SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[Derek]

I don't think he's opposed to the Solar Turbines facility, just the fact that they are trying to block development. I don't blame him.

[Leo the Dog]

I like the proposal, but if things were reversed, EX: there would be outrage and public push back if a well established neighborhood of the 1920's was being threatened by industrial or even a large commercial building proposal.

If the condos are built, it would eventually lead to much of these businesses closing, similar to residential neighborhoods crowding out military bases.

I think SD should be careful not to scare off industry that provides jobs to San Diegans.

[Derek]

I don't see how building a condo building on the site of an aging restaurant building would force businesses to close?

[mello]

Here is a great opinion piece on how with a bit of common sense residential use and Solar Turbines can coexist: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/30/apartments-manufacturing-plant-can-co-exist/

This is really not a big deal and I'm sure plenty of people have worked at the restaurants and car rental shops for years 8 hours a day and they are not suffering from any pollution coming from ST. The dancers at Pure Platinum don't seem to mind :cool:

[kpexpress]

The site is zoned residential, it's privately owned and they're operating within the confines of the law and municipal code; how can someone tell him he can't move forward with his development?

[HurricaneHugo]

Here is a great opinion piece on how with a bit of common sense residential use and Solar Turbines can coexist: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/30/apartments-manufacturing-plant-can-co-exist/

This is really not a big deal and I'm sure plenty of people have worked at the restaurants and car rental shops for years 8 hours a day and they are not suffering from any pollution coming from ST. The dancers at Pure Platinum don't seem to mind :cool:

Hmm.

I believe the City Council needs to investigate this "Pure Platinum" workplace and see if the "workers" are affected by the close proximity of Solar Turbines.

Multiple trips will be required.

[Leo the Dog]

The site is zoned residential, it's privately owned and they're operating within the confines of the law and municipal code; how can someone tell him he can't move forward with his development?

Doesn't this happen all the time, but in reverse of this situation? NIMBYism at it's finest (or worst).

I'd love to see brand new residential being built in Little Italy/DT. It's difficult enough to get any project built now-a-days. I agree that both could exist together. Last thing I'd want to have happen is for some 250-300 condos to replace 1,800 local jobs during tough economic times in San Diego.

[HurricaneHugo]

Hoteliers agree on funding for the Convention Center expansion.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/12/hoteliers-endorse-convention-center-funding-plan/

[kpexpress]

Hmm.

I believe the City Council needs to investigate this "Pure Platinum" workplace and see if the "workers" are affected by the close proximity of Solar Turbines.

Multiple trips will be required.

As it's been explained to me City Council will not weigh in on this issue. Can anyone confirm?

[SD_Phil]

Drove by the building next door to the Inn at the Park (6th in between Spruce and Redwood). I'm still not sure what's being built there (this is the site that sat u/c but abandoned for years) but there has been significant construction. There is a slab built out for the second floor and what seems like the beginnings of third floor girders.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on there? Last I walked by it was fenced off but now it is significantly underway.

[mello]

Just got off the phone with Luke Daniels from GLJ Partners in Carlsbad : http://www.gljpartners.com/ They are doing the China Camp development on PCH next to good ole Solar Turbines. He is a really cool guy and is passionate about urban growth in San Diego just like us.

He wants me to come out to CCDC for the big hearing on the project next Wednesday the 25th. Both Solar and GLJ are going to give their presentations and then people can speak for 2 minutes and have their say. I urge you guys to come out and give support for this development.

I think we can all agree that if it is blocked it will set a very dangerous precedent and ST will effectively be holding all of North LI hostage from future residential development.

[kpexpress]

From what I gathered from last night's CCAC meeting discussing the Fat City Lofts issue, the Solar Turbines Company is trying to block the development because they might not be able to get certain permits to pollute more because of the proximity of the development, but the irony of this issue is that with the existing conditions of the community where Solar does business prohibits them from obtaining these permits as is. I voted in favor of the development because Solar showed no evidence to support their stance besides heartfelt testimony. I hope Segals project gets built; it's a great building and an opportunity for the community to gain back a historically iconic piece of architecture and add more density to that portion of Little Italy.

To be clear, the council does not need to vote on this issue. It's basically up to one man: Kim Kilkenny. I think the ruling will come down next week at CCDC Board Meeting. The vote is apeallable to the planning commission, which is non-partisan.

One thing is apparent, the manipulation of politics is fierce with this issue. So Sad!

[tyleraf]

CCDC updated their maps again. With an interesting project in East Village. At 410 ft Stadium View will make a nice addition to the skyline. Head on over and check it out.

[HurricaneHugo]

CCDC updated their maps again. With an interesting project in East Village. At 410 ft Stadium View will make a nice addition to the skyline. Head on over and check it out.

I came.

It's on G between 10th and 11th (behind Pep Boys).

Also I drove by 15th and Market and it's a giant hole right now so I'm guessing it's going to start going up soon

[Lipani]

^ It's about time that project started. How many years has that land been fenced off?

[mongoXZ]

Anyone see that editorial piece in the U-T this morning?
http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2012/01/20/Stadium-Rendering_t620.jpg?3ba288e077780dca5879b70fc3e0b2d025cf5799
Think big — New vision needed for downtown waterfront
Thanks to pension and budget crises, government dysfunction and a political culture of suspicion and mistrust, San Diego sometimes seems to have lost its ability to think big. If our city is to reach its potential, this must change, starting — but only starting — with the need for a new stadium for the Chargers, an expansion of the Convention Center and, indeed, the broader downtown waterfront.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/22/think-big-think-big-new-vision-needed-for/?page=1#article

Check out the concept's footprint. Wow.
http://media.utsandiego.com/news/documents/2012/01/21/newstadiumplan.pdf

My only question is what happens to the operation at the port terminal along with the jobs it brings? Expand the National City port terminal?

[Derek]

Anyone see that editorial piece in the U-T this morning?

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/22/think-big-think-big-new-vision-needed-for/?page=1#article

Check out the concept's footprint. Wow.
http://media.utsandiego.com/news/documents/2012/01/21/newstadiumplan.pdf

My only question is what happens to the operation at the port terminal along with the jobs it brings? Expand the National City port terminal?

Not going to happen anyways, I don't think anybody needs to worry about that terminal. :P



That does look amazing though...

[mello]

I think its a great idea and is feasible. I just read the entire editorial and it seems like they have a rough financing plan in place. With an upzoning of the Sports Arena and Qualcomm site San Diego really does have some amazing assets they can leverage to make this waterfront plan happen.

[Derek]

I think its a great idea and is feasible. I just read the entire editorial and it seems like they have a rough financing plan in place. With an upzoning of the Sports Arena and Qualcomm site San Diego really does have some amazing assets they can leverage to make this waterfront plan happen.

