Too bad the world is ending in 2012. :(

Metro Center
 

Check out this new proposal for the old UNICAL site. Looks like another giant retail project to jump start the area down by Barrio Logan.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...etroCenter.jpg

Here is what CCDC's planning director told me:

The project is a proposed 450,000 square foot retail center (including two large tenants) located on the block bound by National and Newton avenues, 16th and Commercial streets. Attached is an initial rendering from Commercial and National, it is somewhat blurry but is the only electronic image we have right now and they are still completing the application submittal.

Interesting! Where did you get that information & picture? Online? Link?

I emailed CCDC's planning director and asked.

Here is a link to the architect's web site for the project:

http://www.studio-111.com/

Click on "Urban Retail" and then "Metro Center"

Cheers!

That looks like a nice project.

I took a look at the architect's site. I'm trying not to be too negative, but I can't help it. after flipping through the available shots, I don't like anything about this project and I hope I never see it.
- it cuts off sightlines to the west. I understand the area to the west of it is not for public consumption and not an active location, but still
- its too big, its too tall, and its intimidating
- i personally doubt its an economically feasible proposal right now (I could be wrong if anyone has a different take - 440,000 square feet?), what do you think the time frame is on this - 2014? maybe by then.
- i don't like the design overall, again, its a touch oppressive
- i do however like that they probably hide the parking well and creatively

What sightlines? There's not much to see.

Couldn't disagree with you more. This cuts off the mixed-use neighborhoods of the east village from the maritime uses of 10th Ave. Terminal. 471K square feet, and, from what CCDC has told me, they have 2 "large" tenants. I'm guessing a Lowes / Home Depot, and possibly a Best Buy. It looks like vertical retail rather than standard big box.

As far as too tall, its only 5 stories, and don't forget, the Mega-Marriott is one block to the North West.

Also,

I know that the land purchase has been in the works for over 2 years, and the developer's website states they hope to break ground this year. Environmental clean up has been going on over the last year, so I could see this happening.

I hope it happens soon. It could provide a nice boost to the area.

Don't hold your breath. For his project to occur will require existing uses to be relocated first. If you haven't noticed, the San Diego Trolley has a facility on one end of the property. There's an adjacent building too that looks to be used.

And, once those are relocated, the soil underneath will likely need to be clensed too... as the old oil tanks likely leaked stuff that migrated for quite a ways.

I think it's a great project.. the higher the better. The Coronado bridge is an atrocious thing to look at. Same with the marine terminal too.

Wow, didn't know about the 805 project.:banana:

You see to the west and you see the imperial avenue transfer station....

there's nothing to see to the west...

Really?

Is this the block they're talking about?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...,0.002494&z=19

I don't think MTS has a facility there, but then again im not sure.

That lin does not zoom in on the property.

The site for this project is bounded by Commercial, National, 16th & Newton. It's on the north side of Commercial between National and Newton (really 13th, but 13th ends at Commercial). On that Commercial frontage are the uses I mentioned. And/or southwest corner of Comercial and National... which is the location the image provided earlier is depicting.

Oh I completely forgot the mega-marriot. and with the oppressive steel boxes of home depot, remind me to stay north of Petco :) Ok, I'll be fair and wait for additional renderings.

That new retail project is amazing. The way they mass it and the amount of parking they manage to squeeze is really great. It will be accessible not just to people in downtown but in hillcrest and Coronado. I would not be suprised if we see one of those urban targets like the one in Atlanta or near Berkeley. For those who have not been to the website of the developer or could not find the project click on "work" and then on "urban retail" and then on "Metro Center". The other renderings are great as well. This will really jump start the area.

How to get to the project on the Architect's Site
 

That new retail project is amazing. The way they mass it and the amount of parking they manage to squeeze is really great. It will be accessible not just to people in downtown but in hillcrest and Coronado. I would not be suprised if we see one of those urban targets like the one in Atlanta or near Berkeley. For those who have not been to the website of the architect or could not find the project click on "work" and then on "urban retail" and then on "Metro Center". The other renderings are great as well and are worth going to the site to see. This will really jump start the area.

Trammell Crow and their partner paid way too much money for the site so they have to cram as much square footage on it as possible to make it pencil. They were also handicapped by the high water table that pevents them from going very deep with the underground parking.

I walked up 5th Avenue to Broadway and over to Electra at lunchtime today. I can't put my finger on it but it seemed dead. I noticed a few of the restaurants have closed and the overall feeling was slow. It seems like the only new retailers are nail salons/day spas and yogurt shops. Even the empty retail at Solamar (a decent loation) is being occupied by two trinket shops catering to tourists.

I really hope that the quality of the retail starts increasing and that Gaslamp Qtr/ East Village doesn't lose a lot of momentum. I saw one of the Cushman Wakefield brokers replacing the Burnham signs in some of the retail space at TR PRoduce. They confirmed again that an Urban market was occupying a portion of TR Produce but not all of it. They were a little embarrased to tell me that the asking prices for retail space was $4.00 psf. I really think that is handicapping the area.