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Marina_Guy Jun 16, 2009 1:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdavis (Post 4308130)
How weird that this is being discussed. My wife and I are going to Austin, TX this weekend to look at housing and possibly move. We've gotten tired of the lack of progress here and the economic problems with the state. My office is moving their headquarters from the Sorrento Valley area to Round Rock, TX (suburb of Austin) in 3 months.

I wasnt too impressed by Austin. But, at least, the ground floor of their new residential buildings have really nice retail instead of orange and white for lease signs... :)

Portland and San Francisco are on my list.

tdavis Jun 16, 2009 1:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marina_Guy (Post 4308250)
I wasnt too impressed by Austin. But, at least, the ground floor of their new residential buildings have really nice retail instead of orange and white for lease signs... :)

Portland and San Francisco are on my list.

Well the company will pay to relocate us there. And those that don't move from SD will be terminated. Not sure that I want to stay and try to find a job in this market.

Viva-city Jun 16, 2009 2:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4301361)
Any clue as to when the Trolley/Silver Line is to start? It was supposed to start in 2008.

San Diego Vintage Trolley are possibility delayed due to a lack of funds. The organization came before CCDC quite some time ago requesting funds. The request was denied.

eburress Jun 16, 2009 5:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdavis (Post 4308130)
How weird that this is being discussed. My wife and I are going to Austin, TX this weekend to look at housing and possibly move. We've gotten tired of the lack of progress here and the economic problems with the state. My office is moving their headquarters from the Sorrento Valley area to Round Rock, TX (suburb of Austin) in 3 months.

California makes it VERY difficult for businesses to do business in California. The state increases taxes, companies leave, the tax base shrinks, and then the state increases taxes to make up the lost money, further exacerbating the situation. It's no wonder that companies are leaving for Texas in droves.

BTW, Austin is a great town and is the most San Diego-like city in Texas. You'll like it...just try to live in the west part of the city. :)

staplesla Jun 18, 2009 10:10 PM

New life for downtown library/school?
 
One calls it “brilliant.” A second sees it as a way to expand educational opportunities. A third views it as a last ditch-effort at saving a project headed for failure.

On Tuesday, June 23, members of the San Diego school board will take up a controversial plan to spend $20 million of district money to help build a long-delayed downtown library.

The proposal calls for the San Diego Unified School District to use money from Proposition S — a $2.1-billion voter-approved measure to improve and build public schools — for a charter high school on two floors of a nine-story library planned for city-owned land near Petco Park.

The $20 million would fund part of the library's construction cost and could be critical in keeping plans for the iconic structure afloat.

The school district would lease the sixth and seventh floors at Park Boulevard and J Street for 40 years under the deal. The district could back out of the deal if construction costs exceeded what's been budgeted or officials are unable to secure full funding, among other reasons.

The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee is expected to address the project the day after the school board. The council discussed the project in closed session Tuesday morning, but no action was taken, said Gina Coburn, spokeswoman for the City Attorney's Office.

Schools Superintendent Terry Grier said Tuesday that he thinks there's a “good chance” the school board will approve the project.

“It's a brilliant opportunity for our students,” said school board member Katherine Nakamura.

“I support the concept, and I support it really for one primary reason,” said Trustee Richard Barrera. “The options for high school students downtown are limited.”

San Diego High School is the only comprehensive high school campus in the area, but it has room for just 2,900 students, Barrera said. Yet there are 5,000 students living within the school's enrollment boundary.

But longtime trustee John de Beck reiterated his opposition to the plan yesterday. “It's a last-minute attempt at saving the library,” he said.

School board President Shelia Jackson and trustee John Evans could not be reached for comment.

Backers of the library say it will cost $185 million to build, a price that critics say is vastly understated. Downtown redevelopment dollars would provide $80 million, a state grant covers $20 million and a nonprofit foundation has raised $35 million, with more, it says, on its way.

One sticking point earlier in the planning was that adding a school to the library would require the building to comply with the state's Field Act -- long-standing state law intended to ensure that public schools are built earthquake-safe. Staff reports say a charter school doesn't have to comply with the Field Act, but would have to comply with state building code.

The city must show a viable financing plan by July 1 to keep the stategrant.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...mment-11134913

tdavis Jun 19, 2009 12:48 AM

Texas to steal CA jobs?
 