Yes, but you should know by now that nothing in San Diego ever gets done, and if something does get done it takes like 5 years! ;)

[mello]

^^ Well Derek I'm going to be optimistic and say that enough San Diegans are going to wake up and see that if we don't start thinking big and thinking like a big city that we will never recover and will always just be a tourist town with some biotech. Our generation is going to need drastic change if the quality of life for even 40% of the people who are young now are going to ever grow up and be independently "middle class". So I think it is finally time for this city to change its outlook and have some leaders step up get people to think differently.

All of these baby boomers and ignorant types who just want to keep us an overgrown San Luis Obispo are going to have to get out of the way.

[Derek]

I'd like to be optimistic as well, but we've seen time and time again that people in San Diego don't want to think big. They think progress and thinking big is some horrible concept. :(

[mello]

Well, lets hope that there are enough people with 1/3 the knowledge as us here on this site in the younger generation of SD. I think people are starting to wake up to the potential this city has and how it could easily be just as nice as Seattle, Vancouver, and Melbourne if people got off their ass realize this suburban kind of mindset of "well its so nice here, why change things" will not get us anywhere and leave us in these economic doldrums of extreme wealth disparity that we are in now.

[HurricaneHugo]

The State's AG sues San Diego over future transportation plans...

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/environment/muck/article_cd8ce880-4609-11e1-a990-0019bb2963f4.html

The San Diego Association of Governments was the first regional agency to have to comply with a new state law requiring its transportation plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years. The governor's office and state Attorney General Kamala Harris said the plan didn't go far enough to get San Diego drivers off the road and into buses, trolleys or bike lanes.
On Monday, Harris sued, putting more heft behind a similar lawsuit that local and national environmental groups filed after Sandag approved its plan last year. The suits both show that neither the state nor environmentalists want to see Sandag's approach become precedent in California — and are willing to fight.

[mello]

Hey guys I really think this is an important issue, I will be down there at CCDC 401 B Street tomorrow at 2:30 and I would love to see the SD forumers show up and represent what is right for the future of this city. Here is a great powerpoint presentation that shows why this development should absolutely be allowed to move forward:

http://co111w.col111.mail.live.com/default.aspx#!/mail/ViewOfficePreview.aspx?messageid=9b5224cb-46f7-11e1-b699-00215ad9bd2e&folderid=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&attindex=1&cp=-1&attdepth=1&n=1080602172

If this project is shut down it could have serious negative affects on future residential and mixed use development in the city of San Diego and other cities throughout the County. See you there -- :cheers:

[mongoXZ]

:cheers:
http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2012/01/27/ncblimp319928x011g_t900x507.jpg?f0f59a72572e9d2cb916629cab9e5c123f6c0555
http://www.utsandiego.com/photos/galleries/2012/jan/27/birds-eye-view-san-diego/

[kpexpress]

:cheers:
http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2012/01/27/ncblimp319928x011g_t900x507.jpg?f0f59a72572e9d2cb916629cab9e5c123f6c0555
http://www.utsandiego.com/photos/galleries/2012/jan/27/birds-eye-view-san-diego/

sexy curves

[mello]

^^^ Too bad the East end of the C Street Core got cut off in that shot. I would have rather have that included than our lovely parking lot waterfront.

Went to the CCDC meeting on the Fat City Lofts on Wednesday, the level of ignorance in this city is appalling. Solar Turbines is the perfect example of a corporation using their financial might to influence politicians and whatever you call CCDC boardmembers... A very sad day for me and my hopes that this city and country can turn itself around.

[HurricaneHugo]

If the city doesn't get the stadium built and the Chargers bolt...I'll bolt too.

[kpexpress]

^^^ Too bad the East end of the C Street Core got cut off in that shot. I would have rather have that included than our lovely parking lot waterfront.

Went to the CCDC meeting on the Fat City Lofts on Wednesday, the level of ignorance in this city is appalling. Solar Turbines is the perfect example of a corporation using their financial might to influence politicians and whatever you call CCDC boardmembers... A very sad day for me and my hopes that this city and country can turn itself around.

I completely agree. I voted in favor of allowing the development to move forward - our committee was split, but it's only advisory. I know the decision can be appealed to the planning commission, but the project does conflict with the city general plan. I would like to see it built.

[kpexpress]

Here's a sneak peak at the progress of my thesis. It's a concept at this point, still lots of work to do. Thoughts?

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn60/kpexpress42/concept6.jpg

[mello]

I completely agree. I voted in favor of allowing the development to move forward - our committee was split, but it's only advisory. I know the decision can be appealed to the planning commission, but the project does conflict with the city general plan. I would like to see it built.

You mean does not conflict with the general plan right? Were you at the meeting on Wednesday? They kept saying that this project is absolutely consistent with the 2006 plan of downtown.

About your thesis: How does the elevator work? And is this meant for downtown? The ground floor doesn't seem to mesh well with the surrounding urban fabric.

[mongoXZ]

Here's a sneak peak at the progress of my thesis. It's a concept at this point, still lots of work to do. Thoughts?

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn60/kpexpress42/concept6.jpg

Looks like something that would get built in Coruscant or Dubai. Call the Sultans! They'll fund it!

[kpexpress]

You mean does not conflict with the general plan right? Were you at the meeting on Wednesday? They kept saying that this project is absolutely consistent with the 2006 plan of downtown.

About your thesis: How does the elevator work? And is this meant for downtown? The ground floor doesn't seem to mesh well with the surrounding urban fabric.

It is consistent with the downtown community plan, but conflicts with the 2002 san diego general plan in terms of protecting base sector employers in the city.

[mello]

This project does absolutely nothing to affect base sector employers and you know it K ex. Any person with any common sense who looks at the facts objectively will see that ST is not threatened at all by Fat City. This is nothing but a fear mongering propaganda campaign from Solar to see how far they can stretch their power.

Plus if Fat City is blocked it could have huge negative affects on future investment in residential projects and that will affect "Base Sector Jobs". There were multiple Real Estate Financing guys who spoke about this on Wednesday at CCDC.

[HurricaneHugo]

Are those shipping containers lol

[HurricaneHugo]

Also have you guys seen this?

Got it from the Vancouver thread in the main forum.

http://newurbannetwork.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full-content-width/urban-evolution.jpg

Didn't know about it!

[eburress]

If the city doesn't get the stadium built and the Chargers bolt...I'll bolt too.

Right there with you!

[kpexpress]

This project does absolutely nothing to affect base sector employers and you know it K ex. Any person with any common sense who looks at the facts objectively will see that ST is not threatened at all by Fat City. This is nothing but a fear mongering propaganda campaign from Solar to see how far they can stretch their power.

Plus if Fat City is blocked it could have huge negative affects on future investment in residential projects and that will affect "Base Sector Jobs". There were multiple Real Estate Financing guys who spoke about this on Wednesday at CCDC.

