcKkRmBew5NBCTT5krBz4WshAkFkpBYumzWLTuvI93SFoJhj4TE8yfNJ7PZuaWY8CBhzXPGIvvvKCSH1Izdl4rvf1RT4ECrmud7ZO6AzrZMz5p7IM6BCVuGlHKxDXbsMlXxXAk8kMORxyXreIbHO4zxJlMfcPY%2B%2FjNhe2TGUFH9nn5wM1pcYOBb7erhAhdCAgmOO5IKOZQW6TcKmVu6O9i7Q%2BJA2rSbjzpuLMeFSzY8UHIF0wZU1zdtjWDI8ODik45oRN6YPagzSwmfCC1BVOjMJNSRkba2tbHYZRBRCK6vkInXFQAXp%2B1DWCUDnjz9e1aq4ZbcfUIJ9NE4EYD8Zj1QqYhVqTnAONOSf9DZ0GqwJqTSs8c4dl%2BHTDN6AEYGZb8VzaE%2BtAp5H8nYTqs0RsjLSB%2FsrdfL%2BHT%2B3U3I0%2FVTU9G0gpL80QesbxBdHbd54SAj%2FuUCMA56V2IWaHGlAI29sKZhoIMw4L%2FbhQY6pAGZzh3MBS8SpSPU0o4nSCdUJRaRbY2g5eZfVnX6MeEZVuVRnWWlIiyWmMcZpbnlr0LLL%2Bfolbjy7c264bxix0UfRJrHmv2cUFshOHyb7IZrHW1B2gd2%2F%2F4kyzK%2BzwAcwrTDwbol4jlTcJn9aDcIXb%2BXovbnurX7PmDRKMVHlcAcPAqZmNpirkNQd7EvRzu%2BLKbw0PwlaMeympjDhwlJSn8P0BUP5w%3D%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20210602T015329Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAYZTTEKKEYCPE3NXQ%2F20210602%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=951ce9544d711ac25db05fab16763bfa7b83d6cb1ceb57de7d622ccdcd0ac47c

[ucsbgaucho]

Looks like the Downtown Interactive Development map has been updated and includes full plans for 611 Island.

They are keeping the facade of Ballpark Storage, looks pretty great. Don't know how to post images here... hope the link works.



That one didn't work... Try this one instead
https://civicsd.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/adfbfa94d78c464eadad82cc4d631d9d/data

[HurricaneHugo]

Looks good!

[Streamliner]

That one didn't work... Try this one instead
https://civicsd.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/adfbfa94d78c464eadad82cc4d631d9d/data

I like that they kept the storage warehouse building, it's a cool, if utilitarian, facade that adds some nice texture to the streetscape. Also, I'm pleasantly surprised by the north/east facing facades of the tower itself. It looks like the fairly standard glass walls were peeled back to reveal a white facade mimicking the base. Overall very nice and I hope it gets approved quickly

[Streamliner]

This one slipped past me I don't think I'd heard of it. They razed a small Bank of America branch for a new 6-story office building and refurbished the high-rise next door. Wish the new build could've been taller, but happy to see more office space:

This six-story office building hopes to outshine some of downtown San Diego’s tallest towers
San Diego Union-Tribune https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-06-07/this-six-story-office-building-hopes-to-outshine-some-of-downtown-san-diegos-tallest-towers
June 7, 2021
Jennifer Van Grove

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f37d148/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5464x3640+0+0/resize/840x560!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff1%2Fe6%2F854c484a408193df380f8e13f02e%2Fdji-0445.jpg
The all-new, 91,000 square-foot annex is part of what’s now known as Twenty by Six, an old-meets-new conversion of the properties at 450 B St. and 451 A St. in the city’s financial core. The entire $34-million project includes a pre-existing, 20-story tower, which has also been refurbished alongside the ground-up construction activity.

The overall theme is San Diego’s temperate climate, said Greg Bowman, who is the vice president of leasing for San Diego-based LeBeau.

“The goal would be, let’s try to ... bring (San Diego’s) phenomenal weather into our space to really create this fresh air environment where it will bring this added motivation, this added experience to the project,” he said. “In multiple areas throughout the building, including the gym, the private patio for the conference facility and all the tenant suites, we have operable windows and operable patios in each of those.”

Twenty by Six is competing for tenants in a downtown office market that has been inundated with space. As of the end of March, more than 40 percent of all inventory — or nearly 5 million square feet of direct, sublease and under-construction office space — was available, according to data from commercial brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle. That makes location arguably the most important amenity.

And Twenty by Six is, by the developer’s own admission, in a tricky spot.“I think if people consider it old downtown, or the financial corridor — it’s not Little Italy, it’s not East Village, there’s not some sort of sexy connotation with it — it’s just because there hasn’t been anything like this recently done here,” Bowman said. “If we can put some retail on the ground floor that people are interested and we can create this experience here, it’s just infinitely more exciting than it used to be. It will definitely attract people that may have thought the B Street corridor was something they weren’t interested in.”

Currently, the new building has no signed tenants, and the tower is 85 percent leased, the developer said.

[Steadfast]

IMO, Twenty by Six is a bit of a disappointment. It's high profile location was crying out for something eye-catching & iconic.. instead, it ended up a generic jumble of windows and cliche design elements.
It's totally outclassed by all of it's neighbors. A wasted opportunity, and future Onion contender for sure.

[HurricaneHugo]

I hate architects sometimes.

[aekrid]

The brown cladding looked so much classier in the renderings. Now it just looks bland.

[dirt patch]

This reporter said San Diego has a boring and small downtown and not much to do: 1st hour at 26.00 of the tape.
https://mynorthwest.com/category/podcasts/ Gee and Ursala: on May 28 "Is Seattle a world class city?"

[SamFlood]

Civita Park in Mission Valley

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51250082588_77cef16335_h.jpg

[colemonkee]

That's a great looking park! Is that a public or private pool?

[HurricaneHugo]

I hate this state's red tape sometimes.

Sports Arena Project needs to start over:

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-06-17/its-over-city-brookfield-cant-move-forward-with-sports-arena-deal