Thought this was interesting. The Dallas fed chief said that Texas is set to steal jobs from CA and elsewhere because of the lower taxes, and lower cost of doing business. My company's last week in San Diego will be next week. :(

June 1st our corporate headquarters is moving to Austin.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.420210d.html

staplesla Jun 19, 2009 4:42 AM

Chargers again mull Oceanside for stadium site
 
Two years after saying no to playing in Oceanside, the San Diego Chargers are again contemplating a new stadium there, this time at the site of a defunct drive-in theater on State Route 76.

A developer and a team spokesman stressed that it is very early in their discussions and an Oceanside councilman called the prospect highly unlikely, but the talks mark yet another attempt to keep the Chargers from bolting town.

An executive with Georgia-based Thomas Enterprises, which has approval to build 950,000 square feet of commercial space on the 90-acre site where the Valley Drive-In theater once showed flicks, broached the idea of putting a stadium there with Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani six weeks ago.

Since then, Fabiani has shot down another developer's proposal to build a new stadium close to the existing Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley, and attended a Chula Vista meeting where city officials talked of their attempt to lure the team to their bayfront.

The Chula Vista option is complicated by a massive power plant on the site that the state plans to operate for some time. Yesterday, Fabiani said that possibility isn't very encouraging.

A North County site would be closer to untapped football fan markets in Los Angeles and Orange County, but Fabiani acknowledged the Oceanside property has issues as well.

The economy must rebound to support ancillary development of retail shops, hotels, residences and office space to support a stadium; there is little public transportation to the site; and it is close to Oceanside Municipal Airport.

There have been no financial studies or maps made of the site, said Mel Kuhnel, Thomas Enterprises' vice president of operations for the West Coast.

Kuhnel said meetings between his boss, Stan Thomas, and Chargers president Dean Spanos – an element of any serious discussion – would not occur this early in the process. Fabiani said he hopes that will happen next month.

“It involves a very credible development partner, which is good,” he said. “But it's in the very earliest stages, which means I would advise people if they're interested, it's something they should follow, but it's not something they should pin their hopes on at this point.”

Kuhnel has met with Fabiani twice in the last six weeks. Last week, he sat down individually with council members, including Oceanside Councilman Jerome Kern and Mayor Jim Wood, to talk Chargers and explain how the economy has hindered plans to break ground on the shopping center.

Wood said he was surprised Oceanside is back in the mix, two years after the Chargers said a stadium didn't pencil out at the Center City Golf Course. He said there would be a lot of hurdles for this new plan.

The city might soon lock in a 50-year lease extension for the airport, giving the Federal Aviation Administration a big say in nearby development. A stadium would require at least 20 acres and be up to 200 feet tall.

“I like the idea of the Chargers coming to North County, but it would be real tough to find a place for them here,” Kern said.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...e-oside/?metro

SDCAL Jun 19, 2009 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marina_Guy (Post 4307047)
Thoughts on what cities you are considering?? We have been considering a move too for the same reasons you state. San Diego has so much potential.

Well, I work in biotech and it's pretty clustered in a few areas, SD, SF and the northeast mainly

I am looking at SF. In the past 5 years or so, it seems like SF's pharmaceutical/biotech industry has been expanding whereas SD's had been declining. ("Biotech Beach" vs "Biotech Bay")

I like everything about SF better than SD except the weather

If SF were located where SD is it would be almost perfect :)

SDCAL Jun 19, 2009 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandiegodweller (Post 4306365)
Maybe you could move to Dubai. They seem to have big dreams and unlimted economic resources.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...i-1664368.html

Creativity does not need huge money supplies or grandiose design, and people who don't understand this seem to make a large portion of the development community here

I'm not just looking for towering mega-structures, but original smaller projects to fill in the gaps

I think it's just the very conservative nature of the city, people are happy just being mediocre and drab and there is not really a sense of community or interactiveness when it comes to the city centre

I have never seen a city where civic projects are frowned upon as much as here

Marina_Guy Jun 19, 2009 1:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDCAL (Post 4315049)
Well, I work in biotech and it's pretty clustered in a few areas, SD, SF and the northeast mainly

I am looking at SF. In the past 5 years or so, it seems like SF's pharmaceutical/biotech industry has been expanding whereas SD's had been declining. ("Biotech Beach" vs "Biotech Bay")

I like everything about SF better than SD except the weather

If SF were located where SD is it would be almost perfect :)

I would agree, including the Mayor / Future Gov. Cool airport, BART, new public buildings, neighborhoods with retail... Wages are better in SF too. They still have wacky NIMBYs up there too. They have some WACKY guy that files a lawsuit every time a bike lane is proposed because he has some crazy theory that bikes contribute to global warming!