I completely agree and I wasn't saying that I believe that the project threatens base sector employment - in fact the waterfront lofts project (another Segal) sits within the 500' boundary Solar is bitching about. That got built in 2002 and no one brought up this issue at all. I voted in favor of allowing the development from moving forward and sat back in awe as the project got a split vote at CCAC and later died in CCDC. Let's hope the appeal to the Planning Commission will be less-partisan and more objectified. Solar presents zero scientific evidence backing their argument, just personal testimony.

[HurricaneHugo]

Nice.


http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/31/redevelopment-agency-ends-65-billion-projects-rema/

Redevelopment agency ends but $6.5B in projects remains

San Diego's redevelopment agency went out of existence Tuesday, but not before it passed on $6.5 billion of obligations to the city and its taxpayers.

The action, mandated by the Legislature as a budget-saving measure last year, ends a 54-year run in which downtown was remade, neighborhoods from City Heights to San Ysidro were revitalized and landmark projects like Horton Plaza, Petco Park and Liberty Station came to pass.

"Redevelopment has been a powerful tool," said Councilman Todd Gloria, before he and the other seven City Council members, acting as the agency board, approved a long to-do list of unfinished projects.

For staff reports and related documents, see the Redevelopment Agency meeting docket here.

The list of "enforceable obligations" includes continuing bond and debt payments, consultant and monitoring costs and a raft of projects that in same cases are decades off into the future.

They include the $63 million redevelopment of the sports arena property in Point Loma, not expected until 2037; a $107 million bullet train station, projected for completion by 2044 on Pacific Highway; and $150 million to reconstruct of C Street downtown by 2033.

Also on the list is $150 million for clean up of the MTS bus yard in East Village, the Chargers' preferred site for a new downtown stadium.

[eburress]

Nice.


http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/31/redevelopment-agency-ends-65-billion-projects-rema/

Redevelopment agency ends but $6.5B in projects remains

"They include the $63 million redevelopment of the sports arena property in Point Loma, not expected until 2037..."


So the soonest we can begin to hope for a basketball team in San Diego is 2037? Awesome. :sly:

[mello]

"They include the $63 million redevelopment of the sports arena property in Point Loma, not expected until 2037..."


So the soonest we can begin to hope for a basketball team in San Diego is 2037? Awesome. :sly:

If San Diego lets an asset like that Sports Arena land just sit there as is till 2037 I will be shocked. I think we will start to see some movement on redeveloping that site and Qualcomm very soon. This city is broke and will realize it will have to start being more pro development in order to help its financial situation.

There is nowhere left to sprawl in this county and whenever a developer proposes something on rugged land like off Deer Springs Rd. in Escondido the NIMBY's come out with guns blazing. I believe the City/County and developers are seeing the writing on the wall and the only way to add those 10,000 housing units we need a year will be with vertical infill.

[eburress]

If San Diego lets an asset like that Sports Arena land just sit there as is till 2037 I will be shocked. I think we will start to see some movement on redeveloping that site and Qualcomm very soon. This city is broke and will realize it will have to start being more pro development in order to help its financial situation.

There is nowhere left to sprawl in this county and whenever a developer proposes something on rugged land like off Deer Springs Rd. in Escondido the NIMBY's come out with guns blazing. I believe the City/County and developers are seeing the writing on the wall and the only way to add those 10,000 housing units we need a year will be with vertical infill.

That (the need to be much more pro-development) is precisely why I would have expected the city to do something about a new airport at Miramar, but the force is strong with the NIMBYs and this city's government is gutless and inept. If the deadline for doing something with the arena is 2037, expect it to actually happen in 2067...or more likely never.

[mello]

E: I think you are off base here because I have seen it mentioned on a few occasions that the Qualcomm and Sports Arena properties will be leveraged to help get a new stadium built or in the financing of other civic projects. San Diego is sitting on a gold mine with those lands and all of the stuff off of Sea World Drive west of I - 5. The Spanos family are developers of apartment units and this County is in dire need of more rental housing so I'm sure a good deal can get worked out that benefits everyone.

[eburress]

E: I think you are off base here because I have seen it mentioned on a few occasions that the Qualcomm and Sports Arena properties will be leveraged to help get a new stadium built or in the financing of other civic projects. San Diego is sitting on a gold mine with those lands and all of the stuff off of Sea World Drive west of I - 5. The Spanos family are developers of apartment units and this County is in dire need of more rental housing so I'm sure a good deal can get worked out that benefits everyone.

That land may be a gold mine, but this city has to have the tact, smarts, balls (or whatever) to do something with it...and assuming the city possesses ANY of that, it also has to overcome the might of this city's NIMBYs. E.g., For how many years has all that land near Sea World sat undeveloped? How's this city's new international airport coming along? What about NBC? What about Lane Field? It goes on and on...

[mello]

^^^ Very true, regarding NIMBY's the only thing you listed they haven't tried to block is Lane Field. Pretty much everyone is in favor of that moving forward. At some point San Diego is going to have to find a way to circumvent the voters and NIMBY's and just move forward with things... I don't know how they can exactly do that but it seems like people here just want this city to float away into being a Jacksonville with their kids all living in Albuquerque and San Antonio because "We absolutely can't build anything more in this city... There's no water!!" Lol.

Can you imagine how much worse the wealth disparity is going to become in this County if dense infill developments continue to be blocked and nothing gets built... I mean where are people going to live? With their parents until they die and they inherent the residence?

[eburress]

^^^ Very true, regarding NIMBY's the only thing you listed they haven't tried to block is Lane Field. Pretty much everyone is in favor of that moving forward. At some point San Diego is going to have to find a way to circumvent the voters and NIMBY's and just move forward with things... I don't know how they can exactly do that but it seems like people here just want this city to float away into being a Jacksonville with their kids all living in Albuquerque and San Antonio because "We absolutely can't build anything more in this city... There's no water!!" Lol.

Can you imagine how much worse the wealth disparity is going to become in this County if dense infill developments continue to be blocked and nothing gets built... I mean where are people going to live? With their parents until they die and they inherent the residence?

hahaha - Temecula!

In other cities, where things do actually get done, the city governments seem to be much stronger and more capable. It also seems like the citizens are concerned with more than just their property values. I would be shocked to hear a San Diegan say "while this [project XYZ] isn't great for MY home's value, it's good/necessary for the city and for the region."

[mello]

Any thoughts on what they are concerned with besides prop values?

[HurricaneHugo]

My brother and I just bought a house in Sherman Heights (across the 5 from East Village) and our property values would soar if the Stadium deal gets done lol.

Get 'er done!

[eburress]

Any thoughts on what they are concerned with besides prop values?

It seems like that's all the majority of folks here care about.

