SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[LAsam]

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

Looks like it belongs to the adjacent apartments/condos?

[dl3000]

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

Regardless of your opinion of the regs coming down from Sacramento these days, somebody at city admin didn't keep their eye on the ball when they pushed forward the Sports Arena ballot initiative. Total flub to add to the list.

[Streamliner]

Little Italy’s next big office building will be across the street from its newest one
Los Angeles-based Kilroy is in escrow to buy 2045 Pacific Highway where it plans to build another marquee office project
San Diego Union-Tribune (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2021-06-22/developer-buying-second-little-italy-block)
Jennifer Van Grove
June 22, 2021

Doubling down on downtown San Diego, Kilroy Realty will pick up its second full-city block in Little Italy, paying $42 million to buy 2045 Pacific Highway where it plans to erect another office building across from its first full-block project in the neighborhood, 2100 Kettner.

The publicly traded real estate investment trust announced last week that it is in escrow on the site, which is just a surface parking lot away from San Diego Bay. The developer plans to convert the 1.3-acre lot, currently home to a Mobil gas station, into another marquee offering, this time building 275,000 square feet of tech-friendly office space in a five- or six-story tower with panoramic views.

The yet-to-be-named project is still in its infancy, meaning Kilroy must obtain permits and is likely still a few years away from breaking ground.

Locally, Kilroy is putting the finishing touches on 2100 Kettner, Little Italy’s largest office building to date and the firm’s first downtown. The six-story building has ground-floor retail spaces, a public courtyard, multiple terraces and a large rooftop deck — but so far, no tenants.

Kilroy is looking to build something similar across the street at 2045 Pacific Highway, Dowley said. That means the future office building will feature expansive and open floors geared around tech and media companies whose employees usually prefer to work in a collaborative fashion.

[Northparkwizard]

That carwash was the canary in the coal mine for development west of the train tracks near Little Italy. I wonder how long Solar Turbines will remain knowing how much they can make on a real estate deal.

All good news as far as I see it.

[Streamliner]

That carwash was the canary in the coal mine for development west of the train tracks near Little Italy. I wonder how long Solar Turbines will remain knowing how much they can make on a real estate deal.

All good news as far as I see it.

Yeah I always wondered how that car wash lasted so long on such prime land. Speaking of Solar Turbines, it's also crazy how they're still humming along at that prime location. Then again, the entire west-facing waterfront has been absolutely dismal up until 2014 when they finally added Waterfront Park.

From north to south starting at the airport, each parcel along the waterfront has been underutilized:

-Solar Turbines
-Solar Turbines' Parking Lot(!)
-Waterfront Park (former parking lots)
-Wyndham (old and kind of run down looking IMO)
- Navy's NAVFAC facilities (I know they're not trailers, but they look like glorified trailers)
- Lane Field (former parking lot)
- Pacific Gateway (former parking lot and scattered fire hazard-looking buildings!)

[roletand]

Kilroy sounds like they're on a roll! I passed by the Salvation Army site bounded by Park, Broadway, 13th, & E and noticed it was all boarded up and fenced off. Hopefully construction starts soon.

City to sell East Village site for $8.5M; developer planning office campus - San Diego Union-Tribune
(https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2020-11-18/city-to-sell-east-village-site-developer-planning-office-campus)

Kilroy East Village - Developer Site (https://www.kilroyeastvillage.com/)

[mello]

If things are boarded up looks like it is ready to roll. Kilroy has deep pockets and looks like they are bullish on SD. Love this project of course wish it was taller but it's impact on the urban fabric of DT will be solid.

Anyone know why East Village Green Park hasn't started construction yet. That part of town looks horrendous and we have been waiting on that park and it's amenities for years now....

[SamFlood]

Also what happened to "Makers Quarter"? That was supposed to be a tech hub. Now all these other buildings around town like Horton plaza and the Manchester site are moving faster. That IDEA district never got off the ground. Hipsters are getting aged out now.

[Will O' Wisp]

That carwash was the canary in the coal mine for development west of the train tracks near Little Italy. I wonder how long Solar Turbines will remain knowing how much they can make on a real estate deal.

All good news as far as I see it.

Solar Turbines has said in no uncertain terms they will *never* sell their Harbor Dr location. Because the site has had a continuous manufacturing operation since the 1920s, it's been grandfathered into just about every environmental law there is. Not only would it be impossible to get some of the industrial processes that take place there today approved on a new site anywhere in California, a few would be difficult to get approved anywhere in the USA without economically unfeasible remediation measures. Not to mention, whoever bought it would have to spend tons of $$$ remediating a century's worth of industrial pollution.

And then the noise is so loud the land would only be worth a fraction of its normal value for residential or commercial uses. It's honestly way more valuable as industrial use land.

Incidentally, the Port owns the waterfront parking lot across Hawthorn St. Solar Turbines just leases it. Last I heard they were planning on building a multistory parking structure on it to replace all the parking that would be lost redoing the embarcadero to be more pedestrian friendly, along with some sort of "mobility hub".

[Northparkwizard]

If what you said is true, Solar Turbines should be shut down for industrial pollution right now or at least they should be held accountable for their past and ongoing pollution.

Poisoning the bay isn't a right. I'm guessing that it would be a Superfund site if tested.

Bummer.

[mello]

Does anyone have any info as to what happened to Makers Quarter and Idea District. Did IQHQ, Horton Plaza Redo, and Kilroy Project simply steal their thunder and they feel all demand for space downtown will be provided by those structures? Oh and also the Petco Parking lot project.

[roletand]

Does anyone have any info as to what happened to Makers Quarter and Idea District. Did IQHQ, Horton Plaza Redo, and Kilroy Project simply steal their thunder and they feel all demand for space downtown will be provided by those structures? Oh and also the Petco Parking lot project.

If you're asking about the Tailgate Lot project, East Village Quarter, the Padres/Tishman Speyer said the timeline depends on entitlements. If things go smoothly, they expected to break ground somewhere around 2025 with full build out finishing between 2030-2035.

[Will O' Wisp]

If what you said is true, Solar Turbines should be shut down for industrial pollution right now or at least they should be held accountable for their past and ongoing pollution.

Poisoning the bay isn't a right. I'm guessing that it would be a Superfund site if tested.

Bummer.

ST is actually pretty good about stormwater/groundwater contamination, it's the air pollution that's the problem. Something about the fabrication leaking trace amounts of metals into the atmosphere, I'm not totally sure.

I'll give my opinion as someone who's worked and lived close to the ST site for several years now, the issue is a bit overblown. If you live in the area for a long time and experience respiratory issues, the cause is almost certainly air pollution from cars on the 5.

ST probably wouldn't be a superfund site if it closed. The old Ryan and Convair factories next door weren't, even though it cost tens of millions of $$$ to remediate them for the Rental Car Center and the Terminal 1 expansion. So no free $$$ from the feds is likely.

But just for you, I searched through my files after a half remembered item and managed to find something. The last time ST's lease was up for renewal from the port, in 1988, they apparently offered to move their entire operation to Kerny Mesa if someone would pay them $250 million. That'd be a bit over $550 million in today's money. I'm guessing they were thinking about buying up the old General Dynamics plant, which was located next to their Kerny Mesa site. Looks like they didn't find any takers, and the Port ended up giving them a 45 year lease. Should be up sometime in the 2040s. In the meantime, the old GD plant was redeveloped into housing so that option is out.

[Northparkwizard]

That's some good info. Thanks!

[Streamliner]

But just for you, I searched through my files after a half remembered item and managed to find something. The last time ST's lease was up for renewal from the port, in 1988, they apparently offered to move their entire operation to Kerny Mesa if someone would pay them $250 million. That'd be a bit over $550 million in today's money. I'm guessing they were thinking about buying up the old General Dynamics plant, which was located next to their Kerny Mesa site. Looks like they didn't find any takers, and the Port ended up giving them a 45 year lease. Should be up sometime in the 2040s. In the meantime, the old GD plant was redeveloped into housing so that option is out.

Quick follow-up, so if ST renewed their lease with the Port in 1988 is this the same lease arrangement they have with the parking lot next to Waterfront Park? Because it sounded like that lot was close to development to a parking garage (not a fan btw), which makes it sound like two agreements?

