The truth is that we have to go up because we can't continue to spread horizontally forever.
People will want to come to San Diego because of our weather/other amenities and we can't really stop them. We're reaching our limit and must go up. You can keep your suburban houses, but give us a couple of tall residential towers. We all can't have sprawling suburban houses, there's not enough room. |
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To make a comparison, the reason Washington D.C. is so unique and so alive is because severe height limits have squashed all development to 12 floors or less (for the most part). This, in turn, has encouraged density and concentrated the design intuition and ability of local firms and bureaucrats on the groundscape as opposed to the skyline, creating a vibrant and desirable urban setting. San Diego could gain the same advantage. If you all down there focus on street-level density, exemplary design, and public spaces that are vibrant, unique moments (that is, preserving the great structures and spaces you already have in addition to creating new)...you'll have a sublime metropolis. Do it, SD. I'm watching from New York, you have my attention. :tup: |
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The challenge for San Diego's urbanization is the transportation problem. Its hard to convince people to live in the central core if their jobs are in UTC, Mira Mesa or Sorrento Valley and the daily commute requires driving on the 805 parking lot. It also becomes harder to defeat NIMBYs and no-growthers if every single new resident moving into new construction in their neighborhood will be relying on their car for every trip. New mid-rise and high rise construction has to be in walkable, transit accessible neighborhoods for this not to happen. San Diego deserves great urban places, but high rise buildings are not a means to that end. Only through massively expanding the region's non-automobile transportation system can denser development be successful. Once this happens, high rise buildings will become welcomed (by residents, neighborhoods, politicians, and the market), and future San Diegans will have a real alternative to ever expanding sprawl. |
^^ Improving the transit system would definititely be a conduit to increased density. Hopefully with the extension of the Trolley to UTC, that will open some more doors. For now it seems that most infill (outside of downtown) is not happening near transit, but rather in places like Kearny Mesa, Carlsbad, Mira Mesa, etc.
Doug Manchester's condo project next to the UT headquarters would actually be a decent example of a project taking advantage of transit. Chula Vista Bayfront is another. Too bad there aren't more example like it. |
Extreme Dave and Aero: When you look at photos of the Miami Metro area they have mid and high rises spread all over the place and their traffic isn't absolute gridlock... So what would be the difference with maybe 10 fifteen floor residential structures in Kearny Mesa, a few more in UTC and Sorrento Valley?
I mean if Miami seems to be able to do it (granted their land is totally flat and on more of a grid) why can't San Diego do it. I have also been thinking that the future of infill may be demolishing old 60's and 70's era office park areas like the area just west of the 5/805 merge (The real Sorrento Valley for all long time SD residents). That area is all junk and could be totally redeveloped. Mission Valley could easily fit in 10 more high rise residential structures. Then you have all of that crap just off of Convoy, one story office warehouse type places that could be scrapped and built vertically on. San Diego really does have a ton of throw away sections that are way underutilized, I think this could be the future of urban infill. |
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1.) market pressure that drives up prices to make it feasible (population growth, etc.) 2.) a cultural shift in the type and standard of living people want |
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There's a reason the UTC area is getting a trolley line and has a bunch of bus connections to downtown. |
Saw them conducting soil tests at park and e today.
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Bosa
I heard a rumor that Bosa bought the building in between Horton Plaza and the Meridian residential building. It used to be high end retail but now is mostly (if not all) vacant. I heard that Bosa wants to be build a 34 story tower there, leaving the retail at street level. Anyone know any truth to this?!?!? Curious and intrigued.
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The last I heard about the building was that it was converted into office space by some healthcare company. Are they still there?
I too would like to see that 80s relic torn down and a mixed use tower in its place. Where did you hear about this SDviaPnilly? |
Is anyone else interested in Mayor Filner's proposal to host the Olympics? I think it would be great for development.An Olympic Challenge | UTSanDiego.com
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SDviaPhilly, is this the article you're referencing? http://www.hughesmarino.com/articles/downtown-dirt/
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filner says all kinds of crazy shit. if it were up to him SD would incorporate TJ.
olympics are money losing ventures. btw the embarcadero project is in full swing. |
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So, why not. San Diego isn't going to win it. Might as well bid. |
People say Olympics lose money because the city spends billions on infrastructure and only gets a few billion back.
...but if we fix A LOT of our infrastructure and hold an Olympics...is it not worth losing money? |
Interesting that Bosa may be taking 880 W Broadway back from the Irvine Co. With that, 1st &Island, B-way & PCH, and the site next to Meridian, he'll have a full pipeline full for the next several years.
Anyone know if he has any sites in the East Village? |
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I know Bosa has property in the East Village, but I think its the space right across from Vantage Pointe due south, or in and around that area. That will probably be a much later development, I don't see Bosa lowering their market segment anytime soon. They should have more than a few properties aside from the ones we know about where they are going to be developing soon. I hope they get the 880 Broadway property back, that office tower tower by Irvine is so uninspiring... |
Could a San Diego/Tijuana Olympics even be possible without completely opening the border for the 2 weeks of the Games? There's no way the IOC would pick SD/TJ if athletes and fans would have to wait hours crossing between countries.
San Diego has none of the infrastructure needed to host the Olympics. The airport is too small and the stadiums are either too small or non-existent. San Diego looks like an inferior option compared to LA or San Francisco, let alone any other cities worldwide. Lets take the money that would be spent on preparing a plan/hosting selection committees/bribing IOC officials and use it on actually improving San Diego's infrastructure. Filner shouldn't be wasting his time on superficial stunts like this and actually work on improving infrastructure (roads, transit, etc) that would benefit San Diegans every day, not just a 2 week period 11 years from now. |
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