[mello]

I'm very embarrassed guys, did you see this Minneapolis infill thread? http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=195465

Here is a metro area you can directly compare to SD, yes they have a bigger corporate presence but virtually the same metro area population and look at the quality of their infill projects! They didn't get all of the highrises downtown like we did but their 4 floor to midrise stuff is far superior. Take a look and let me know what you think.

[Derek]

I'm very embarrassed guys, did you see this Minneapolis infill thread? http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=195465

Here is a metro area you can directly compare to SD, yes they have a bigger corporate presence but virtually the same metro area population and look at the quality of their infill projects! They didn't get all of the highrises downtown like we did but their 4 floor to midrise stuff is far superior. Take a look and let me know what you think.



Portland has about a million less residents than San Diego, but it feels like it's 3 times bigger than San Diego. There's infill developments popping up everywhere from downtown to the communities North, South, East, West and beyond. San Diego just doesn't know what it's doing when it comes to urban planning. :(

[HurricaneHugo]

I should have minored in Urban Planning. =(

[eburress]

Portland has about a million less residents than San Diego, but it feels like it's 3 times bigger than San Diego. There's infill developments popping up everywhere from downtown to the communities North, South, East, West and beyond. San Diego just doesn't know what it's doing when it comes to urban planning. :(

I'm sure it has something to do with how easy/hard it is to develop projects and the city's economy as well.

[eburress]

I'm very embarrassed guys, did you see this Minneapolis infill thread? http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=195465

Here is a metro area you can directly compare to SD, yes they have a bigger corporate presence but virtually the same metro area population and look at the quality of their infill projects! They didn't get all of the highrises downtown like we did but their 4 floor to midrise stuff is far superior. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Good find! I haven't been to Minneapolis in a few years and didn't realize how much they've built. It's very impressive, and yes, I really wish the quality of the structures built here in SD was on par with the projects in that thread. Minneapolis is a very cool city, by the way.

[tommaso]

I wish I didn't have to comment, but I am suffering from the cancer it is to hope for a sense of urbanity in San Diego. I believe S.D. has improved 1000% in that department since the year 2000. However, we are light years behind having the necessary population it would take to be urban. How many people live in downtown? How many of these people would have lived there say in the year 1999? Development is the crack child of the economy. So, as the economy recovers from its ulcers, so will the urban hope for San Diego. Will the next boom be as large and significant as the last one, or will we have to wait for a true jobs czar to head this city and diversify the economy here and create wealth broadly for the locals? I won't answer these questions because I have a bad feeling as to the extent my answers may not come to life for some time. I want change and I know we want it too. Only, change is a mindset and only the locals can decide who they want to be as a city. Surely, we would all love to have the mayor's powers and fix downtown. But, the task is firstly affected by the entrenched dictatorial behaviors of the corporate elite of San Diego. Do you think the Coronado, La Jolla set who dictate what happens in the area want to create opportunities for the general population when all they have to do to protect their wealth is to maintain the status quo?

[mello]

Tommaso: Some good points there, what I will tell you is that there are a couple of developers in this county who are really passionate about urban infill and realize that it is the future of this City/County. They know that downtown and the old core hoods of Uptown, North Park, Normal Heights, City Heights, Golden Hill, Barrio Logan, and Sherman Heights could probably accommodate up to 70,000 new housing units if done properly.

The problem with San Diego is where is the job growth going to come from to enable people to afford the rents developers will be asking to make a return on their investment. For example if a shiny new 15 floor building were built in Sherman Heights renting 2 bedrooms at 1300 a pop people would be all over it, but would the developer make a profit at that rental price? Would people be lining up to rent 2 bedrooms at 1800...

[tommaso]

The jobs aren't going to create themselves and the problem is systemic here. What will the Mayor of this city do to force business to come to this city and create sustainable jobs here that would sustain a family of four: mother, father and two children? All of the residents of this county need quality jobs and good jobs will never create themselves. Build this convention center expansion for half a billion, ok. Build a billion dollar football stadium for the Chargers, ok. Build an additional five hotels, ok. Add a few bio-tech jobs to the UTC area, ok. Where will all these unemployed military vets work? Where will all these unemployed skilled to highly skilled laborers work if the politicians just can't or even don't want to find a way to turn the economy around here and diversify the economy?

[SDfan]

I have a question for those of you who may be familiar. What exactly is going to happen to CCDC?

Are their meetings going to cease? Are they going to close their downtown offices? Their storefront? Are they going to morph into a new government entity within the city? What about their website?

I'm just curious and would love and informative answer.

[HurricaneHugo]

State clears San Diego redevelopment projects:

San Diego's plans for $6.5 billion in redevelopment projects have survived the first round of scrutiny by the state, but they still could be questioned later.

The city sent its list of what are called "enforceable obligations" -- bond debts, contracts, developer agreements and loan repayments -- to the state Department of Finance a week ago. The state had three days to signal it had questions, and if it did, it had 10 days to list its concerns.

Department spokesman H.D. Palmer said Tuesday that state auditors and analysts did not find anything to inquire about.

"We haven’t sent any objections yet on the San Diego enforceable obligation payment schedule submitted Jan. 31," Palmer said.

But San Diego isn't free and clear to move forward with building parks, fire stations, affordable housing and even the first phase of what could be a downtown home for the San Diego Chargers.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/07/state-clears-citys-redevelopment-projects/

I feel like I'm watching baby turtles trying to make it to the ocean safely after hatching...

[tyleraf]

It seems Lane Field might be at least partially built! http://www.sddt.com/news/article.cfm?SourceCode=20120213czc&_t=Lane+Field+plan+undergoing+some+changes

[mello]

^^^ Unbelievable a "Homewood Suites on the Bay" great... I find it astounding that a high end brand like Intercontinental, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis or Mandarin Oriental would not be jumping at the chance to build right on downtown San Diego's waterfront.

The entire metro area has none of these brands (4 Seasons in Carlsbad is now a Park Hyatt - still 5 star). Can any of you guys explain why a large coastal US metro area doesn't have any of these hotel brands. I mean this is a luxury market with tons of rich people in this county.

[HurricaneHugo]

Is there an updated render?

Can't view the article.

[SDfan]

^^^ Unbelievable a "Homewood Suites on the Bay" great... I find it astounding that a high end brand like Intercontinental, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis or Mandarin Oriental would not be jumping at the chance to build right on downtown San Diego's waterfront.

The entire metro area has none of these brands (4 Seasons in Carlsbad is now a Park Hyatt - still 5 star). Can any of you guys explain why a large coastal US metro area doesn't have any of these hotel brands. I mean this is a luxury market with tons of rich people in this county.

Because we aren't that kind of a city. I mean come on, this is a city where a Marriott, a Hyatt, a Hilton and a Holiday Inn already adore our bay front crown (a crown this city bought from party city I might add).

San Diego isn't a luxury city. Our best mall is a B mall by LA standards. Our main attractions are a zoo, an over-sized aquarium, and a lego day care center. We have beaches, yes, and so what?