[Will O' Wisp]

Quick follow-up, so if ST renewed their lease with the Port in 1988 is this the same lease arrangement they have with the parking lot next to Waterfront Park? Because it sounded like that lot was close to development to a parking garage (not a fan btw), which makes it sound like two agreements?

That's getting into some inside baseball. You'd have to ask the Port. All I know is that the draft South Embardero project said it would be used to replace the parking on the waterfront, and the current draft Port Master Plan says it will be a "regional mobility hub".

Oh, and yesterday the Airport Authority board awarded contracts for construction of the new Admin building. Should start construction within a few weeks.

https://i.imgur.com/spo1gmx.png

With how crazy the materials market has been the last few months, estimates for T1 itself came back completely out of wack. That's put back final budgetary approvals back till September. It won't effect the construction timeline, the next few months of demo work have already been approved.

https://i.imgur.com/ImV7VYz.png

https://i.imgur.com/4GOanmM.png

And with that, my friends, the entire regulatory process of this multi-billion dollar project will be finished :notacrook:

[roletand]

That's getting into some inside baseball. You'd have to ask the Port. All I know is that the draft South Embardero project said it would be used to replace the parking on the waterfront, and the current draft Port Master Plan says it will be a "regional mobility hub".

Oh, and yesterday the Airport Authority board awarded contracts for construction of the new Admin building. Should start construction within a few weeks.

https://i.imgur.com/spo1gmx.png

With how crazy the materials market has been the last few months, estimates for T1 itself came back completely out of wack. That's put back final budgetary approvals back till September. It won't effect the construction timeline, the next few months of demo work have already been approved.

https://i.imgur.com/ImV7VYz.png

https://i.imgur.com/4GOanmM.png

And with that, my friends, the entire regulatory process of this multi-billion dollar project will be finished :notacrook:

That's great news! T1 has exceeded it's useful life and I'm always glad to see investment that doubles down on the airport's current location. I didn't realize, until you posted about the admin building, that the commuter terminal needs to be demolished as part of the new T1 plans. I'll be sad to see it go but at least it's for a good reason.

Also, while it's good to see the airport authority continue to include a "Coordination with Community Transit", I can't help but think their design is an afterthought. If we want people to use public transit in San Diego it needs to be easy & accessible, among other things. The plans should have considered trolley & APM stops at both T1 & T2 close to the main exits of the terminals. If we're going to hit people in the face with prominent taxi stands and rideshares on arrival, the trolley & APM should be there too. I understand there are constraints in doing it this way that may have delayed T1, including coordination with SANDAG & MTS, but I would have liked to see all parties do better than this.

[Will O' Wisp]

That's great news! T1 has exceeded it's useful life and I'm always glad to see investment that doubles down on the airport's current location. I didn't realize, until you posted about the admin building, that the commuter terminal needs to be demolished as part of the new T1 plans. I'll be sad to see it go but at least it's for a good reason.

Also, while it's good to see the airport authority continue to include a "Coordination with Community Transit", I can't help but think their design is an afterthought. If we want people to use public transit in San Diego it needs to be easy & accessible, among other things. The plans should have considered trolley & APM stops at both T1 & T2 close to the main exits of the terminals. If we're going to hit people in the face with prominent taxi stands and rideshares on arrival, the trolley & APM should be there too. I understand there are constraints in doing it this way that may have delayed T1, including coordination with SANDAG & MTS, but I would have liked to see all parties do better than this.

So, there was a good deal of debate over the decision to have a single station rather than two. Several early mock-ups were made of a two station design with stops at both T1 and T2. There ended up being two big reasons for selecting a single station in-between.

First off, the airport doesn't select the type of connection. SANDAG does. As of yet they have not downselected from their three main options: an aboveground APM running along Harbor Dr (as illustrated here), an underground APM crossing directly under the airport, and an extension of the trolley. Two stations create major problems with each of the latter. Since the proposed SD Grand Central is directly opposite the terminals, reaching each of terminals with a single underground APM would require a right angle turn too tight to be technically feasible, or an extended tunnel that wouldn't be much faster than a aboveground APM (while being exponentially more expensive). On the other hand the trolley accelerates/decelerates much more slowly than an APM, to the point that it would travel so slowly between two near spaced stations that it would legitimately be faster to walk. After discussions SANDAG stated a preference for a one station design to keep their own options open.

Second, it's not really an unusual distance to walk from the transit station to your gate. SDIA is the smallest major international airport in the country, even after T1 is built both the terminals combined will only have a linear length of about ~1 mile. So worst case scenario you need to walk ~1/2 mile. That's about how far you'd walk on a bad day if you took transit to Oakland airport, or Portland, or Sea-Tac. Internationally speaking, either of Tokyo's airports could have you walking that far, or Seoul's Inchon. Stations are typically the most expensive part of any transit system, so it pays to consolidate, and less stations means faster end-to-end times without having to cut boarding times. Not to mention trying to design ROW terminal frontage is complex enough without having to shove a transit system within the narrow ROW.

You can, of course, disagree with the decision made but I hope this shows you it was more than an afterthought.

[SamFlood]

What's left of the Navy building


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51288803104_e7fec47491_h.jpg

[roletand]

So, there was a good deal of debate over the decision to have a single station rather than two. Several early mock-ups were made of a two station design with stops at both T1 and T2. There ended up being two big reasons for selecting a single station in-between.

First off, the airport doesn't select the type of connection. SANDAG does. As of yet they have not downselected from their three main options: an aboveground APM running along Harbor Dr (as illustrated here), an underground APM crossing directly under the airport, and an extension of the trolley. Two stations create major problems with each of the latter. Since the proposed SD Grand Central is directly opposite the terminals, reaching each of terminals with a single underground APM would require a right angle turn too tight to be technically feasible, or an extended tunnel that wouldn't be much faster than a aboveground APM (while being exponentially more expensive). On the other hand the trolley accelerates/decelerates much more slowly than an APM, to the point that it would travel so slowly between two near spaced stations that it would legitimately be faster to walk. After discussions SANDAG stated a preference for a one station design to keep their own options open.

Second, it's not really an unusual distance to walk from the transit station to your gate. SDIA is the smallest major international airport in the country, even after T1 is built both the terminals combined will only have a linear length of about ~1 mile. So worst case scenario you need to walk ~1/2 mile. That's about how far you'd walk on a bad day if you took transit to Oakland airport, or Portland, or Sea-Tac. Internationally speaking, either of Tokyo's airports could have you walking that far, or Seoul's Inchon. Stations are typically the most expensive part of any transit system, so it pays to consolidate, and less stations means faster end-to-end times without having to cut boarding times. Not to mention trying to design ROW terminal frontage is complex enough without having to shove a transit system within the narrow ROW.

You can, of course, disagree with the decision made but I hope this shows you it was more than an afterthought.

Based on that context, the station connection seems less like an afterthought. If this thing gets built in the proposed location, I'll still use it, don't get me wrong about that. But I'm someone who's already on-board with expanding public transportation.

If more people are to use an expanded system the goal of the operators should be to reduce the barriers of entry, even if that means building two stations within a 1/2 mile of each other at the same airport. On the green line, Santa Fe Depot to Seaport Village is .3 miles, another .3 miles to Convention Center, and another .3 miles to the Gaslamp stop.

If walking distance from the gate isn't a major factor, maybe the airport should move the ridesharing, bus, taxi, & shuttle stops to the new transit connector and leave curbside pickups to individual vehicles.

[Will O' Wisp]

Based on that context, the station connection seems less like an afterthought. If this thing gets built in the proposed location, I'll still use it, don't get me wrong about that. But I'm someone who's already on-board with expanding public transportation.

If more people are to use an expanded system the goal of the operators should be to reduce the barriers of entry, even if that means building two stations within a 1/2 mile of each other at the same airport. On the green line, Santa Fe Depot to Seaport Village is .3 miles, another .3 miles to Convention Center, and another .3 miles to the Gaslamp stop.

If walking distance from the gate isn't a major factor, maybe the airport should move the ridesharing, bus, taxi, & shuttle stops to the new transit connector and leave curbside pickups to individual vehicles.

