I don't think anyone - even Bosa - could sell farmland at $1,000 a sq. ft. (~45 million/acre) when you can buy arable land for $1,000 an acre.

It's a tough sell, but people might buy for the cool factor, and grow some veggies while they're at it. I don't think the target residents for a project like that are the same people that would go buy a farm in Bakersfield

Aero: You aren't "selling farmland" obviously you've never worked in marketing. This is an opportunity for some wealthy liberal "greenie" to live in on of the most unique structures in the world and the only one of its kind in the world. And it is right in the middle of a fairly vibrant downtown with a good amount of amenities and the waterfront close by with excellent weather.

I'm telling you people from Europe would come buy in this thing. Rich engineers from Germany or Denmark even Iceland would buy in this thing. There is simply nothing like it on earth and it is in a VERY desirable city. If you tried to sell these units in St. Louis or Dallas ehhhh no wouldn't fly but in DT SD and walking your dog on the waterfront or a quick drive to Coronado or Sunset Cliffs.... Oh yeah if marketed properly people will buy and word of mouth will spread quickly.

^^ Well said...this would be a haven for architects and "greenies" alike.

No one is "greenie" enough to waste $1k per square foot for space to grow vegetables. Because doing that is not green, it's stupid. It won't be built because anyone in a position to make it happen would agree with me - including very successful people who work in Marketing....

Good transportation news:

This would be good for the port, and the region.

This would be a nightmare for BORDER SECURITY. I VOTE NO!.

The footprint is actually purposefully offset from Electra so it fills in the skyline more nicely and doesn't block everyone's view.

Now that's surprising.

It [might] be easier to inspect rail cars vs. semis.

I thought with a name like "TeaPartyClive", you'd be all for it. ;)

You're not real.

Don't make me get in on this. I'll make an account called "MinuteManCletus."

^^ Or it could be "Voice Of Reason". I haven't seen any comments from that poster in a while. :cheers:

Ah, there's a good thought.

New office tower - Cisterra
 

Went to the ccac website and they had pics of what the new office tower will look like on Island between 7th and 8th (Sempra's new home.) Just click on this link... A thick tower, but very cool looking!

http://www.ccdc.com/images/stories/d...a_Drawings.pdf

Ohhhh I like that.



Short and thick isn't always a bad thing. ;)


That's a quality mid-rise.

It's alright.

It's hard to look like a major player with a stumpy building like that. I prefer their current building. This looks too much like the Comerica building already at the ballpark. Would be nice if they could increase the height, and add a few office tenants or condos.

Their current 70s dump of a building?

^^It's International Style...I like it personally, but that wasn't my point. If image is what they're going for (which is, as I understand it), this misses the mark. Not a bad building, just not iconic. Guess I expected it to be taller, and more exciting. Hard to do at 15 floors. Also looks like the building already there at the ballpark. That said, I like it at street level...a little like their current building.

Once again with this Cisterra building.... Hello Mixed Use anyone? Why can't they add 15 floors of condos to the top? Floor plate size? What is the issue. Like Leo the Dog said the inventory on condos downtown right now is almost ZERO... Why aren't developers moving forward with all those towers that died years ago. Now is the time to build while money is still cheap. I just don't understand why there isn't more construction activity and why mixed use isn't being considered for this site.

Why aren't there more apartment developments in downtown San Diego?

I believe there are a pretty good amount of apartments, but not as many as condos. Isn't Blue Sky apartments? That plus Vantage Point and Treo are easily over 2,000 units, just in 3 buildings.

From the digging around I've done, it seems like condo building is definately on the upswing. Bosa is still chipping away, there are 2 projects in Little Italy, and 2+ in EV currently under construction. It appears many more have sought approval recently.

I guess I'm just use to Portland construction patterns now, we have tons and tons of new apartment buildings popping up, but not many condo buildings. :)

We should see more activity within the next year. Unfortunately a lot of the previous projects proposed before the recessions are now being re-processed as smaller projects now.

Inventory is definitely zero. I think the reason nothing is going up 1.) they are going up, they're just not in construction phase, so it's coming soon. 2.) developers may not be confident that things will be the same upon completion in 2-3 years. Remember the buildings that came on the market right as everything exploded in 2008? :eek:

Why mixed use isn't utilized more is beyond me :koko:

Treo is not rentals, they are condos. Plus they are building Ariel Suites in Little Italy (32 stories), the 6 story apartment complex at 13th and Market is almost all framed out, they broke ground on another 6 story apartment complex behind Albertsons at 15th and Market, not sure if the towers at 15th and Island were converted to rentals, but construction has started there, and they knocked down all the buildings except the restaurant supply store to start building that 5 story building at Park and G st. I think there are enough rental complexes going up. So far there are ZERO condo projects that are in the construction phase.

I think the 1st one that will start is the Bosa building in front of Electra later this year. Right now there are 148 condos for sale in 92101. I do not understand why more construction has not begun either on condos?!?! Construction costs are down and it is not like they will finish a highrise in months, its going to take years to complete. I think they should consider converting Strata at 10th and Market from rentals to condos!