The gaslamp is cute, but not in anyway spectacular when compared to the streets of Hong Kong, London or New York where property values are so high, that visiting alone can attract the money that any of the hotels you listed above would salivate over.

San Diego is a family-oriented, middle-class vacation destination. We get zonies, weekend trip LAers, Californians, and the occasional Brit who accidentally got on the wrong plane.

Don't get me wrong, we have some class, I'm just saying, a Homewood Suites should come as no surprise. We might fare better in the future, but for now, this navy town will keep its middle image.

[mello]

San Diego isn't a luxury city.

Do you think it is also because we do not have a large corporate presence? For example look as Seattle which is our best comparison (West Coast City with similar Metro pop.) they have a much larger corporate base and get more high end business travel because of Boeing and all of the tech companies based there.

We are sort of a luxury "resort style city" look at North County with its huge swath of million dollar homes from Olivenhain through RSF/Fairbanks/Santa Luz/ etc. that is a big area with all 1.5 million dollar homes and up. So there is money here but not really in the same way as even Seattle etc.

SD has luxury hotels but only in the suburbs which is kind of unique.

[bobdreamz]

^^^ Unbelievable a "Homewood Suites on the Bay" great... I find it astounding that a high end brand like Intercontinental, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis or Mandarin Oriental would not be jumping at the chance to build right on downtown San Diego's waterfront.

The entire metro area has none of these brands (4 Seasons in Carlsbad is now a Park Hyatt - still 5 star). Can any of you guys explain why a large coastal US metro area doesn't have any of these hotel brands. I mean this is a luxury market with tons of rich people in this county.

I'm surprised that San Diego doesn't have any of the hotel brands you mentioned yet Miami has all of them including 3 Ritz Carltons. All of these are in Miami Dade county too which has a smaller population than San Diego county itself.

[mello]

I'm surprised that San Diego doesn't have any of the hotel brands you mentioned yet Miami has all of them including 3 Ritz Carltons. All of these are in Miami Dade county too which has a smaller population than San Diego county itself.

Well Miami is a tough comparison with San Diego Bob. You have tons of Latin American banks there plus with it being the de facto "Capital of Latin America" you get a lot more big players coming to visit. Tons of rich people from NY, Boston, and Philly fly down for the weekend or longer Dec. thru March so I can see why it has more luxury. Plus Miami doesn't have a 16 million metro area sitting 120 miles north of it :cool:

Remember Orange County with its 3 million people and St. Regis, Ritz Carlton and other non corporate luxury hotels is quite close. San Diego does have a ton of "pretty nice" hotels just not a lot of the ultra lux uber hotels that Miami is blessed with.

[brantw]

http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2012/02/14/View_8_Looking_north_across_the_open_lawn_r620x349.jpg?75d51d0aea2efce5189afce216053cbc530c46a8

Plans to redevelop Lane Field, the former home of the Pacific Coast League Padres, into a mid-scale 400-room hotel tower and public park, were given the go-ahead Tuesday by San Diego Port Commissioners.

The board granted an option to a development team to build a 14-story structure housing two different hotels — a 250-room Homewood Suites and a 150-room Hilton Garden Inn. The $110 million project, which also calls for a nearly two-acre park and plaza along Harbor Drive, is a downscale version of what was once envisioned as a luxury InterContinental Hotel tower.

The economic downturn, which made financing impossible to obtain, coupled with the added park requirement, forced the developers to rethink the project design, said Jerry Trammer, project executive for Lane Field. Still planned, however, is a second phase that calls for a 400-room InterContinental on the southern portion of the site, which Trammer hopes could be financed once the economy fully rebounds.

The developers of the hotel project include San Diego-based Lankford & Associates, Hardage Suite Hotels and C.W. Clark.

The San Diego Unified Port District, which wouldn’t start getting rent payments until at least 2017, could expect annual revenues of $2 million to $3.9 million during the later years of the agreement. The project, which still requires approval from the California Coastal Commission, could be completed by late 2014, Trammer said.

The developers would also be responsible for creating a new park that would include landscaped areas, a food pavilion, public restrooms and a special homage to the Padres’ former minor league team that used Lane Field between 1936 and 1957.

“One idea is to celebrate the original baseball stadium by having a replica of home plate in the same location where it once was and to also replicate the base pads and the pitcher’s mound,” said Trammer. “And the foul line would shown with in-ground lighting.”

The next step, said Trammer, is to design the hotel and park site, with a goal of starting construction in early 2013.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/14/new-hotels-rise-lane-field/

[eburress]

Do you think it is also because we do not have a large corporate presence? For example look as Seattle which is our best comparison (West Coast City with similar Metro pop.) they have a much larger corporate base and get more high end business travel because of Boeing and all of the tech companies based there.

We are sort of a luxury "resort style city" look at North County with its huge swath of million dollar homes from Olivenhain through RSF/Fairbanks/Santa Luz/ etc. that is a big area with all 1.5 million dollar homes and up. So there is money here but not really in the same way as even Seattle etc.

SD has luxury hotels but only in the suburbs which is kind of unique.


I think you are spot on. The biggest reason why San Diego isn't a "luxury" city is because of its tiny corporate presence. I guarantee that if you added a few Fortune 100 companies (along with all the companies, firms, agencies that support them), SD would become a whole lot more luxurious, and you would start to see some of these ritzier brands show up.

[SDfan]

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/15/san-diego-gets-nonstop-service-to-japan/

San Diego gets nonstop service to Japan

San Diego, which has long sought nonstop air service to Asia, will get its first flight in December, Japan Airlines announced today.

No official start date in December has been determined yet.

The new nonstop service, which will be daily starting in March of next year, was made possible because of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a new generation of aircraft that has greater fuel performance and range.

The headwinds along the route from San Diego to Asia, coupled with Lindbergh Field's shorter 9,401-foot runway, previously made nonstop flights impossible, airport officials explained.

This could boost our attraction, and maybe translate to a better corporate presence.

[202_Cyclist]

Does San Diego still have non-stop British Airways service to London? Previously, Portland was the smallest US city with non-stop service to both Asia and Europe. It might be San Diego now, when this route starts.

[mello]

Does San Diego still have non-stop British Airways service to London? Previously, Portland was the smallest US city with non-stop service to both Asia and Europe. It might be San Diego now, when this route starts.

I don't understand, San Diego is larger than Portland. Did you mean San Diego is the largest metro area without a non stop flight to both Asia and Europe?

This is huge for SD! Finally a daily Asia flight. Now we need to get a daily to Southern Asia like Hong Kong/Manila/Singapore and then we are really in business.

Does anyone know if that new Mexico City flight is daily?

[202_Cyclist]

Correct-- I didn't know the relative size of Portland vs. San Diego. Regardless, good news for SAN.

