SkyscraperPage Forum

SkyscraperPage Forum (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/index.php)
-   City Compilations (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=87)
-   -   SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2 (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126473)

bmfarley Jun 1, 2009 1:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4280447)
So I heard from a friend of mine today that he's received his deposit back from Vantage Point as they still haven't received their occupancy permit. Anyone know what is going on with this place? If they don't get their act together soon I'm afraid they're going to file bankruptcy in this market and we'll be left with a huge dark building.

It sounds like you're a week or two behind the information curve! VP is returning all deposits and taking all units off the market and instead will turn into a rental building.

staplesla Jun 1, 2009 2:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmfarley (Post 4280727)
It sounds like you're a week or two behind the information curve! VP is returning all deposits and taking all units off the market and instead will turn into a rental building.

Oh wow, thanks. I've been in NYC for 3 weeks so haven't paid much attention.

staplesla Jun 2, 2009 3:22 PM

Convention Center design includes more space and pedestrian bridge
 
Architects working on a new San Diego Convention Center wing say it wouldn't just be for tourists but would offer something for locals, such as a rooftop restaurant and a pedestrian bridge with easier access to San Diego Bay.

The city's nonprofit Convention Center agency today will unveil the preliminary layout of a hoped-for expansion that would bring the entire building to 1.2 million square feet.

Drawings depict nearly 400,000 additional square feet, of which 225,000 would be prime exhibit space — which convention officials say they need to keep competing for large, lucrative shows.

The expansion is not as big as initially desired because of land constraints at the only site deemed workable.

But it would keep San Diego in the top 13 American convention cities, according to one estimate, though many others are also eyeing expansions.

And it would be big enough to continue housing the mega-show Comic-Con if the San Diego-born comic book convention wants to stay, Convention Center President Carol Wallace said.

Mayor Jerry Sanders appointed a task force to determine whether the city should expand the center, which currently measures 814,000 square feet, including 615,000 square feet of exhibit space. The task force, which has issued no opinion, will see a presentation on the preliminary architectural plans at a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Convention Center.

A spokesman for Tucker Sadler, the architecture firm that designed the 2001 expansion and was hired for initial work on what would be the center's third phase, said a main concern was opening better access to the bay and enlivening the bayfront walkway, known as the embarcadero.

“We want to make sure that people walk the entire embarcadero, that there is something there for them to experience,” said Gregory Mueller, president of Tucker Sadler.

The new wing would sit in front of the existing building, on the bay side. It would rise 40 feet above the southern wing but stand about as tall as the structure's signature “sails,” officials said.

The design team discarded another site — across Harbor Drive on parking lots now used by Petco Park, including Tailgate Park — because a previously unknown finger of the Rose Canyon earthquake fault was discovered there.

One eye-catching element of the bayfront design would be a 57-foot-high pedestrian bridge stretching from Fourth Avenue, across the Convention Center, to the water. Currently, walkers must summit a mountain of steps or take a slow-moving elevator to get from the Harbor Drive side to the bay side of the long building.

The city's Centre City Development Corp. is overseeing construction of a publicly financed, $26.8 million pedestrian bridge just down Harbor Drive at Park Boulevard. Views of that structure, meant to be iconic, would not be blocked because it will be lower, at 25 feet above the street, convention officials said.

One new aspect would be an improved pedestrian promenade along the bayfront, where navigation now is not straightforward. The new building would extend out toward the water, taking up what is currently a parking lot, but leave a 35-foot-wide walkway and a 25-foot-wide buffer area where cafe tables and chairs could spill out.

Another element of the design, which remains preliminary, would be a rooftop eatery open to the public. As yet, the publicly financed convention hall offers no shopping and no restaurants meant to serve residents.

Officials said they won't have a price tag until mid-month.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...&zIndex=109407

eburress Jun 2, 2009 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo (Post 4279161)
A bit too ambitious but I like it lol

Not to belabor the point, but while something of that scale might work in certain other cities, there is NO chance of that happening here in San Diego. There are WAY too many NIMBYs, not nearly enough vision, and absolutely NO money.


Certain other cities:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/...b3b96a12_o.jpg
(photo by TexasStar)

Derek Jun 2, 2009 8:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo (Post 4279161)
A bit too ambitious but I like it lol



x2. It's way to good to actually happen though.

Derek Jun 2, 2009 8:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4283066)
Architects working on a new San Diego Convention Center wing say it wouldn't just be for tourists but would offer something for locals, such as a rooftop restaurant and a pedestrian bridge with easier access to San Diego Bay.

The city's nonprofit Convention Center agency today will unveil the preliminary layout of a hoped-for expansion that would bring the entire building to 1.2 million square feet.

Drawings depict nearly 400,000 additional square feet, of which 225,000 would be prime exhibit space — which convention officials say they need to keep competing for large, lucrative shows.