10 degrees warmer on average would make it an easy choice :)

Crackertastik Jun 19, 2009 5:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDCAL (Post 4315049)
Well, I work in biotech and it's pretty clustered in a few areas, SD, SF and the northeast mainly

I am looking at SF. In the past 5 years or so, it seems like SF's pharmaceutical/biotech industry has been expanding whereas SD's had been declining. ("Biotech Beach" vs "Biotech Bay")

I like everything about SF better than SD except the weather

If SF were located where SD is it would be almost perfect :)

I think if you could blend any two cities in the world, youd be hard pressed to beat out San Frandiego. I dare poeple to try actually.

You'd have all the glory of the city of san fran, with the perfect weather of san diego and the beaches of san diego and coastline. Unbeatable.

ShekelPop Jun 20, 2009 3:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDCAL (Post 4315052)

I think it's just the very conservative nature of the city, people are happy just being mediocre and drab and there is not really a sense of community or interactiveness when it comes to the city centre

I have never seen a city where civic projects are frowned upon as much as here

If you look at the amount of street festivals, downtown events, and outdoor concerts, I'd say San Diego, in terms of variety of events and number of attendees, far outpaces many of its California counterparts. This demonstrates people are in touch with the city and the different neighborhoods. If you're statement is based on the perception that people frown upon city-funded buildings or other improvements, I also think its tough to gauge what people actually feel since a lot of the current sentiment stems from the fact that San Diego, like many other CA cities, has experienced serious cash flow problems that make even the most civic-minded resident hesitant to support the output of city cash for a marginally beneficial public improvement.

I also think we can't draw conclusions about how people feel simply because they don't want to fund a new stadium for the Chargers (for example). If you look at Petco or the revival of downtown over the past 20 years, you'd be hard pressed to explain to how all of this took place if the majority of people in San Diego did not politically support these types of developments. Keep in mind, this is a forum where people are almost always pro development, and even on here, when plans came out for the convention center expansion, people scoffed at the idea. I think this further shows current public sentiment stems from more than just people in san diego being drab and anti-development but from frustrations that stem from other sources.

staplesla Jun 20, 2009 4:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShekelPop (Post 4317176)
If you look at the amount of street festivals, downtown events, and outdoor concerts, I'd say San Diego, in terms of variety of events and number of attendees, far outpaces many of its California counterparts. This demonstrates people are in touch with the city and the different neighborhoods. If you're statement is based on the perception that people frown upon city-funded buildings or other improvements, I also think its tough to gauge what people actually feel since a lot of the current sentiment stems from the fact that San Diego, like many other CA cities, has experienced serious cash flow problems that make even the most civic-minded resident hesitant to support the output of city cash for a marginally beneficial public improvement.

I also think we can't draw conclusions about how people feel simply because they don't want to fund a new stadium for the Chargers (for example). If you look at Petco or the revival of downtown over the past 20 years, you'd be hard pressed to explain to how all of this took place if the majority of people in San Diego did not politically support these types of developments. Keep in mind, this is a forum where people are almost always pro development, and even on here, when plans came out for the convention center expansion, people scoffed at the idea. I think this further shows current public sentiment stems from more than just people in san diego being drab and anti-development but from frustrations that stem from other sources.

I'm pro-development as long as the projects make sense for the overall culture, character, and topography/scenery of the area. Keeping this in mind, it really makes me mad that the city continues to ignore the waterfront (downtown's greatest resource), and further wall it off. This is one of the reasons I'm against the convention center expansion. My old college roommate visited a few weeks ago and thought it was odd that here we have this beautiful bay but don't embrace it.

I'm also sick of development groups/politicians using taxpayer money to develop or expand projects that don't consider the long-term growth of the city. Yeah new things are cool, like the airport. But I'd rather see our local leaders sit down and hash out real solutions. An expanded shiny new terminal on the I-5, does nothing to solve the long-term problem of the inadequate size and length of the one runway (and inability to expand to add more).

The CCDC, City Council, and other groups seem to be very reactionary to issues, instead of proactive. There doesn't seem to be any real 5,10,20 year plan to work off of. And being reactionary only hurts us, and costs more money in the long runn.

Fusey Jun 20, 2009 7:58 PM

Quote:

Chargers again mull Oceanside for stadium site
Councilman calls prospect of building there unlikely

Matthew T. Hall (Contact)

Thursday, June 18, 2009
-

OCEANSIDE – Two years after saying no to playing in Oceanside, the San Diego Chargers are again contemplating a new stadium there, this time at the site of a defunct drive-in theater on State Route 76.