[HurricaneHugo]

I think you are spot on. The biggest reason why San Diego isn't a "luxury" city is because of its tiny corporate presence. I guarantee that if you added a few Fortune 100 companies (along with all the companies, firms, agencies that support them), SD would become a whole lot more luxurious, and you would start to see some of these ritzier brands show up.

A new airport with daily/weekly flights to everywhere in the world would help a lot...

Those flights to Tokyo/London are a big help though since at least those airports are connected to the rest of the world.

[Derek]

Correct-- I didn't know the relative size of Portland vs. San Diego. Regardless, good news for SAN.

Portland's metro is about 800,000 people smaller than San Diego's.


PDX has direct flights to Amsterdam (Delta) and Tokyo (also Delta).





This is really good news for San Diego, but a little random to be honest.

[aquablue]

As an outsider, I think San Deigo wasted its potential. Its location and climate are ideal. It should be a far greater international draw, but it developed itself in the wrong way.

First, move your airport outside of your city center.
Create a proper transit system.
Develop a proper waterfront with a walkway along it away from major roads. Also, add retail
Create a major tourist attraction (bibao effect) - world class design for a musuem or cultural venue.
Develop a vibrant downtown with retail - emphasize mexican american style buildings/styles
Focus more on building a unique san diego architecture and move away from corporate glass towers with no personality.

Move military presence/navy ships and any bases far away from city center. Get rid of the naval base and noisy planes.
Reduce highway clutter.
Turn Coronado or whatever beach area into a miami beach style area high density low rise streets, restaurants, w/ more ritzy resorts and boutique hotels on ocean.

San Diego went the wrong way and does not develop its strong points -- i.e, beaches, weather, compactness. It should be a major resort city with international prestige like Miami. It should develop tourism fully despite lacking a large corporate presence. It should drop the family image and start to develop a more sophisticated one.

[ElDuderino]

Move military presence/navy ships and any bases far away from city center. Get rid of the naval base and noisy planes.


Yeah right. :rolleyes: The city has no control over that. San Diego has one of the largest naval presences in the country. Good luck telling the DoD that you want the bases gone or moved.

[aquablue]

Yeah right. :rolleyes: The city has no control over that. San Diego has one of the largest naval presences in the country. Good luck telling the DoD that you want the bases gone or moved.

Ok, well... I'm not sure you can do much to fulfill the potential of the city to the extent that you would like.
Military bases don't mix well with internaitonal tourism IMO.

[202_Cyclist]

Regarding the non-stop Tokyo -SD service, I have an academic article on my desk at work about the value of new international service at Narita. Suffice to say, although there are significant differences between San Diego and Tokyo, I can email it to anyone who is interested.

[Derek]

As an outsider, I think San Deigo wasted its potential. Its location and climate are ideal. It should be a far greater international draw, but it developed itself in the wrong way.

First, move your airport outside of your city center.
Create a proper transit system.
Develop a proper waterfront with a walkway along it away from major roads. Also, add retail
Create a major tourist attraction (bibao effect) - world class design for a musuem or cultural venue.
Develop a vibrant downtown with retail - emphasize mexican american style buildings/styles
Focus more on building a unique san diego architecture and move away from corporate glass towers with no personality.

Move military presence/navy ships and any bases far away from city center. Get rid of the naval base and noisy planes.
Reduce highway clutter.
Turn Coronado or whatever beach area into a miami beach style area high density low rise streets, restaurants, w/ more ritzy resorts and boutique hotels on ocean.

San Diego went the wrong way and does not develop its strong points -- i.e, beaches, weather, compactness. It should be a major resort city with international prestige like Miami. It should develop tourism fully despite lacking a large corporate presence. It should drop the family image and start to develop a more sophisticated one.



All of those things would be really nice, and most of us on this board already know about those things. It's a shame none of it will ever happen. :rolleyes:

[laguna]

As an outsider, I think San Deigo wasted its potential. Its location and climate are ideal. It should be a far greater international draw, but it developed itself in the wrong way.

First, move your airport outside of your city center.
Create a proper transit system.
Develop a proper waterfront with a walkway along it away from major roads. Also, add retail
Create a major tourist attraction (bibao effect) - world class design for a musuem or cultural venue.
Develop a vibrant downtown with retail - emphasize mexican american style buildings/styles
Focus more on building a unique san diego architecture and move away from corporate glass towers with no personality.

Move military presence/navy ships and any bases far away from city center. Get rid of the naval base and noisy planes.
Reduce highway clutter.
Turn Coronado or whatever beach area into a miami beach style area high density low rise streets, restaurants, w/ more ritzy resorts and boutique hotels on ocean.

San Diego went the wrong way and does not develop its strong points -- i.e, beaches, weather, compactness. It should be a major resort city with international prestige like Miami. It should develop tourism fully despite lacking a large corporate presence. It should drop the family image and start to develop a more sophisticated one.

You sound like a child moving pieces on a Monopoly board. The realities of cities are buillt over centuries-you probably didnt know tht San Diego is over 500 years in the making. Your comments sound like you have never even been here, except maybe with your parents at Sea World. I had a good laugh at your idea of turning our city into a Mexican theme park or a copy of Miami. Miami is a hole and not something to emulate and TJ is fine for TJ.

[mello]

I wouldn't say Miami is a hole, it has some very nice qualities and some that aren't so great. Could San Diego learn things from Miami, Vancouver, Melbourne of course. Our downtown waterfront has so much untapped potential and I think we could have some more coastal towers with quality architecture in Imperial Beach, Pac/Mission/Ocean Beach, and I know many won't like this but what about Fiesta Island? I see a lot of potential there.

[bobdreamz]

You sound like a child moving pieces on a Monopoly board. The realities of cities are buillt over centuries-you probably didnt know tht San Diego is over 500 years in the making. Your comments sound like you have never even been here, except maybe with your parents at Sea World. I had a good laugh at your idea of turning our city into a Mexican theme park or a copy of Miami. Miami is a hole and not something to emulate and TJ is fine for TJ.

Excuse me? Why do you have to trash Miami and how exactly is it a hole? I think Miami has developed well considering the city is only 115 years old.

[mello]

Excuse me? Why do you have to trash Miami and how exactly is it a hole?

^^^ Don't worry about him, he is just a troll and anything other than San Diego back in the 70's or 80's when "it wasn't so crowded" and he wasn't a crabby old man, is just a hole to him. I could see calling Corpus Christi a hole or someplace like that but Miami... Who wouldn't want to go spend a few days in Miami in the winter time if someone wrote them a $5k check and said go stay at the Ritz Carlton or Breakers etc.

[HurricaneHugo]

As an outsider, I think San Deigo wasted its potential. Its location and climate are ideal. It should be a far greater international draw, but it developed itself in the wrong way.