Drove by 15th and Island this morning…the crane is going up!!! I think this tower and adjacent park will be huge for the area. So excited! :D

15th & Island is 45 floors...nice

http://ccdc.com/scripts/gis/webporta...d.aspx?id=1065

As I understand it, the airport height limit does not extend to the area east of the 5/south of the 94. As buildings like 15th & Island are pushing east, does anyone know if it will be possible to build taller in that area (Sherman Heights, etc)?

This project is going to anchor the Eastern side of East Village. So excited!

:hahano:

No. Never. Not going to happen. Golden Hill has a 3 story, 30 foot limit. Barrio Logan is struggling to figure out if anything over 6 stories is acceptable. I can guarantee you, Sherman Heights will be nooooooooooooo different. As tragic as that is.

:gaah:

Downtown Library
 

The Signage is up on the library!

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ps568b03e3.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ps9ae4df2e.jpg

Frustrating how hamstrung we are sometimes. Between all of the different airspace regulations, the coastal commission, and the NIMBY's, it's seemingly impossible to push past the limit anywhere. Maybe National City...lol

Elaborate pedestrian tube proposed for Coronado Bay Bridge
 

San Diego County officials are examining an elaborate addition to the Coronado Bay Bridge -- a two-mile bike and pedestrian path suspended underneath the bridge.

"I think it would be something that people would come to want to ride, like going to the St. Louis Arch or the Seattle Space Needle," said local architect Lew Dominy.

Dominy said the gigantic steel tube would cost roughly $50 million and be a part of the county's Bayshore Bikeway. The bikeway is already 60 percent finished, and when completed, it would be a continuous pathway around the southern part of San Diego Bay. The bridge tube would be a huge addition.

http://www.10news.com/news/elaborate...-bridge-021413

http://media.10news.com/photo/2013/0....0_320_240.jpg

^^That's bizarre, but actually a really good concept.

We all know that the spec-office market is not there....they're asking for the leniency to go between 14-17 floors.

What are you talking about? That's all that's being built in downtown San Diego right now. Blue Sky is 939 units. 13th/Market, 15th/Market, Ariel Suites, Urbana, Pinnacle, etc..... all apartments.

I guess I was thrown off by the recent condo talk mentioned the last couple pages.


I, unfortunately, don't check this thread as often as I used to since I moved so I'm not quite in the loop on ALL the projects. I apologize. :)

Actually, National City had a ton of great high rise proposals before the market crashed. And the community (at least the planning department, elected officials) embraced the density, w/ several projects being 20-24 stories.
http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/..._lz6e29qa.html

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3...olution-R2.jpg

Unfortunately, only 2 of the proposed projects actually were built, Centro (4 stories) and Harborview (5 stories).



I went by the site last week and asked one of the construction workers if they were doing soil remediation and he said no, they were building the parking garage for one of the high rise towers. Hopefully this will be the taller one, and definitely extend the skyline further southeast. Exciting! I like the unique colors of these buildings too.




This new Sempra Headquarters/Cisterra office building is definitely a downgrade and a disappointment from the Cosmopolitan proposal several years ago. And it looks almost identical to Diamondview Tower, in height, bulk, and architecture..

I think having an office tower is better for that site than the condos or mixed-use condo-hotels because it ensures the Ballpark neighborhood remains active 24-7, and I the neighborhood already has its share of hotels and residential units.

I just wish they could have made had the Sempra Headquarters in that Cosmo-style sleek 480-foot tower that was proposed...

So it is not officially going to be 15 floors? It could decrease to 14, or increase to 17?

This just occurred to be, but the Cosmopolitan was the same style as the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, which was originally slated to be mostly condos. Our Cosmo project imploded the same way that the Vegas Cosmo project imploded, though the Vegas project was ultimately saved by Deutshe Bank.


San Diego
http://ccdc.com/scripts/gis/webporta...oad.aspx?id=65

Las Vegas
http://www.vegascondoscene.com/wp-co...-las-vegas.jpg

I was going to say, National City could be our one savior in the SD region for anything over 500 feet. They don't have a height limit, and they are much more willing to go up (thanks to their lack of land for development).

Well...let's not go nuts... ;)

I think there will come a time someday when the market or someone in San Diego challenges the FAA's nonsense blanket 500-foot limit. And while there's no height limit in National City, there's not the market demand for even a 300+ foot building. Also, there's really no high rises in National City except for the Bayview Condos 120 feet and the former Holiday Inn (100 feet).

SH is my hood, so hopefully!

Couple of buildings along Imperial Avenue would be nice

It all depends on how it looks from other views.

The Coronado Bridge looks pretty iconic and don't want to mess that up.

This is great forward thinking though!

Didn't really go nuts. :rolleyes:

Anyways, I doubt anyone in San Diego would challenge the FAA over height issues. That would take strong leadership and an organized effort on the part of developers, politicians, and community groups - an effort not likely to materialize in SD any time soon.

Damn. This thread is dead. We have a lot of activity starting up, but not a lot of action here...bummer

Because we're all enjoying the great weather before it pours!

Haven't visited this site for the longest time. So after catching up and reading a few pages, SDfan: since when did you become such a cynic?:P

Oh and I like that Coronado bridge proposal. That thing needs a little sprucing up. What happened to the fancy lighting proposal? Couple that with the bike lane and we've got a winner right there!