There have been some me-shaped people who have suggested that very thing. LAX recently announced a similar policy, which has kicked up a stormload of controversy even though it will measurably improve traffic within the terminal loop. Unfortunately, even commonsense approaches to transit can be difficult to push in the USA.

A transit connection with all the bells and whistles can be a tough sell. The airport with the highest amount of passengers arriving via public transit in the US is New York's JFK, at just 10%. Only 7-8% of SFO's passengers arrive via transit, even though they have a free APM with enough stations to ensure you're never more than 1/3rd of a mile from your gate. From that perspective a single station is probably "good enough".

Ikkhara believes that with the Grand Central and a fee on drop-offs at the terminals, transit usage at the airport can reach ~30%, more in line with European airports. I'd like to see him him succeed, but there are plenty of doubts about reaching that figure. When it came time to negotiate and plan out how passengers would reach the airport as part of the approval process of T1, airport management was more focused on getting a new onramp/offramp from the 5 to handle the increase in traffic, instead of assuming a large future increase in transit ridership.

That way even if the transit connection turns out to be less popular than hoped (or even doesn't get built at all), overall connection to the airport won't be effected. The single station option plays well with this idea as well, it's cheaper and doesn't require the airport to expend a lot of effort to integrate the system when/if it's built.

Such is public transit politics in America.

[Streamliner]

Just wanted to say thanks for all your insight Will O' Wisp. Always happy to see your contributions

[roletand]

Just wanted to say thanks for all your insight Will O' Wisp. Always happy to see your contributions

Agreed! Thanks Will O' Wisp for consistently posting good insights on San Diego's growth & development!

[Streamliner]

Mid-rise next to UCSD about to start construction. As expected, many La Jollans were horrified by it.

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/48c5184/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x709+0+0/resize/840x465!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fad%2F8a%2Ff97a2283433db4561fd613576236%2Fthis-new.jpg

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2021-07-07/science-medical-tower-ucsd
Construction to start on 7-story off-campus science and medical tower for UC San Diego
San Diego Union-Tribune
Gary Robbins
July 7, 2021

In a sign that UC San Diego is beginning to run out of space for big buildings, a private developer is about to break ground on a 7-story tower that the university will use to house health and medical programs across the street from main campus.

...


LJIC will be adjacent to many buildings that UCSD already leases, and be just across the street from the UC San Diego School of Medicine and VA Medical Center. That area is expected to become much busier later this year when Blue Line trolley stations open nearby.

The new center will be 100 feet tall, which sparked opposition earlier this year at a University Community Planning Group meeting. Some people said the building should be no taller than 30 feet to ensure that it complies with the Prop D, City Coastal Zone height limit.

[unpermitted_variance]

I was wondering what was gonna replace Rock Bottom on that corner; I'd heard through the grapevine that UCSD Extension would have something to do with it, but I see no indication of this in the article.

Site is preparing for demolition right now:

https://i.imgur.com/vo7nVNL.jpg


Clever partnership between the university and the developer to get around the coastal height limit, which doesn't apply to the UC's land. Developer sells land to university, university "partners" with developer to build 100ft office, developer leases it all out to the university. It's an effective workaround to a height limit that really has no reason to be applied to the site, but that's not the sort of thing that La Jolla NIMBYs would understand.


Also barely visible in the background is Lux UTC phase 2 almost at completion. The fin on the roof, similar to the first tower, is currently being installed.

[Streamliner]

I was wondering what was gonna replace Rock Bottom on that corner; I'd heard through the grapevine that UCSD Extension would have something to do with it, but I see no indication of this in the article.

...

Clever partnership between the university and the developer to get around the coastal height limit, which doesn't apply to the UC's land. Developer sells land to university, university "partners" with developer to build 100ft office, developer leases it all out to the university. It's an effective workaround to a height limit that really has no reason to be applied to the site, but that's not the sort of thing that La Jolla NIMBYs would understand.


Also barely visible in the background is Lux UTC phase 2 almost at completion. The fin on the roof, similar to the first tower, is currently being installed.

Yes the article mentioned health services, but UCSD Extension will be taking a big portion of the building. Extension's current location (dingy buildings north of the new North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood) is insufficient.

You're right that the 30-foot height limit in that location makes no sense. I wish the limit would be revoked à la Prop E for the rest of this area, as it's a prime transit oriented development location. The TOD aspect was actually a factor that allowed the EIR to waive off aesthetic concerns per state law.

[unpermitted_variance]

You're right that the 30-foot height limit in that location makes no sense. I wish the limit would be revoked à la Prop E for the rest of this area, as it's a prime transit oriented development location. The TOD aspect was actually a factor that allowed the EIR to waive off aesthetic concerns per state law.



Agreed - I see huge potential for TOD around the La Jolla Village shopping centers where the Nobel Drive trolley stop will be - the abandoned former Islands restaurant, lots of underutilized parking, other low-story mall buildings. Unfortunately I don't foresee a Prop E-style coastal height limit exception happening in this area any time soon, so I expect the sites to remain underutilized (unless the UC wants to do some more "development partnerships"?)

[eburress]

I was wondering what was gonna replace Rock Bottom on that corner; I'd heard through the grapevine that UCSD Extension would have something to do with it, but I see no indication of this in the article.

Site is preparing for demolition right now:

https://i.imgur.com/vo7nVNL.jpg

Awww it's sad to see Rock Bottom go. So much nostalgia, having gone there now and then over the last 20 years.

[Will O' Wisp]

@streamliner and @roletand

Aww you guys :friends:

The pleasure's all mine, you guys are better at keeping me on my toes than my bosses sometimes! Great practice for when more formal questions come up.

I only wish I had the time to post more often. Speaking of, here's a map of the pavement construction with a timeline. Each half of the new T1 will be completed at the same time the pavement around it is finished, so it actually comes out to a full project timeline/map funnily enough.

https://i.imgur.com/P6qFgnh.png

[dl3000]

@streamliner and @roletand

Aww you guys :friends:

The pleasure's all mine, you guys are better at keeping me on my toes than my bosses sometimes! Great practice for when more formal questions come up.

I only wish I had the time to post more often. Speaking of, here's a map of the pavement construction with a timeline. Each half of the new T1 will be completed at the same time the pavement around it is finished, so it actually comes out to a full project timeline/map funnily enough.

https://i.imgur.com/P6qFgnh.png

Oh hell yes, finally some CAD drawings! Awesome stuff, Will!:worship:

[roletand]

@streamliner and @roletand

Aww you guys :friends:

The pleasure's all mine, you guys are better at keeping me on my toes than my bosses sometimes! Great practice for when more formal questions come up.

I only wish I had the time to post more often. Speaking of, here's a map of the pavement construction with a timeline. Each half of the new T1 will be completed at the same time the pavement around it is finished, so it actually comes out to a full project timeline/map funnily enough.

https://i.imgur.com/P6qFgnh.png

That cistern is going to be pretty massive at 1.5M gallons! I knew the airport reuses water, but didn't realize the scale of it.

https://www.san.org/blog/blog-detail/san-stormwater-management-raises-the-bar-on-sustainability

[DTSDguy]

Cisterra breaks ground on "Radian" (9 &G) apartment tower with Urban Target as ground floor tenant! This will be a very welcome addition to DT.


SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Construction began Tuesday on a 255,000-square-foot, 22-story retail and residential high rise tower in the East Village, with a scheduled completion in 2023.

Cisterra Development, a San Diego-based real estate development firm, said the Radian project will feature 241 housing units and a Target retail store.

https://fox5sandiego.com/news/business/construction-begins-on-new-22-story-east-village-high-rise/

[deja vu]

Hey there! I've never posted on this thread before, but because this came across one of my feeds, I thought I'd share it. SDSU celebrated topping out of its new Aztec Stadium this past Thursday. 6.4 million pounds of structural steel (2,500 beams) have been set over the last 3 months. 5,500 tradespeople involved in the project -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7hjv00o5bgwtm1l/2021_07_15_San%20Diego_SDSU%20Aztec%20Statium%20Topping%20Out%201.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jncamk4l80wbf5b/2021_07_15_San%20Diego_SDSU%20Aztec%20Statium%20Topping%20Out%202.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2dby9krvv6tstz9/2021_07_15_San%20Diego_SDSU%20Aztec%20Statium%20Topping%20Out%203.jpg?raw=1
Source: LinkedIn | Clark Construction Group (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clarkconstructiongroup_clarkbuildssd-activity-6821570678689419264-c8U6)

[SDCAL]

Cisterra breaks ground on "Radian" (9 &G) apartment tower with Urban Target as ground floor tenant! This will be a very welcome addition to DT.


SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Construction began Tuesday on a 255,000-square-foot, 22-story retail and residential high rise tower in the East Village, with a scheduled completion in 2023.

Cisterra Development, a San Diego-based real estate development firm, said the Radian project will feature 241 housing units and a Target retail store.

https://fox5sandiego.com/news/business/construction-begins-on-new-22-story-east-village-high-rise/

I saw this too and happy this project is breaking ground and we will have the Target downtown. BUT, I guess the elephant in room is wtf is happening with 7th/Market aka the Ritz Carlton project which is also Cisterra. Seems like a bad sign that they were able to get funding so quickly for this one, yet the Ritz project still festers after SIX YEARS now.

Anyone have any information?

At this point I wish they’d either start construction or announce it’s over so a developer can come up with something else. Every time I go by that nasty surface lot I cringe 😣

[iReserve]

I saw this too and happy this project is breaking ground and we will have the Target downtown. BUT, I guess the elephant in room is wtf is happening with 7th/Market aka the Ritz Carlton project which is also Cisterra. Seems like a bad sign that they were able to get funding so quickly for this one, yet the Ritz project still festers after SIX YEARS now.

Anyone have any information?

At this point I wish they’d either start construction or announce it’s over so a developer can come up with something else. Every time I go by that nasty surface lot I cringe 😣

SDCAL, there is an interview (with Jason Wood from Cisterra) on Youtube from late last year which provided some updates:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g2Kl6fcBD4

Cisterra just updated 7th & Market info on their website last week which confirmed the changes:

- https://www.cisterra.com/7thandmarket

It seems the project is moving forward and will start soon (this summer)!

[Streamliner]

Hey there! I've never posted on this thread before, but because this came across one of my feeds, I thought I'd share it. SDSU celebrated topping out of its new Aztec Stadium this past Thursday. 6.4 million pounds of structural steel (2,500 beams) have been set over the last 3 months. 5,500 tradespeople involved in the project -


I saw this from the freeway the other day. It seems like just yesterday that they were demolishing Qualcomm, this went up fast. Glad to see the progress

[SDCAL]

SDCAL, there is an interview (with Jason Wood from Cisterra) on Youtube from late last year which provided some updates:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g2Kl6fcBD4

Cisterra just updated 7th & Market info on their website last week which confirmed the changes:

- https://www.cisterra.com/7thandmarket

It seems the project is moving forward and will start soon (this summer)!

Thanks for posting that YouTube video! I’d never seen that before and there’s a lot of good, detailed information about the various things that have held-up the project. It seems like Ritz is very committed even wanting to expand the number of hotel rooms.

Their website still says start construction 2020 with completion 2023, but in the YouTube video they confirm it will be complete 2024.

[dirt patch]

It looks like Downtown development will slow down dramatically as housing units and office space flood the market, along with meh hotel market. Downtown may one or two more breaking ground and then that's it for 5 years.

[Streamliner]

Article about Bosa's Diega:

Downtown San Diego's third-biggest apartment complex set to open
July 22, 2021
Phillip Molnar
San Diego Union-Tribune (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/story/2021-07-22/downtown-san-diego-now-has-room-for-more-than-600-residents)

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/152e930/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F92%2F4b%2F794e39db4888a21a9f8e138d9b10%2Fsd-photos-1staff-807322-sd-fi-bosa-tower-bcf006.JPG

There could soon be a whole lot more people living downtown.

After three years of construction, the 400-foot Diega apartment complex puts the finishing touches on this month. It has 617 units, making it the third-biggest apartment complex in downtown.

When Diega began construction, Bosa was looking to take advantage of rapid rent growth in San Diego. After a lull in rents during the pandemic, Diega may be in a position to take advantage of the market heating up again.

he average rent in San Diego County hit $2,009 a month in the second quarter of 2021, said real estate tracker CoStar’s database of 270,596 units. That is an increase of 8.4 percent in a year and the biggest annual jump in CoStar’s data going back to 2001. The previous high point was in the third quarter of 2015 when rent grew 7 percent year-over-year.

Diega is in heavy competition for renters with some of the newest and amenity-heavy downtown towers just a few blocks away, including Alexan ALX, Shift and the remodeled John D. Spreckels Building.

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f98b354/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2800+0+0/resize/840x560!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F34%2Fb5%2F30697a9d45308bdde89ef3a04d41%2Fsd-photos-1staff-617934-sd-fi-702-broadway-ncc-006.jpg

[HurricaneHugo]

What is that new tall building in the middle?

Also what's the height limit for Banker's Hill?

When flying in, I forgot to get a seat on the left but was pleasantly surprised at how built Banker's Hill looks from up high. Didn't take a picture though oops

https://i.imgur.com/DsZdX60.jpg?1

[Streamliner]

What is that new tall building in the middle?

Also what's the height limit for Banker's Hill?

When flying in, I forgot to get a seat on the left but was pleasantly surprised at how built Banker's Hill looks from up high. Didn't take a picture though oops

https://i.imgur.com/DsZdX60.jpg?1

I believe this is 525 Olive. Someone posted a shot of it u/c a few pages back.

Website: https://www.525olive.com/img/hero.jpg

https://www.525olive.com/img/hero.jpg

[DTSDguy]

Updated 7th & Market renderings?

It looks like Cisterra has updated the project renderings on their site. The corner base section with the grocery store is new along with other refinements. I still heard this fall for groundbreaking.

https://www.cisterra.com/7thandmarket

[Yuri]

Bringing here from the Downtown thread:

Downtown San Diego

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51401341265_a73cabe3ac_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mjaiXP)


---------------------------- 2020 ------ 2010 ------ 2000 ------ 1990 ------ Growth ------ Density

Downtown --------------------- 39,538 ----- 27,918 ----- 15,482 ----- 12,771 ---- 41.6% ---- 80.3% --- 21.2% ----- 4.7 km² --- 8,457.3 inh./km²

San Diego MSA ----------- 3,298,634 -- 3,095,313 -- 2,813,833 -- 2,498,016 ----- 6.6% ---- 10.0% --- 12.6% -- 10,904 km²


That's one of the biggest suprises for me as I was putting the list. San Diego is so under the radar, and its Downtown even more. It's not only very dense now (8,500 inh./km²), but it's still growing at a very fast pace.

Another testimony of how US Downtowns boom is taking place everywhere, from the Rust Belt to the sunny California.

[mello]

Court House Commons on Broadway has a sign up saying 276k sq. feet of office space. This seems like a lot of space because the office portion is only 7 or 8 floors. How can they fit that many sq. feet? For example OAP is 35 floor 623k sq. ft. :shrug:

[Streamliner]

Bringing here from the Downtown thread:

Thanks for this! I haven't dived into the new Census data much, but Downtown increased quite a bit over the last 10 years, with almost 40k population. I'm curious what the neighboring urban/non-downtown neighborhoods look like now.

[Streamliner]

Court House Commons on Broadway has a sign up saying 276k sq. feet of office space. This seems like a lot of space because the office portion is only 7 or 8 floors. How can they fit that many sq. feet? For example OAP is 35 floor 623k sq. ft. :shrug:

OAP doesn't take up the full block, it has a fairly small footprint. Courthouse Commons will be a full-block project, right?

The full block here is about 70k square feet, So when you consider elevator/utility space and other design limitations, we could assume each office floor contains maybe 40k of office space, so it's possible to reach 275k sf with 7 stories.

[mello]

Thought I would bring up a Macro Trend. If anyone has been following in this "New Age of Pandemics" we are in Biotech is BOOMING in SD. That Merge 56 project right off Camino Del Sur is essentially turning in to a huge Bio Lab/Office space project. According to UT they can't build space for BT in SD fast enough. We are en fuego my friends :hell: Gotta keep pumping out those Booster Shots and gene therapies cuz that is the new Gold, move over Data its Genetics now!!