The expansion is not as big as initially desired because of land constraints at the only site deemed workable.

But it would keep San Diego in the top 13 American convention cities, according to one estimate, though many others are also eyeing expansions.

And it would be big enough to continue housing the mega-show Comic-Con if the San Diego-born comic book convention wants to stay, Convention Center President Carol Wallace said.

Mayor Jerry Sanders appointed a task force to determine whether the city should expand the center, which currently measures 814,000 square feet, including 615,000 square feet of exhibit space. The task force, which has issued no opinion, will see a presentation on the preliminary architectural plans at a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Convention Center.

A spokesman for Tucker Sadler, the architecture firm that designed the 2001 expansion and was hired for initial work on what would be the center's third phase, said a main concern was opening better access to the bay and enlivening the bayfront walkway, known as the embarcadero.

“We want to make sure that people walk the entire embarcadero, that there is something there for them to experience,” said Gregory Mueller, president of Tucker Sadler.

The new wing would sit in front of the existing building, on the bay side. It would rise 40 feet above the southern wing but stand about as tall as the structure's signature “sails,” officials said.

The design team discarded another site — across Harbor Drive on parking lots now used by Petco Park, including Tailgate Park — because a previously unknown finger of the Rose Canyon earthquake fault was discovered there.

One eye-catching element of the bayfront design would be a 57-foot-high pedestrian bridge stretching from Fourth Avenue, across the Convention Center, to the water. Currently, walkers must summit a mountain of steps or take a slow-moving elevator to get from the Harbor Drive side to the bay side of the long building.

The city's Centre City Development Corp. is overseeing construction of a publicly financed, $26.8 million pedestrian bridge just down Harbor Drive at Park Boulevard. Views of that structure, meant to be iconic, would not be blocked because it will be lower, at 25 feet above the street, convention officials said.

One new aspect would be an improved pedestrian promenade along the bayfront, where navigation now is not straightforward. The new building would extend out toward the water, taking up what is currently a parking lot, but leave a 35-foot-wide walkway and a 25-foot-wide buffer area where cafe tables and chairs could spill out.

Another element of the design, which remains preliminary, would be a rooftop eatery open to the public. As yet, the publicly financed convention hall offers no shopping and no restaurants meant to serve residents.

Officials said they won't have a price tag until mid-month.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...&zIndex=109407


Interesting.

eburress Jun 3, 2009 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek (Post 4283792)
x2. It's way to good to actually happen though.

Exactly! hahahaha

mongoXZ Jun 3, 2009 12:57 AM

Some images of the CC expansion provided by the Union-Tribune:
http://media.signonsandiego.com/img/...e3d2802eb9f1a6

http://media.signonsandiego.com/img/...e3d2802eb9f1a6

eburress Jun 3, 2009 6:48 AM

^^ I'm glad the Spinnaker (sp?) is gone. I'm SOOO happy that never got built.

mongoXZ Jun 3, 2009 8:08 AM

Yeah, right. In its place is now a proposed ultra-unique. . . .box.

IconRPCV Jun 3, 2009 4:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eburress (Post 4284799)
^^ I'm glad the Spinnaker (sp?) is gone. I'm SOOO happy that never got built.


While it wasn't the greatest design at least it was different. We all complain about all the projects downtown being too boring, yet one that is different is too Dubai. I think we can agree on one thing, everyone likes to complain.

eburress Jun 3, 2009 4:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconRPCV (Post 4285287)
While it wasn't the greatest design at least it was different. We all complain about all the projects downtown being too boring, yet one that is different is too Dubai. I think we can agree on one thing, everyone likes to complain.

hahaha - very true. Opinions are like a-holes. :)

staplesla Jun 4, 2009 6:00 AM

Qualcomm Stadium Scrapped
 
Developer Perry Dealy told the Chargers and the Mayor's Office on Wednesday that he – and what was billed as a dream team of local land experts – are mothballing plans to replace Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley.

One of the plan's advocates, attorney Charles Black, said its quick dismissal should end all discussion about building a new facility for the Chargers on the 166-acre Qualcomm Stadium site.

“It appears as though there isn't going to be a new stadium in Qualcomm's future, at least not one where the Chargers play,” he said.

Team spokesman Mark Fabiani and the mayor's staff suggested Dealy's dense proposal was dead on arrival even before a public unveiling at a news conference last week. Turns out their obituary was only a wee bit premature.

“Just wanted to officially notify you that our 16 member volunteer task force . . . is immediately stopping any and all media outreach on our option,” Dealy wrote in an e-mail to the team and Mayor's Office. “What was a sincere and honest effort to independently develop a concept and framework that may have some life is not an option at this point in time.”

He added, “Under the auspices of no good deed goes unpunished, we somehow feel more negative has come out of this then was ever anticipated or intended.”