First, move your airport outside of your city center. Agreed, won't be anytime soon
Create a proper transit system. Yep. The 2050 plan they have looks good enough, though it'll be awhile.
Develop a proper waterfront with a walkway along it away from major roads. Also, add retail NEV Plan, Lane Field, Navy Complex, and the Midway Pier will give us opportunities to do this. The Wings of Freedom site would be the perfect site for a signature attraction
Create a major tourist attraction (bibao effect) - world class design for a musuem or cultural venue. So yeah, build it on the Midway pier
Develop a vibrant downtown with retail - emphasize mexican american style buildings/styles The Horton Plaza remodel will help somewhat. Still need to open it up more. The C Street redevelopment will help as well. East Village needs more work but overall I think downtown is good
Focus more on building a unique san diego architecture and move away from corporate glass towers with no personality. All the residential towers are starting to look the same, yeah. Mexican american style though? I don't know what you mean by that and if it was what I think it is I don't think it looks good lol
Move military presence/navy ships and any bases far away from city center. Get rid of the naval base and noisy planes. The naval base is here to stay, it's a huge catalyst to the local economy. MCAS Miramar, on the other hand, can not move soon enough. Perfect site for a new airport. The city needs to look into helping them move whether to Camp Pendleton or somewhere out east.
Reduce highway clutter. How? Our PT system is not big enough to handle all the traffic. Both the 5 and the 805 have expansions in the near future to help with traffic
Turn Coronado or whatever beach area into a miami beach style area high density low rise streets, restaurants, w/ more ritzy resorts and boutique hotels on ocean. Coronado is perfect the way it is, no need to copy Miami Beach. Maybe a tunnel connecting with DT SD can help?

San Diego went the wrong way and does not develop its strong points -- i.e, beaches, weather, compactness. It should be a major resort city with international prestige like Miami. It should develop tourism fully despite lacking a large corporate presence. It should drop the family image and start to develop a more sophisticated one. It is a major resort city, it does develop it's tourism. It just depends on it too much and does not pay enough attention to corporate expansion. That's what the city needs to do, attract big businesses here to improve the local economy. It's sad that we have such a low number of Forbes 500 companies.

.

[HurricaneHugo]

and I know many won't like this but what about Fiesta Island? I see a lot of potential there.

What's the point of Fiesta Island?

Not gonna lie I would not mind putting the Chargers stadium there.

Or next to Sea World Drive.

Or between Sea World Drive and the 5.

I don't see the point of all that wasted land.

[mello]

What's the point of Fiesta Island?

Not gonna lie I would not mind putting the Chargers stadium there.

Or next to Sea World Drive.

Or between Sea World Drive and the 5.

I don't see the point of all that wasted land.

Exactly, here is where San Diego can learn from Miami look at all those cool little islands in Biscayne bay that have midrises and towers on them. When you look at the 8 corridor west of the 5, the Sports Arena site, and all of the land off of Sea World Drive/Fiesta Island we have a huge area of underused to unused land just sitting there and this is prime real estate.

[SDCAL]

http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2012/02/14/View_8_Looking_north_across_the_open_lawn_r620x349.jpg?75d51d0aea2efce5189afce216053cbc530c46a8

Plans to redevelop Lane Field, the former home of the Pacific Coast League Padres, into a mid-scale 400-room hotel tower and public park, were given the go-ahead Tuesday by San Diego Port Commissioners.

The board granted an option to a development team to build a 14-story structure housing two different hotels — a 250-room Homewood Suites and a 150-room Hilton Garden Inn. The $110 million project, which also calls for a nearly two-acre park and plaza along Harbor Drive, is a downscale version of what was once envisioned as a luxury InterContinental Hotel tower.

The economic downturn, which made financing impossible to obtain, coupled with the added park requirement, forced the developers to rethink the project design, said Jerry Trammer, project executive for Lane Field. Still planned, however, is a second phase that calls for a 400-room InterContinental on the southern portion of the site, which Trammer hopes could be financed once the economy fully rebounds.

The developers of the hotel project include San Diego-based Lankford & Associates, Hardage Suite Hotels and C.W. Clark.

The San Diego Unified Port District, which wouldn’t start getting rent payments until at least 2017, could expect annual revenues of $2 million to $3.9 million during the later years of the agreement. The project, which still requires approval from the California Coastal Commission, could be completed by late 2014, Trammer said.

The developers would also be responsible for creating a new park that would include landscaped areas, a food pavilion, public restrooms and a special homage to the Padres’ former minor league team that used Lane Field between 1936 and 1957.

“One idea is to celebrate the original baseball stadium by having a replica of home plate in the same location where it once was and to also replicate the base pads and the pitcher’s mound,” said Trammer. “And the foul line would shown with in-ground lighting.”

The next step, said Trammer, is to design the hotel and park site, with a goal of starting construction in early 2013.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/14/new-hotels-rise-lane-field/

WOW, this is disappointing. I like the original Lane Field plan, this sounds like a cheap, campy embarrassment for being such a prominent site. A Homewood suites and a baseball theme? Yikes.

I realize Lane Field was a baseball historic site and there are tasteful ways to incorporate that into the plan, but this idea of recreating the plates, etc. sounds like a literal translation that will look pretty stupid. Not to mention we already have the baseball theme around Petco, now doing this on the bay seems a bit odd.

Personally I'd rather the city just wait out the economic downturn rather than squander prime property on some half-assed joke like this sounds.

[SDCAL]

Because we aren't that kind of a city. I mean come on, this is a city where a Marriott, a Hyatt, a Hilton and a Holiday Inn already adore our bay front crown (a crown this city bought from party city I might add).

San Diego isn't a luxury city. Our best mall is a B mall by LA standards. Our main attractions are a zoo, an over-sized aquarium, and a lego day care center. We have beaches, yes, and so what?

The gaslamp is cute, but not in anyway spectacular when compared to the streets of Hong Kong, London or New York where property values are so high, that visiting alone can attract the money that any of the hotels you listed above would salivate over.

San Diego is a family-oriented, middle-class vacation destination. We get zonies, weekend trip LAers, Californians, and the occasional Brit who accidentally got on the wrong plane.

Don't get me wrong, we have some class, I'm just saying, a Homewood Suites should come as no surprise. We might fare better in the future, but for now, this navy town will keep its middle image.

When you say San Diego isn't a luxury city, I agree with you but it still surprises me. We have some of the most affluent communities in the nation - La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, but for some reason the type of wealthy folks San Diego attracts seem to be the stay at home conservative types as opposed to the culture and nightlife jet-set crowd.

[dl3000]

The main reason San Diego is behind the curve on the whole luxury/corporate presence aspect is because it developed into a military town. Back in the days of guys like Spreckles, San Diego had a lot going for it, then it became so navy focused it has basically dictated the way San Diego is today. The airport would be somewhere in Miramar, North Island would probably be developed in a huge way, San Diego would be a very different town, nothing against the armed forces, I'm just saying thats why San Diego is the way it is.