[HurricaneHugo]

Thought I would bring up a Macro Trend. If anyone has been following in this "New Age of Pandemics" we are in Biotech is BOOMING in SD. That Merge 56 project right off Camino Del Sur is essentially turning in to a huge Bio Lab/Office space project. According to UT they can't build space for BT in SD fast enough. We are en fuego my friends :hell: Gotta keep pumping out those Booster Shots and gene therapies cuz that is the new Gold, move over Data its Genetics now!!

Hmm...

Who can we invest in to profit off this development? :hmmm:

[Streamliner]

San Diego airport’s $3B terminal 1 expansion clears another critical milestone

California Coastal Commission OK’s the project, but wants assurances of a on-airport transit station, free shuttle from Old Town and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
BY LORI WEISBERG
SEPT. 13, 2021

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d37b508/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3170x1774+0+0/resize/840x470!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5c%2F11%2F2b4813704b98985e9826198a359d%2Fsan-the-new-t1-renderings-august-2021-page-6.jpg

The San Diego International Airport’s longstanding plan to build a much expanded Terminal 1 has received the blessing of the California Coastal Commission, a crucial step that will move the $3 billion project closer to a groundbreaking later this year.

While the commission raised some concerns about environmental issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions, potential flooding due to sea level rise and increased traffic congestion, it imposed a number of conditions designed to minimize the impacts of the project.

Coastal Commission Vice Chair Donne Brownsey did not mince words in describing the current condition of San Diego’s Terminal 1.

“I think I speak probably for a lot of travelers that fly in and out of the San Diego airport at my joy that you’re going to be building a new terminal,” she said. “Don’t take this personally, but there’s only one way to describe San Diego airport terminal (1) on a Friday, which is a mosh pit — wall to wall people, not enough facilities. And let’s just say I’m very happy to know in the future there will be a new terminal in San
Diego.”

Two key hurdles have to be cleared before construction can start, said Dennis Probst, vice president of development for the airport. The Airport Authority is awaiting expected approval by the Federal Aviation Administration of a federal-level environmental impact analysis. And next month, the Airport Authority is expected to approve two major design and construction contracts for the terminal, related roadways and airfield improvements.

Assuming those two hurdles are cleared, construction would start in November, with the first 19 gates in the new terminal expected to open in 2025. The demolition of the old terminal would follow, with the additional 11 gates ready to debut by 2027, Probst said. While he expects the maximum contract price will exceed $3 billion, he hopes that by the time the design process is complete, the cost will be closer to $3 billion.

Key to the success of the project and the eventual 40 million passengers the airport is expected to serve by 2040 are a number of planned roadway improvements. Key among them is a new three-lane airport access road from Laurel Street and North Harbor Drive that airport planners say would remove 45,000 vehicle trips per day from Harbor Drive. The airport will also reserve right-of-way for a future three-lane outbound roadway.

The airport is also working with the San Diego Association of Governments and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System on an ambitious plan to eventually deliver a high-speed transit connection to Terminals 1 and 2. The linchpin of bringing a people mover to the airport is development of a “Grand Central Station” that would likely be located on the Navy’s 70-acre Old Town Complex, commonly known as NAVWAR. The Navy and SANDAG have been jointly working on the project for some time, but it is not yet a done deal.

Coastal Commission staff noted its strong support of a direct transit connection to the airport, such as a people mover, which it said would go a long way toward easing inevitable traffic congestion. As a special condition, it is requiring the airport to identify the specific location it plans to set aside for a future on-airport transit station, to be generally located on the west side of the Terminal 1 parking structure.

In the short term, the commission specified that it wants the Airport Authority to follow through on its commitment to provide free shuttle service between the Old Town Transit Center and the airport. The shuttle, including a plan for its hours and frequency of operation, should be implemented no later than Dec. 1, the commission said. Airport Authority CEO Kim Becker told commissioners that the all-electric shuttles, which are being financed with airport funds, will launch service Nov. 21, with two to four buses at first.

The prospect, long term, for a speedy transit connection is good news for travelers and the environment, Commissioner Brownsey said.

“I really see this as a super positive development,” she said. “If you’ve ever flown in and out of Portland, it is so great because you just jump on their version of the metro and it’s just such a quick, easy and inexpensive and certainly a much better option in terms of greenhouse gases. And here you have proximity, which is really positive.”

[SamFlood]

The coastal commission has jurisdiction over this? they also have some vote on Garnet ave parking meters. Over the years they seem to have be allowed to expand their reach. They seem to go unchecked.

[Northparkwizard]

The coastal commission has jurisdiction over this? they also have some vote on Garnet ave parking meters. Over the years they seem to have be allowed to expand their reach. They seem to go unchecked.

Someone correct me on this but I think the Costal Commission has some type of oversight of all projects west of the 5. At least in my construction experience.

[Will O' Wisp]

Someone correct me on this but I think the Costal Commission has some type of oversight of all projects west of the 5. At least in my construction experience.

The CCC has a broad level of oversight that has mostly been set in a series of court cases, so it can be hard to pin down exactly. Technically the CCC only oversees land below the mean high tide line, so just by reading the law code you'd think it wouldn't have jurisdiction over anything that isn't occasionally underwater. But there are two major addenda to that:

1. If you reclaim land from the sea, it still counts as being underneath the mean high tide line for the purposes of the CCC. The Airport falls under this jurisdiction because it was dredged out of the harbor in the 30s and 40s. A ton of land was reclaimed around San Diego harbor in that era, which the Port now controls. Here's a map:

https://www.portofsandiego.org/sites/default/files/styles/hero_480/public/media/images/2021/01/Port-of-San-Diego_Tidelands-Map_Digital-full.jpg?itok=dcV64hmD


2. The CCC oversees "access" to land underneath the mean high tide line. What exactly this means is vague, but the CCC takes a very expansive view of it. Beyond the obvious of mandating public access-ways so millionaires can't build a wall of mansions blocking off access to the coast, it can include things like mandating free or low cost parking, or even capping the rates beachside hotels can charge for rooms. As you can imagine, this is often subject to a lot of litigation.

The Airport is so close to final approval of T1, I can almost taste it. Shovels in the ground by December boys! There's going to be a video walkthough of the latest render released soon which I think you guys will really enjoy, be on the lookout for it :D

[superfishy]

The Airport is so close to final approval of T1, I can almost taste it. Shovels in the ground by December boys! There's going to be a video walkthough of the latest render released soon which I think you guys will really enjoy, be on the lookout for it :D

Let's hope this upcoming Evergrande default doesn't cause a 2008-like worldwide economic depression.

[aekrid]

Alexan Little Italy now above ground. It was nice having that unobstructed view of balboa park from my office while it lasted.

https://i.imgur.com/NOXUSpV.jpg

[SamFlood]

Horton Plaza Redo as seen from Pacific Highway Manchester project

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51521552119_b4f43e4dea_b.jpg

[Will O' Wisp]

Alexan Little Italy now above ground. It was nice having that unobstructed view of balboa park from my office while it lasted.


The development gods giveth, the development gods taketh away

:multibow: :skyhighmind: :multibow

[roletand]

A few observations across downtown:


Courthouse Commons (Holland Partner Group) looks like they're almost done pouring the underground parking. :fingerscrossed: We'll start seeing some height on that site soon!


Radian + Target (Cisterra Development) installed steel to support the facade of the Farkas building and is excavating inside.


Framework (Carleton Management) at 13th & F looks like it's about as tall as it's going to get. Also, it looks like Carleton is advertising all of those units as fully furnished. https://www.carletonmanagement.com/framework Estimated Completion: Q2 2022


RaDD (IQHQ) keeps making progress with demolition and underground work. It looks like IQHQ opened an office in the base of Pacific Gate next to Nima Cafe & Animae.


Manchester Pacific Gateway Hotel doesn't look like much right now, however the City's downtown development map indicates that underground parking is underway. It's unclear if this applies to the RaDD too as I thought these two projects shared a parking garage even after Manchester sold off the rest of the site to IQHQ.