A developer and a team spokesman stressed that it is very early in their discussions and an Oceanside councilman called the prospect highly unlikely, but the talks mark yet another attempt to keep the Chargers from bolting town.

An executive with Georgia-based Thomas Enterprises, which has approval to build 950,000 square feet of commercial space on the 90-acre site where the Valley Drive-In theater once showed flicks, broached the idea of putting a stadium there with Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani six weeks ago.

Since then, Fabiani has shot down another developer's proposal to build a new stadium close to the existing Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley, and attended a Chula Vista meeting where city officials talked of their attempt to lure the team to their bayfront.

The Chula Vista option is complicated by a massive power plant on the site that the state plans to operate for some time. Yesterday, Fabiani said that possibility isn't very encouraging.

A North County site would be closer to untapped football fan markets in Los Angeles and Orange County, but Fabiani acknowledged the Oceanside property has issues as well.

The economy must rebound to support ancillary development of retail shops, hotels, residences and office space to support a stadium; there is little public transportation to the site; and it is close to Oceanside Municipal Airport.

There have been no financial studies or maps made of the site, said Mel Kuhnel, Thomas Enterprises' vice president of operations for the West Coast.

Kuhnel said meetings between his boss, Stan Thomas, and Chargers president Dean Spanos – an element of any serious discussion – would not occur this early in the process. Fabiani said he hopes that will happen next month.

“It involves a very credible development partner, which is good,” he said. “But it's in the very earliest stages, which means I would advise people if they're interested, it's something they should follow, but it's not something they should pin their hopes on at this point.”

Kuhnel has met with Fabiani twice in the last six weeks. Last week, he sat down individually with council members, including Oceanside Councilman Jerome Kern and Mayor Jim Wood, to talk Chargers and explain how the economy has hindered plans to break ground on the shopping center.

Wood said he was surprised Oceanside is back in the mix, two years after the Chargers said a stadium didn't pencil out at the Center City Golf Course. He said there would be a lot of hurdles for this new plan.

The city might soon lock in a 50-year lease extension for the airport, giving the Federal Aviation Administration a big say in nearby development. A stadium would require at least 20 acres and be up to 200 feet tall.

“I like the idea of the Chargers coming to North County, but it would be real tough to find a place for them here,” Kern said.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...side/?chargers

Sounds iffy to me, but at least a decent developer is behind this proposal. Thomas' company is currently working on the Railyards plan in Sacramento: 240 acres immediately next to downtown.

http://sacramentorailyards.com/asset...how/slide2.jpg
http://sacramentorailyards.com/

HurricaneHugo Jun 20, 2009 8:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4317265)
Keeping this in mind, it really makes me mad that the city continues to ignore the waterfront (downtown's greatest resource), and further wall it off. This is one of the reasons I'm against the convention center expansion. My old college roommate visited a few weeks ago and thought it was odd that here we have this beautiful bay but don't embrace it.

The expansion does not wall it off anymore than it already is.

The convention center had an economic impact of 1.8 billion last year, a gain of just 100 million due to expansion will pay for it in just ten years. And the expansion is going to bring it a lot more than that.

staplesla Jun 20, 2009 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo (Post 4317526)
The expansion does not wall it off anymore than it already is.

The convention center had an economic impact of 1.8 billion last year, a gain of just 100 million due to expansion will pay for it in just ten years. And the expansion is going to bring it a lot more than that.

I'm not against the convention center as it is important to S.D. But the expansion would eliminate the park between the Hilton and the Southern Embarcadero. And the expansion may not seem large, but every little bit of the bayfront that is taken away is a piece that San Diegans don't get to enjoy.

ShekelPop Jun 21, 2009 4:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4317630)
I'm not against the convention center as it is important to S.D. But the expansion would eliminate the park between the Hilton and the Southern Embarcadero. And the expansion may not seem large, but every little bit of the bayfront that is taken away is a piece that San Diegans don't get to enjoy.

I agree because I've wanted the waterfront redone for so long since a signature public space would provide one of the final touches on downtown to seal the deal for people who are iffy on moving there. But at the same time, to borrow the phrase from the port commission, it really is a working waterfront too. In that sense, we need the waterfront space to drive jobs, incomes and visitors possibly more than we need much of that space to provide a public space. Thats one of the reasons I didnt want the stadium there because the stadium contributes no net economic gain. I think its a fair compromise to use that portion of the bay for the port's use so long as the long term vision of the remaining waterfront are actually executed.

