If only CCDC and the City had a say in this project. Oh well. :cool:

I had a similar thought the other day. Problem is, they can't build residential, so short of some type of civic use (ampitheatre, opera house), which wouldnt pencil out financially without some type of public incentive, there aren't many other options. At the very least, all those beds in the hotels will put people on the streets, and maybe since there's so many hotels, there'll be enough people actually using all the potentially worthless (potentially, in my opinion) public space included in the NBC proposal as well as in NEVP.

Bayside sounds like a good project, some news via sandiegometro.com, Daily Business Report:

"Sales at Bayside at the Embarcadero, a Downtown high-rise by Bosa Development, have passed $95 million, says CEO Nat Bosa. Sixty-six homes have sold since the grand opening in February. "Bayside sales have remained strong despite the slowdown felt in other areas of the San Diego real estate market," says Bosa. "Bayside represents one of the last new residential opportunities on the San Diego bay." The 36-story building is located on Pacific Highway between Ash and A streets. It will have 232 residences, including 209 tower suites, 12 walkup flats and 12 townhomes. Homes will range from a one-bedroom, two-bath, 1,031-square-foot flat to a three-bedroom, four-bath, 8,370-square-foot penthouse. Pricing begins at $750,000, with the penthouse being offered at $12.5 million. First move-ins are anticipated for fall 2009. The sales center is at 121 West Market St. and is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The phone is (619) 239-2339."

Very good, yes, it is actually incorporating the existing Farmers Market building, but you can't tell from the rendering because the view is the opposite side from the silos.
I couldn't grab the rendering off of Fehlman LaBarre's website because its all in flash, but if you want to see it go to:
http://www.fehlmanlabarre.com/#projects

then click on "urban mixed living"
then click the last project on the bottom "Imperial Marketplace"

I don't know the architect for the other project to search for a rendering, sorry, but I'll ask who it is at the next community meeting.

Here it is. And I was mistaken. It is actually closer to 66 DU per acre, which is still pretty low.

http://www.sandiegometro.com/images/0706/uli_2.jpg

This is the one South of the Fehlman LaBarre Imperial project right? On Commercial? Do you know who the architect or owner are? Thanks.

Exactly what else can they put there besides hotels?? I mean the office market isn't hot, can't put residential, so....... I mean it is what it is. It would be great to have some sort of Sydney Opera House type structure, or some Gehryesque blob looking thingy but even those are played out now.

I don't know, it is too bad we can't build something tall and thin to save space like the Chicago Spire, (not that tall but maybe 900 feet) then we wouldn't have all of these short midrises sucking up so much land.

Not really. It adds a long park along the entire bayfront, replaces facilities on the piers downtown, making a larger, nicer cruise ship terminal for the growing cruise ship industry (our current is pretty much the equivalent of shit) and adds smaller terminals for other boats. A very environmentally friendly project, replacing those horrible parking lots with grass, trees and public art, creating a beautiful waterfront.



One of you said the NEVP park space would be "useless". I completely disagree. Have you ever really noticed how many people strole that area daily? From tourists and cruise ship guests to residents of downtown. I'm pretty sure walking through a park with trees and art is a lot more comfortable and pleasing than walking through all those cars and porn magazine stands.

^^^I have to agree with you about the parking lots. Nothing bothers me more. I'd like to see a parking structure built along with the cruise ship terminal (that's part of the plan isn't it?) to use less space for those cars and have increased capacity for growing cruise demand.

I like parks too. Unfortunately I don't believe they get nearly as much use as people would have us believe. The problem with parks is that they are impossible to get rid of. Not that you'd want to tear out a park, but once the thing is in, the land is forever "spoken for". Moreso even than if it had a highrise on it. If the city decided that it wanted to build an opera house where a park is, the cat-ladys of the world would cry bloody murder. I wish the city would create squares instead of giant parks which are on the perimeter and fairly inaccessible.

I'd love to see squares like those below. The one if front of Horton Plaza is a good example. It would be great if we could get away from palm trees just for a minute too.

Gramercy Park
http://www.alteich.com/tidbits/grampark.jpg

Madison Square Park
http://www.virtualnyc.info/photo_alb.../pict/md92.jpg
http://www.virtualnyc.info/photo_alb.../pict/md91.jpg

Well the park is not going to be very wide, just a mile long down the entire waterfront, there definitely wouldn't be any room to develop anything on it, so fights for development probably wouldn't happen.

I'm not sure if they are building a parking garage actually, but it would make sense. It would have to be done right though, we don't want another concrete ugly up there on the waterfront.

When do you guys think Petco Park will host the All Star Game?

^^^ Probably within the next 3 years. I mean it is *the* example of an urban ballpark. Think about it, what other park is literally *in downtown* it is almost totally surrounded by buildings. I really wish Cosmo would get built because it would have such a "wow factor" from inside the park.

Ok what ballparks have a better view of a skyline, St. Louis's new one has a pretty good view and of course Pittsburgh is bad ass. I think if 7th and Market gets built it will have close to the impact that Cosmo would have.

I hope so. I was just thinking that newer ballparks usually get the nod, so San Diego should definitely have it's turn.

here is whats going on with the all star game coming to Petco.....

2008:yankee stadium
2009:st louis
2010:Anaheim (most likely)
2011:hopefully petco,but remember cincy has a new park as does philly,so we may not get one till 2013 or maybe even 2015 if they keep to the NL then AL pattern

Doesn't seem fair. The St. Louis stadium opened in 2006.

yeah i think its pretty dumb too,but we had an all star game at the Q in 1992 and the last all star game in st louis was 1966, so i guess its only fair to give them a turn

eehh the architecture could be a bit better but its still good

i always thought that Imperial Avenue should see its share of mid-rise buildings

San Diego needs to learn from East Coast Parks / Squares. SD landscape architects DO NOT understand how to create spaces that encourage gathering. Too often, they design a space that looks great, and that's it...

Yeah, the design could be better.
I have some more news about this project that should make some of the grumpy folks who don't like to see CCDC spend money on the lighting of the J and Island overpasses feel a little better-
A component of this project is for the developer to pay for lighting and artwork and other improvements to the tunnel that runs under the highway at Imperial between Sherman Heights and East Village. So if this project gets built, that area won't be such a den for homeless and should help that part of the East Village feel safer...