Speaking of 13th & F, has anyone heard when the city will start building East Village Green? Have they awarded a contract yet?

[Streamliner]

The best views of the skyline in my opinion are from the Bay itself. I was able to get these shots a couple weeks back:

https://i.imgur.com/gly7vrDh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TRtZdkLh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FOnkiY6h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XZbsH5Fh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o4Byjp9h.jpg

Bonus RaDD site update. The old Navy HQ building is completely gone and the new HQ is standing on an island surrounded by a pit filled with construction equipment.

https://i.imgur.com/Bvd13NHh.jpg

[OBomb]

I've noticed that the crown atop One America Plaza has not been on at night for about the past week. I wonder what's going on and when it will be lit again?

[roletand]

Great pics Streamliner! Cruise traffic is picking up between Disney, Holland America, Celebrity, and Princess.

I've noticed that the crown atop One America Plaza has not been on at night for about the past week. I wonder what's going on and when it will be lit again?

I noticed this too, right around the time the thunderstorms rolled through. Hopefully the lights come back on soon!

[DTSDguy]

Downtown Development Map
Hi all, does anyone know how to access the map? The site below is not working for me any longer, is it a paid site now?

https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/oauth2/authorize?canHandleCrossOrgSignin=true&client_id=arcgisonline&response_type=token&state=%7B%22portalUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arcgis.com%22%7D&expiration=20160&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fwebappviewer%2Findex.html%3Fid%3D26a854fa085f4acc9574826c0553c575&redirectToUserOrgUrl=true

[aekrid]

Downtown Development Map
Hi all, does anyone know how to access the map? The site below is not working for me any longer, is it a paid site now?

https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/oauth2/authorize?canHandleCrossOrgSignin=true&client_id=arcgisonline&response_type=token&state=%7B%22portalUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arcgis.com%22%7D&expiration=20160&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fwebappviewer%2Findex.html%3Fid%3D26a854fa085f4acc9574826c0553c575&redirectToUserOrgUrl=true

The city migrated the site, here is the new link. https://sandiego.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0f9a7756f8b84ad794800c6d55944c09

[Will O' Wisp]

The Airport is so close to final approval of T1, I can almost taste it. Shovels in the ground by December boys! There's going to be a video walkthough of the latest render released soon which I think you guys will really enjoy, be on the lookout for it :D

Hope you guys enjoy!

L2U8pSoBf0o

[SamFlood]

Across the street on Harbor Island it looks like Mobile construction offices are set up.

[dl3000]

Hope you guys enjoy!

L2U8pSoBf0o

YESSSS! I was looking forward to this!:cheers:

It's growing on me. I would have liked more glass on the airside like the early renderings, but I guess that adds to the cooling demand. The cyber truck cameo is funny.

Anything beats the two rotundas and whatever you wanna call gates 1 and 2, and this will be excellent for the whole facility. I think this is full buildout of the gate count then, right? On to Miramar!!! ;):D

[Will O' Wisp]

YESSSS! I was looking forward to this!:cheers:

It's growing on me. I would have liked more glass on the airside like the early renderings, but I guess that adds to the cooling demand. The cyber truck cameo is funny.

Anything beats the two rotundas and whatever you wanna call gates 1 and 2, and this will be excellent for the whole facility. I think this is full buildout of the gate count then, right? On to Miramar!!! ;):D

Those renderings were very, very early. Practically no architectural work had been done at that point, the renderings were designed more for ascetics than actual function. The roof is too tall for a structure that close to the runway, the support columns are too thin for such a large interior void, and the interior is a mess (all of the security lines, restaurants/shops, and bathrooms are shoved into the middle of the building to maintain that hollow greenhouse look).

The full buildout of 63 gates is actually more than San Diego needs, the gate capacity outweighs the capacity of a single runway. If/when Terminal 2 east is renovated a few gates will be deleted.

[Streamliner]

The full buildout of 63 gates is actually more than San Diego needs, the gate capacity outweighs the capacity of a single runway. If/when Terminal 2 east is renovated a few gates will be deleted.

Yes once this is all done Terminal 2 East will be the ugly duckling of the airport.

[mello]

Yes once this is all done Terminal 2 East will be the ugly duckling of the airport.

Just watched the whole video and not to be a downer, I'm very underwhelmed. Is this what it is actually going to look like? Nothing unique about it, bland architecture, looks super generic. I'm hoping the finished product will look different. Like Will said where is the glass on the airside, looks like a Terminal at Karachi International from the runway :yuck:

[Will O' Wisp]

Just watched the whole video and not to be a downer, I'm very underwhelmed. Is this what it is actually going to look like? Nothing unique about it, bland architecture, looks super generic. I'm hoping the finished product will look different. Like Will said where is the glass on the airside, looks like a Terminal at Karachi International from the runway :yuck:

Hey, Karachi International is pretty nice!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/PK_Karachi_Airport_asv2020-02.jpg/1024px-PK_Karachi_Airport_asv2020-02.jpg

The rendering is accurate to the geometry, but doesn't include cladding, paint, artwork, etc. That will effect the final look somewhat.

But between the height restrictions, limited ground space, and CA earthquake laws there are some pretty significant constraints to how architecturally daring you can be while still providing for the thousands of passengers that will use this everyday. This is, ultimately, a piece of transportation infrastructure after all. Functionality comes first.

[HurricaneHugo]

Yeah. I've been to a lot of airports and wouldn't be able to tell you architectural details of the inside of one. Doubt I'll recognize any from the inside, save for O'Hare and it's flags. (I love flags).

[SDCAL]

The full buildout of 63 gates is actually more than San Diego needs, the gate capacity outweighs the capacity of a single runway. If/when Terminal 2 east is renovated a few gates will be deleted.

Are there any recent studies that project when we will run out of runway capacity at this site? I’m guessing it’s decades away if they are putting this much $$ into this airport.

Also, not only are we limited by one short runway, we are also limited by curfews. If you look on flight radar, we are the only urban area our size that doesn’t have flights incoming in the middle of the night.

Not to be a downer, but this seems like it might be looked at as a big fail in a decade or two if we are starting to reach capacity. People will scratch their head and wonder why the city was focused on this instead of planning for the long-term future.

[Will O' Wisp]

Are there any recent studies that project when we will run out of runway capacity at this site? I’m guessing it’s decades away if they are putting this much $$ into this airport.

Also, not only are we limited by one short runway, we are also limited by curfews. If you look on flight radar, we are the only urban area our size that doesn’t have flights incoming in the middle of the night.

Not to be a downer, but this seems like it might be looked at as a big fail in a decade or two if we are starting to reach capacity. People will scratch their head and wonder why the city was focused on this instead of planning for the long-term future.

Capacity is a squishy science, and demand forecasting even more so, but the last major study showed the airport will begin facing major capacity constraints by 2024, although these could be alleviated somewhat by changes in fleet mix and scheduling. However by 2035 these constraints will likely prevent any further increases in passenger counts. This was pre-COVID though.

But then, there just aren't any feasible scenarios where the current San Diego International is wholesale replaced within the next 30+ years. You name a potential location for a new airport and I guarantee it has already been studied and rejected. Decades spent refusing to upgrade the terminals at SDIA in favor of study after study of alternative airport locations is how we ended up with the cramped, crowded, and inefficient Terminal 1 we have today.

https://i.imgur.com/2TCrq3E.png

https://i.imgur.com/6hhILtE.png

https://i.imgur.com/klYOpZ4.png

https://i.imgur.com/EiGCUS0.png

https://i.imgur.com/1ZzNLCq.png

https://i.imgur.com/FkA9Xyi.png

[Filambata]

Super excited about the following game-changing developments over the next decade!

*Chula Vist Bayfront Development
*Riverwalk Mission Valley
*SDSU West Campus
*IQHQ RaDD
*Ballpark Village
*Midway/Sports Arena Redevelopment
*SPAWAR Redevelopment
*Millenia Chula Vista

[dl3000]

Capacity is a squishy science, and demand forecasting even more so, but the last major study showed the airport will begin facing major capacity constraints by 2024, although these could be alleviated somewhat by changes in fleet mix and scheduling. However by 2035 these constraints will likely prevent any further increases in passenger counts. This was pre-COVID though.