SDCAL Jun 21, 2009 9:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShekelPop (Post 4317176)
If you look at the amount of street festivals, downtown events, and outdoor concerts, I'd say San Diego, in terms of variety of events and number of attendees, far outpaces many of its California counterparts. This demonstrates people are in touch with the city and the different neighborhoods. If you're statement is based on the perception that people frown upon city-funded buildings or other improvements, I also think its tough to gauge what people actually feel since a lot of the current sentiment stems from the fact that San Diego, like many other CA cities, has experienced serious cash flow problems that make even the most civic-minded resident hesitant to support the output of city cash for a marginally beneficial public improvement.

I also think we can't draw conclusions about how people feel simply because they don't want to fund a new stadium for the Chargers (for example). If you look at Petco or the revival of downtown over the past 20 years, you'd be hard pressed to explain to how all of this took place if the majority of people in San Diego did not politically support these types of developments. Keep in mind, this is a forum where people are almost always pro development, and even on here, when plans came out for the convention center expansion, people scoffed at the idea. I think this further shows current public sentiment stems from more than just people in san diego being drab and anti-development but from frustrations that stem from other sources.


I disagree.

I'm sorry, but you can't milk the economic crisis for all of San Diego's woes.

The reason people supported the development that took place is because it was private developers building condos. We got no major civic projects, which people would have whined about.

San Diego is a very "non-centralized" city compared to other cities I have lived in and been to.

Residents here prefer living in a "cluster" environment where you are able to live in suburban communities that have everything - - no reason to go to the city center. Other cities have transit designed to bring people to the city centre for jobs, courts, restaurants, museums, etc.

A prime example of this is the library. While the main library downtown rots and the NIMBYs oppose the new library, we have sunk TONS of money into branch libraries over the last decade.

Go look it up - - we have built new libraries and renovated others all over the place in the suburbs of San Diego county, but nobody wants a central library. People would rather not have to go into the central city because it's too inconvenient and they prefer to be self-contained in suburbia.

This is not the case in alot of other places

SO don't blame everything on "cash flow" because San Diego's lack of innovative urban design goes beyond that and into the attitudes of the people.

Even when times were better and development was taking off, all we saw were condos. No major civic spaces ever came to fruition. The library has been planned way before the economic crisis hit, and it never broke ground and will now probably never be built.

Development is always a risk whether the economy is good or bad.

If the economy is good and you embark on a big project, you run the risk of a down-turn by the time the development is ready (Vantage Point)

If you decide to halt everything when the economy is bad, you will be scrambling and left with nothing when times change because these projects take many years to plan, study and build.

I am not saying you need to build every project that is proposed, I'm saying San Diegan's have no vision.

The prime example - - a new City Hall

The project makes financial sense LONG TERM, not SHORT TERM;

To me, it's a no-brainer to start this project during the bad economy when construction prices are lower, and then not have to worry about the impending doom decades to come

Even the most fierce opponents of the new city hall project admit we WILL need eventually. Case in point, City Councilman Carl deMaio says we should "wait 10 years" to build it.

Yeah, wait 10 years and see the price triple!?

again, it's not a matter of IF this project is needed, or IF this projects is financially benneficial to the city, it's whether or not we decide to save money short-term, or to save more money long-term. San Diego is notorious for taking the short-term choice.

This is supposed to go to a vote, and my prediction is it will go down in flames just like the Miramar vote because San Diegan's are visionless and can't think past the next year or two when considering anything with long term benefits, especially if they get wiff of the "T" word (taxes, oh my!!)

If it goes to a vote and voters approve it, I will eat my words, but I don't think it will.

sopas ej Jun 21, 2009 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDCAL (Post 4318795)
I disagree.

I'm sorry, but you can't milk the economic crisis for all of San Diego's woes.

The reason people supported the development that took place is because it was private developers building condos. We got no major civic projects, which people would have whined about.

Is this because San Diego has traditionally been a bastion of Republicanism?

Viva-city Jun 22, 2009 3:39 PM

Do you live Downtown?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SDCAL (Post 4318795)

San Diegan's have no vision. It's not a matter of IF this project is needed, or IF this projects is financially beneficial to the city, it's whether or not we decide to save money short-term, or to save more money long-term. San Diego is notorious for taking the short-term choice.

I've written my July Life in the City column on this topic and looking for quotes from Downtowners. Please contact me before Tuesday if you are a Downtowner and would like to be included. My website is viva-city dot info.


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