[QUOTE=bmfarley;3726478]Concerning the airport, I use to be in the camp that we needed a new airport; preferably at Miramar.

I am a big advocate of proper planning... it prevents poor performance.

However, I have changed my position of late and I feel more information is needed concerning future passenger demand. Right now, I associate the need for airport improvements with total traveller throughput, rather than bigger planes to reach further locales. QUOTE]


I have to disagree.

First off, having only one runway will create problems of back-up even if all the planes are going short distances

But, I still feel distant locals are key in our current global economy. All major industries have operations around the world. China and India are hotspots right now. I work in the biotech industry and have had to go to both many times over the past few years. Yes, maybe we don't need a new airport if we want Lindbergh to be a tourist/vacation travel airport, but that is NOT where airports or the communities they are in make money. They make money on business travel, and the world is getting smaller not larger. Companies (like mine) think nothing of sending employees to a an important meeting in Mumbai or Shanghai whereas just 10 years ago this would have seemed crazy for anyone other than the "big wigs" of the company. Many major industries, including the biotech and pharamceutical companies which is one of our most important high tech sectors are global. San Diego is known as "Biotech Beach" and is in direct competition with "Biotech Bay" up in SF. I have actually known people involved in setting up West Coast offices for Pharma companies and the lack of direct interantional flights is a consideration in choosing SF over SD

HSR may have some impact, but again intra-state flights are not the money makers. It's the SD to New York, SF to Tokyo, LA to Frankfurt BUSINESS travellers who pull in the money. These people spend more on airline tickets as well as more on hotels and restaurants than tourists. Since there are no alternatives to quick long haul travel air travel isn't going anywhere

Jobohimself and sandiegodweller can both clean up their language. Healthy debate is fine, but let's refrain from the toilet talk.

Thank you for the apology.

Do you think it is why they got the state stem cell center?

Esconding-dong as a North County Powerhouse?!?!

Thanks! I haven't laughed so hard in months!!!

No, I don't think the airport was a deciding factor there. Research tends to be less dependant on travel than development (where Clincial trials are being conducted). I think that right now our "barely" international airport is not a show-stopper when it comes to businesses setting-up here, it is more of a consideration on the pro/con list. but, i think as time goes by and the business world continues to rely alot on international travel it will become more of a consideration

I think it depends on the type of business. My friend's company was deciding between San Diego and Seattle. Though they preferred the climate in San Diego, they just chose Seattle as they said the transit options were better. His employees fly out at least once per week to clients.

Setai San Diego (Diegan)
 

I walked by it last night after the Padre game for the first time in months. Is it mothballed? It looks like it is in the same unfinished condition as it was in March.

Developer is an ex-con and in a slew of lawsuits.

Highland is curently out (cash out of pocket) over $12 million on that job and filing liens

I know all about Steve Reibel and his various lawsuits. I was not aware that the project had halted.

That is a big, black eye for that part of town especially when this RFP for the new Civic Center is in the news. North of Broadway is no-mans land right now.

There goes the neighborhood (C Street) again....

Hines Corp. withdraws City Hall Bid.
 

Hines Corp. has withdrawn its bid to rebuild San Diego's City Hall, leaving the city with only one proposal on the table.

Hines pegged its withdrawal to a financial analysis released yesterday that showed its proposal as more costly than the competition, Gerding Edlen of Portland.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...n15civic2.html

Thank goodness.

EDIT: I think its great that Hines was the one lecturing the city on needing to do a more fiscally responsible plan

Good for them! The pull-out was probably a strategy to not chalk-up a loss. Pulling out means that they can say with a straight face that they did not loose in future conversations and what-not. Also, why bother expending any more of their resources on a project that they will not get.

Their proposal looked really, really awful in comparison with Gerding Edlen.

Now here's to hoping that Gerding wasn't understating costs to land the contract.

Congratulations Gerding. You MIGHT get the chance to team up with an insolvent partner that has no clear leadership and will be going through adminstration changes 4 times (2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020) over the life of the build out of the project.

I hate to be syncial but with the false start on the Federal Court House (not enough money budgeted to get it built as planned) and the stalled Library (no funding), Gerding has no idea what they are getting into. Hines (and every other major developer around the country) figured out that the City has no money and it is less than 50% that this deal moves forward.

RFP for FBI building in San Diego
 

Is anyone on this board working on the RFP for a new FBI complex in San Diego?

I know that many of the major architects and general contractors have been contacted by office developers to be on a team to present proposals to the GSA. I just wanted to see which developers are making presentations.

I have heard that Kilroy and Cisterra are in the running.

FBI Complex
 

Where is the FBI Complex sup post to be?

The current FBI building isn't downtown, but off Aero Drive and the 15.

This is sadly true.

I don't feel the federal Courthouse or the City Library are in the same class, although they are each public.

The courthouse is a Federal project and has no partners. It getting built is subject to the Federal budget and no one else.

The Library is questionable in a lot of peoples mind if it is truely needed. It has no private sector participation other than a donation campaign.

The Civic Center, on the other hand, would be a Public-Private joint venture. ... as I understand it. The current facility also has a credible argument for being fixed or replaced. The current site is borderline decripit (sp?) and would cost more in the long run to rehabilitate than to do a joint venture redevelopment project.