But then, there just aren't any feasible scenarios where the current San Diego International is wholesale replaced within the next 30+ years. You name a potential location for a new airport and I guarantee it has already been studied and rejected. Decades spent refusing to upgrade the terminals at SDIA in favor of study after study of alternative airport locations is how we ended up with the cramped, crowded, and inefficient Terminal 1 we have today.

https://i.imgur.com/2TCrq3E.png

https://i.imgur.com/6hhILtE.png

https://i.imgur.com/klYOpZ4.png

https://i.imgur.com/EiGCUS0.png

https://i.imgur.com/1ZzNLCq.png

https://i.imgur.com/FkA9Xyi.png

Thanks for consolidating that info. The last study for relocation said Miramar or bust, and unless and until the Marines’ mission there changes, not sure how palatable that would be to the electorate. Last time there was a vote we were in the Iraq War and SD politics was different. Books could be written about the missed opportunities for airports in SD. Maybe there already is one. Montgomery Field is a remnant of a large land reserved that early leaders had earmarked for a future airport, the City passed on Miramar back in the day, etc etc. I’m no expert on that. Sorry about all the airport talk. I got into airports because I wanted SD to have skyscrapers and wondered why not and stumbled into airports. Grateful to have Will here to give us the fantastic intel.

[SDCAL]

Thanks for consolidating that info. The last study for relocation said Miramar or bust, and unless and until the Marines’ mission there changes, not sure how palatable that would be to the electorate. Last time there was a vote we were in the Iraq War and SD politics was different. Books could be written about the missed opportunities for airports in SD. Maybe there already is one. Montgomery Field is a remnant of a large land reserved that early leaders had earmarked for a future airport, the City passed on Miramar back in the day, etc etc. I’m no expert on that. Sorry about all the airport talk. I got into airports because I wanted SD to have skyscrapers and wondered why not and stumbled into airports. Grateful to have Will here to give us the fantastic intel.

Agree thanks to Will for posting this info!

It seems the city has relegated itself to not doing anything until the public feels the impact. What I mean by this is, the city seems to feel the only way the airport will ever be moved is if there is pressure from the public, and the only way there will be pressure from the public is if (God forbid) there’s a major air disaster here or if things start getting backed-up and people start encountering significant wait times because the one runway can’t keep up with demand.

Other possibilities could be corporate/economic pressure or people complaining if we need to start lifting curfews in order to accommodate more air traffic.

Of course, a competent city would solve the issue well before anything like this happens, but our city has shown grotesque incompetence on a massive scale over the last many decades on this issue.

Your point about the Miramar vote is an interesting one. It was never binding in the first place, but the city felt having the public behind them would be the only leverage powerful enough to convince military leadership. You are correct that a lot has changed since then, I’m not sure how people would vote now. But most people only live in the moment, and since there aren’t really any tangible problems travelers noticeably encounter now, a lot of people wouldn’t support moving the airport. They don’t consider the huge amount of time it would take to plan, get permits, construct, etc. We are probably talking a decade or more from the point a decision is made to having an actual airport. That’s why waiting until there’s tangible problems with capacity is so dangerous, because even when it gets to that point, we will have a decade more to deal with it.

I’m wondering if our city has ever tried (or would try) help from Washington on this issue. Both from a military and infrastructure perspective. Having some decisions from Washington D.C. to move Miramar and provide some funding through infrastructure could help “shield” some of the public backlash our local leaders fear. Anyway, that’s my airport rant for the day :)

[SDCAL]

Any news of 7th/Market, the Ritz Carlton/ Cisterra project?

I got excited the other day because I saw workers at the parking lot and thought they were removing the parking sign. They were just fixing/replacing it. I’m guessing that means it’s going to be remaining a parking lot for the foreseeable future?

I’m wondering how long this one can fester before it would need to update plans, etc ? It’s now about 6 years since the original plans were announced and the renderings seem pretty much the same with some minor tweaks.

[Streamliner]

I’m wondering if our city has ever tried (or would try) help from Washington on this issue. Both from a military and infrastructure perspective. Having some decisions from Washington D.C. to move Miramar and provide some funding through infrastructure could help “shield” some of the public backlash our local leaders fear. Anyway, that’s my airport rant for the day :)

Although we're not a military town anymore, the vague idea that we need to support our troops (aka the military's needs aka the base itself) would be hard to overcome. That, combined with the NIMBYism of the wealthy north county types that would be most affected by the airport, I am pretty pessimistic about getting an airport at Miramar.

[mello]

Any news of 7th/Market, the Ritz Carlton/ Cisterra project?


Hmm Cisterra is still acting like a ground breaking is eminent and that financing is just an inch away. Like a football team with first down at the 1 yard line, oh they will score...

I do have interesting news on the huge parking lot caddy corner to Vantage Point and Symphony towers on 8th and B. I parked there on Monday and an employee came out to her car and said her company is looking for new places for them to park because construction is about to start soon on that lot :shrug:

Anyone hear about this?

[aekrid]

Hmm Cisterra is still acting like a ground breaking is eminent and that financing is just an inch away. Like a football team with first down at the 1 yard line, oh they will score...

I do have interesting news on the huge parking lot caddy corner to Vantage Point and Symphony towers on 8th and B. I parked there on Monday and an employee came out to her car and said her company is looking for new places for them to park because construction is about to start soon on that lot :shrug:

Anyone hear about this?

Likely Bosa's 8th and B project. 40 stories, 514 apartments. Not much more info on it.

https://webdocs.sandiego.gov/public/CivicSDMapping/Files/8th_&_B.png

[SAN Man]

First post, occasional lurker from time to time to see what's being built.

With 9 days until the opening of the Blue Line extension, is anybody else going out on opening day to ride and document the experience?

[SDfan]

First post, occasional lurker from time to time to see what's being built.

With 9 days until the opening of the Blue Line extension, is anybody else going out on opening day to ride and document the experience?

Welcome! :cheers:

I wish, but I'll be out of town. Will need to as soon as I get back. Some of my colleagues have ridden it, and they loved it. They said it felt quicker than the 30 minutes from Old Town to UTC.

[SamFlood]

Here's a few preview videos

https://youtu.be/Ugbnu5d7CSY



https://youtu.be/tQmfVWFDu1Q

[HurricaneHugo]

If anybody goes, I need a picture of the Mormon Temple with the UTC skyline in the background :D

[SDCAL]

Hmm Cisterra is still acting like a ground breaking is eminent and that financing is just an inch away. Like a football team with first down at the 1 yard line, oh they will score...

I do have interesting news on the huge parking lot caddy corner to Vantage Point and Symphony towers on 8th and B. I parked there on Monday and an employee came out to her car and said her company is looking for new places for them to park because construction is about to start soon on that lot :shrug:

Anyone hear about this?

So, they don’t have financing secured yet? That’s not good .. they’ve been saying they’re an inch away for the last several years now ;)

Fingers crossed. Their website still has outdated info saying ground breaking in 2020 :???: :dunno:

[SAN Man]

Welcome! :cheers:

Thanks!

I was browsing around the transit feature on Apple Maps and noticed that they have the Mid Coast Trolley extension live on their maps now.

[roletand]

In other news, IQHQ got a tower crane up at the RaDD site this past weekend over by the Navy Building.

[SAN Man]

In other news, IQHQ got a tower crane up at the RaDD site this past weekend over by the Navy Building.

You can't miss it when you're anywhere on Harbor Drive! That site is humming with activity.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51687165885_bd4ed60b03_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mKqeEv)RaDD Tower Crane (https://flic.kr/p/2mKqeEv) by San Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr

[Will O' Wisp]

Interesting news, City Council has eliminated commercial parking minimums access most of the city. We'll have to see how this effects development going forward.

San Diego adopts new policy wiping out parking requirements for many businesses (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-11-16/new-san-diego-policy-eliminates-parking-requirements-for-many-businesses)

San Diego took the bold and controversial step Tuesday of wiping out parking requirements for businesses in many neighborhoods to accelerate efforts to make the city less car-reliant and more climate-friendly. The City Council unanimously approved the elimination of parking requirements for businesses located near mass transit or in small plazas near dense residential areas. New businesses in those areas would no longer have to provide any parking spaces for customers or staff. And existing businesses could immediately transform their parking spots into outdoor dining or extra retail space.