[Derek]

http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/37-Year-Lease-Awarded-to-Operator-of-Lindbergh-Field-139563323.html

[Tico]

http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/37-Year-Lease-Awarded-to-Operator-of-Lindbergh-Field-139563323.html

I thought they would relocate the airport to Miramar...

[eburress]

Exactly, here is where San Diego can learn from Miami look at all those cool little islands in Biscayne bay that have midrises and towers on them. When you look at the 8 corridor west of the 5, the Sports Arena site, and all of the land off of Sea World Drive/Fiesta Island we have a huge area of underused to unused land just sitting there and this is prime real estate.

I couldn't agree more. What was/is the plan for all that land anyway? Was it intended to be more hotels and amusement parks or was there some other plan...or no plan at all?

[eburress]

When you say San Diego isn't a luxury city, I agree with you but it still surprises me. We have some of the most affluent communities in the nation - La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, but for some reason the type of wealthy folks San Diego attracts seem to be the stay at home conservative types as opposed to the culture and nightlife jet-set crowd.

San Diego is not the primary residence for so many La Jolla/Rancho Sante Fe/Fairbanks Ranch homeowners, and the ones that do live here year-round tend to be older.

This isn't entirely related, but I suspect the surprising lack of civic philanthropy here in San Diego is at least partially to do with this not being the primary residence of so many of San Diego's wealthy.

[eburress]

The main reason San Diego is behind the curve on the whole luxury/corporate presence aspect is because it developed into a military town. Back in the days of guys like Spreckles, San Diego had a lot going for it, then it became so navy focused it has basically dictated the way San Diego is today. The airport would be somewhere in Miramar, North Island would probably be developed in a huge way, San Diego would be a very different town, nothing against the armed forces, I'm just saying thats why San Diego is the way it is.

Also true. San Diego's military presence does have a lot to do with why it is the way it is.

[IconRPCV]

I no longer live in SD but watch this thread from up north in LA. Hey guys not all is doom and gloom. SD is slowly but surely getting connected to the world via direct airservice: London (British Airways), Toronto and Vancouver(Air Canada), Calgary(WestJet), Guadalajara, and Mexico City(Volaris) Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta(Alaskan), and soon Tokyo(JAL). I feel with the new Boeing Dreamliner we can expect a link to China and perhaps one to Germany soon as well. These direct flights are a boon for the local economy. Perhaps with rich foreign tourists instead of zoners from Arizona we can qualify for a few more upscale hotels instead of the Homebridge Suites or whatever low scale ones we are receiving.

[aquablue]

I no longer live in SD but watch this thread from up north in LA. Hey guys not all is doom and gloom. SD is slowly but surely getting connected to the world via direct airservice: London (British Airways), Toronto and Vancouver(Air Canada), Calgary(WestJet), Guadalajara, and Mexico City(Volaris) Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta(Alaskan), and soon Tokyo(JAL). I feel with the new Boeing Dreamliner we can expect a link to China and perhaps one to Germany soon as well. These direct flights are a boon for the local economy. Perhaps with rich foreign tourists instead of zoners from Arizona we can qualify for a few more upscale hotels instead of the Homebridge Suites or whatever low scale ones we are receiving.

Yes, but for real growth in the future, a new airport should be constructed. The noise over the city is also a turn-off especially over the park. The city seems unambitious and happy to be what it is. A new airport is vital to increase land values downtown and to encourage more international growth. If the airport is relocated, the city can become an even greater tourist focus. Together with relocation of the Navy out of NAS North Island to somewhere else in the state, more resort/beach hotels can be built.


I disagree with him. San Diego should build a new international airport at Brown Field. They could then link it by a decent train link to city and major suburban nodes (fast electric commuter rail) and also close the current airport. That would allow San Diego to grow in height and density, while reducing noise over the downtown area. The city will become a more desirable place to live and work. The old airport will be redeveloped into parks, housing, and hotels.

[HurricaneHugo]

^^ Mountains will get in the way I believe.

[HurricaneHugo]

Also apparently they want to put a Wal-Mart in Sherman Heights...

Please let your family know that we have a very important meeting coming up on 2/29/12 at the SHCC at 6:15 pm.

Wallmart bought the Farmer's Market Building and the parking lot to the West of it, and they plan on opening a new store in the existing building by this Fall. According to Walmart, it's a small Neighborhood Market Model, which is the first of its kind in California. Just a grocery market that will fit within the space of the existing building. The former owners of the Farmer’s Market own some of the surrounding parcels side and front parcels, except for Elichondo’s corner. I am worried that Wal-Mart may purchase the other parcels and expand the store in the future. I am also worried that the upcoming Community Plan Update may allow for greater higher height levels in the near future and that Wal-Mart may change the characteristic of the store to a large regular Wal-Mart or again, that they may consolidate lots and expand later. Can you imagine the nightmare of huge Wal-Mart smack in the middle of the neighborhood? Low prices will be appealing to all residents but property owners who live here need to think of how this will affect our property value and our quality of life, i.e. traffic, parking, people from other neighborhoods, etc...

The director of the SHCC and I will be meeting with Wal-Mart next Thursday hear what they have to say. Reps from the key organizations in SM/LH are already meeting. The Labor Unions will certainly oppose because the jobs are minimum wage/non union. The business owners, especially the owners of the small supermarkets will be up in arms because they will very likely be put out of business. Wal-Mart consultants have been poking around since last year, giving out mordida money to some of the local non-profits such as Barrio Station, Fiesta del Sol and a few others. They tried to bribe the SHCC too but we sent them away.

Lots of changes are going to happen in the neighborhood in the next few years and property owners and business owners need to get informed and organized. We are not taking a position until we have the community meetings and hear what the residents, property owners, and business owners have to say. It’s very difficult to stop Wal-Mart but if they are going to come in, we need to force them to make a contribution to the neighborhood and sign and Community Benefits Agreement to that effect that also assures that they will not expand their store model in the future.

It's important that someone from your family make it to the meeting if they can.

Building in question...well I couldn't find a picture of it. But it's here.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=32.706147,-117.143982&spn=0.002311,0.002371&hnear=2422+L+St,+San+Diego,+California+92102&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=32.706037,-117.14398&panoid=bR5XCIMiQECZEX9jbrVSeQ&cbp=12,230.52,,0,-0.41

[mello]

^^^ Getcha Sherm sticks! Shermville is on the rise Hugo. Watch your property value skyrocket.

[HurricaneHugo]

Would it really increase the value?

I'm only against Wal-Mart because I hate the big box design with an ocean of parking. But if they can just renovate the building I wouldn't be against it.

They complain about the minimum wage jobs/non-unions, as if the mom and pop stores are high paying unionized jobs.

If they do come in, maybe we can get other better stores to come in