Supporters, including many business and environmental leaders, said the policy would start a slow and incremental shift in San Diego away from reliance on cars. They stressed that the city isn’t mandating that businesses eliminate parking, just allowing businesses the discretion to determine how much parking they need and how best to use the acreage available to them. Transportation accounts for more than 50 percent of local greenhouse gas emissions, making such policy changes crucial to San Diego’s efforts to meet the goals of its legally binding climate action plan, supporters said.

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who represents Scripps Ranch and Rancho Bernardo, said she approved the new policy despite some concerns. “It’s simply not possible for the vast majority of people in my district to hop on a bus,” she said. “We have no trolley lines in District 5 and no plans to build them, and there are no major bike lane improvements coming.”

Von Wilpert successfully persuaded her council colleagues to eliminate language that would have made the new policy apply to large properties where only a small portion is near a transit hub. Mayor Todd Gloria’s staff also agreed to work with von Wilpert to refine how the city determines what qualifies as a transit hub.

It is now defined as areas located within half a mile of a trolley line, a bus rapid transit station or two high-frequency bus routes. The nearby transit must be operating or scheduled to begin operating within five years. The policy eliminates parking requirements for businesses in those areas and for businesses located in areas designated “neighborhood commercial,” which are smaller plazas and business districts that serve adjacent residents.

[Streamliner]

Supporters, including many business and environmental leaders, said the policy would start a slow and incremental shift in San Diego away from reliance on cars.

I'm glad this is happening, but it would have been nice to start that "slow and incremental shift" decades ago instead of 2021

[Will O' Wisp]

I'm glad this is happening, but it would have been nice to start that "slow and incremental shift" decades ago instead of 2021

Agreed. Better late than never I suppose.

[SAN Man]

Blue Line extension, here are some opening day pictures. I'll take more when it's less crowded and hot!


Trolley arriving UTC station.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51695904581_110f07bb32_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mLc2nF)UTC trolley (https://flic.kr/p/2mLc2nF) by Manuel Sanchez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr


Looking north from UTC station.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51695115237_182f6c3d60_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mL7YJi)UTC north (https://flic.kr/p/2mL7YJi) by Manuel Sanchez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr


The viaduct, looking north from UTC, down on Genesee.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51695117242_0c8a932fb6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mL7ZjS)Genesee (https://flic.kr/p/2mL7ZjS) by Manuel Sanchez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr

Looking north from Balboa platform.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51696589389_11014df020_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mLfwWH)North from Balboa (https://flic.kr/p/2mLfwWH) by Manuel Sanchez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr

System map at Balboa station platform.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51694272290_f41a92bb10_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mL3E9J)Trolley Map (https://flic.kr/p/2mL3E9J) by Manuel Sanchez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194406648@N06/), on Flickr

[mello]

Empty lot across from HC DMV on Normal street, they are digging deep so lets hope for 5 floors there. Also a slim lot behind that Red Building on University that wasn't included in that project has construction going on.

Have you guys noticed some infill going on along EC Blvd finally, the old Poker room is getting filled in. Empty lot on Ohio or Illinois about to start construction (I asked the liquor store owner next door he said its a go).

Farther east on 50 something street another Card Room that was shuttered has residential going in.

University and Fairmont an old Union Bank Branch and their massive parking lot is getting Residential and another couple blocks east is a fenced off lot no equipment visible but hopefully infill coming.

Bottom line is we are finally seeing construction in the less desirable areas. Something LA and Bay Area have been doing for years now and its finally coming here.

[HurricaneHugo]

Blue Line extension, here are some opening day pictures. I'll take more when it's less crowded and hot!


How busy were the stations?

Some of your pics look empty

[SAN Man]

How busy were the stations?

Some of your pics look empty

The Balboa station picture was actually taken the afternoon before opening day. In the other pictures I intentionally avoided passengers and went to areas of the platform to take pictures in-between passer-bys.

I boarded at Old Town transit center, which was very busy, parking was full. The trains were packed to capacity and the ride north was stuffy/hot, standing room only. There were quite a few people that weren't able to board at Tecolote and Balboa.

The stations that were busy were UTC, UCSD (that's where the MTS opening event was), Balboa, Clairemont, Tecolote and Old Town.

[roletand]

Ditto on how busy the stations were on Sunday, most trains were busy with all ages. In addition to the Old Town, parking at Cairemont Dr. and Balboa were full too. Most cars I rode were nice and cool, except for one where the AC definitely wasn't on or wasn't functional.

I had to laugh to myself as we rode through the UCSD Health La Jolla station since Scripps Memorial is JUST on the other side of Voigt drive. The UCSD Health hospital is noticeably further away, but hey when you have your name on the entire line you probably get the hospital stop named after you for free.

The Balboa station picture was actually taken the afternoon before opening day. In the other pictures I intentionally avoided passengers and went to areas of the platform to take pictures in-between passer-bys.

I boarded at Old Town transit center, which was very busy, parking was full. The trains were packed to capacity and the ride north was stuffy/hot, standing room only. There were quite a few people that weren't able to board at Tecolote and Balboa.

The stations that were busy were UTC, UCSD (that's where the MTS opening event was), Balboa, Clairemont, Tecolote and Old Town.

[mello]

Anyone know what is going on with this nice development on the huge empty lot just east of the Clairemont Dr stop at the bottom of the hill?

http://https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2019/08/15/mixed-use-development-planned-near-future-clairemo

Click link the renderings look great it is called Bayview Plaza by Protea Properties. All of the articles about it are from late Summer of 2019... :shrug:

In a comment thread on a Tribune article about the new trolley line someone said this project has been canceled or didn't go through for some reason. I really hope that isn't true its a blighted lot and this Bayview Plaza looks dope.

[roletand]

MTS was still talking about it as of May of this year. Check out Page 110 of the May 6 Executive Committee packet. https://www.sdmts.com/sites/default/files/2021-05-06_ec_agenda_and_materials.pdf

Meeting minutes didn't shine too much more light on the status, excerpt below.

"Ms. Cooney commented on the Clairemont Drive site and noted it as a critical access entryway to the nearby communities in Clairemont. She discussed concerns about the ability to access the site with an automobile and also noted bus accessibility limitations. She stated that the delay of this development could impact transit accessibility."
https://www.sdmts.com/sites/default/files/2021-05-06_ec_minutes.pdf

Anyone know what is going on with this nice development on the huge empty lot just east of the Clairemont Dr stop at the bottom of the hill?

http://https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2019/08/15/mixed-use-development-planned-near-future-clairemo

Click link the renderings look great it is called Bayview Plaza by Protea Properties. All of the articles about it are from late Summer of 2019... :shrug:

In a comment thread on a Tribune article about the new trolley line someone said this project has been canceled or didn't go through for some reason. I really hope that isn't true its a blighted lot and this Bayview Plaza looks dope.

[Streamliner]

I took a ride yesterday (Black Friday) on the new line from Nobel to UTC just to check it out. I got on an early train around 9:00 and it was pretty quiet, but coming back at noon the trains were full. The 5000-series Siemens cars are really nice.

[SAN Man]

Anyone know what is going on with this nice development on the huge empty lot just east of the Clairemont Dr stop at the bottom of the hill?

I noticed that the empty lot was used for staging construction equipment and vehicles for the Trolley extension at times.

Now that construction has wrapped up, hopefully we see some movement on that property. What a prime property, walking distance to Mission Bay, units will have water views, 1 block from Clairemont Dr. Trolley stop, next to the 5. It's a 10 minute drive to Downtown, the airport, La Jolla and UCSD.

[Streamliner]

I noticed that the empty lot was used for staging construction equipment and vehicles for the Trolley extension at times.

Now that construction has wrapped up, hopefully we see some movement on that property. What a prime property, walking distance to Mission Bay, units will have water views, 1 block from Clairemont Dr. Trolley stop, next to the 5. It's a 10 minute drive to Downtown, the airport, La Jolla and UCSD.

That makes sense. I think UCSD had some staging sites that have developments in the works now that the Trolley is complete.