The plans to redevelop Qualcomm Stadium called for a new 70,000-seat stadium with a 16-story hotel, 3.7 million square feet of commercial space, 500,000 square feet of retail space and 5,900 condominiums and apartments.

Dealy did not return a call for comment.

Mayoral spokesman Darren Pudgil said the mayor intends to keep working with the Chargers on the team's search for a home.

“Given the circumstances, they made the right decision,” Pudgil said. “Any proposal will have to have the support of both the taxpayers and the Chargers, and this clearly didn't have the support of the Chargers, so it wouldn't have made any sense to move this forward.”

Fabiani replied via e-mail, “This announcement will make it easier for the Chargers to continue to focus on sites in San Diego County that may have a realistic chance of success.”

The Chargers had explored building a new stadium in Mission Valley several years ago – and dismissed it as unrealistic. The team, which has contemplated a new home for years, is looking at Chula Vista and considering other options.

Black, who co-chaired the effort with Dealy but did not attend last week's news conference, said the decision to pull the plug on the plan was simple.

“We were beginning to see even on the the day that that unveiling occurred that the proposal wasn't getting traction,” Black said. “My thought was if it's not going to get traction, we certainly don't want to create problems for others,” namely the Chargers and the Mayor's Office.

“Had we known fully what the Chargers' position was, maybe that press conference wouldn't have gone forward,” he said.

Black added some good could come of the Qualcomm site redevelopment review if the city decides at some point to revisit the issue without a new stadium.

“Was it a wise move to do the study?” Black said. “I think so. It gave us a lot of information on the site.”

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...3stadium16374/

kpexpress Jun 4, 2009 7:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoXZ (Post 4284283)

Is it just me or does the convention center seem like SD's steel curtain berlin wall. Eating at Tinfish one would never know that you're a block from the bay. The behemoth of a structure really cuts off site lines of the water from all streets and makes it so inconvenient for residents to access the bay. I wish that would could learn from Vancouver and build the convention center out into the water on a pier, perpendicular to the water and allowing a green roof park for residents. We seem to just keep proposing to further wall off our city from its most prized possession.....the bay.

HurricaneHugo Jun 4, 2009 9:38 AM

It's already blocked off so there's nothing we can do about that.

At least the design is good IMO.

Although it needs a cherry on top to make it perfect.

eburress Jun 4, 2009 5:30 PM

^^ Yeah, the proverbial ship has sailed. I suppose they could bulldoze through portions of the convention center and open it up (creating a series of smaller, but still-connected convention centers), but obviously that's not going to happen.

Derek Jun 4, 2009 8:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplesla (Post 4286854)
Developer Perry Dealy told the Chargers and the Mayor's Office on Wednesday that he – and what was billed as a dream team of local land experts – are mothballing plans to replace Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley.

One of the plan's advocates, attorney Charles Black, said its quick dismissal should end all discussion about building a new facility for the Chargers on the 166-acre Qualcomm Stadium site.

“It appears as though there isn't going to be a new stadium in Qualcomm's future, at least not one where the Chargers play,” he said.

Team spokesman Mark Fabiani and the mayor's staff suggested Dealy's dense proposal was dead on arrival even before a public unveiling at a news conference last week. Turns out their obituary was only a wee bit premature.

“Just wanted to officially notify you that our 16 member volunteer task force . . . is immediately stopping any and all media outreach on our option,” Dealy wrote in an e-mail to the team and Mayor's Office. “What was a sincere and honest effort to independently develop a concept and framework that may have some life is not an option at this point in time.”

He added, “Under the auspices of no good deed goes unpunished, we somehow feel more negative has come out of this then was ever anticipated or intended.”

The plans to redevelop Qualcomm Stadium called for a new 70,000-seat stadium with a 16-story hotel, 3.7 million square feet of commercial space, 500,000 square feet of retail space and 5,900 condominiums and apartments.

Dealy did not return a call for comment.

Mayoral spokesman Darren Pudgil said the mayor intends to keep working with the Chargers on the team's search for a home.

“Given the circumstances, they made the right decision,” Pudgil said. “Any proposal will have to have the support of both the taxpayers and the Chargers, and this clearly didn't have the support of the Chargers, so it wouldn't have made any sense to move this forward.”

Fabiani replied via e-mail, “This announcement will make it easier for the Chargers to continue to focus on sites in San Diego County that may have a realistic chance of success.”

The Chargers had explored building a new stadium in Mission Valley several years ago – and dismissed it as unrealistic. The team, which has contemplated a new home for years, is looking at Chula Vista and considering other options.

Black, who co-chaired the effort with Dealy but did not attend last week's news conference, said the decision to pull the plug on the plan was simple.

“We were beginning to see even on the the day that that unveiling occurred that the proposal wasn't getting traction,” Black said. “My thought was if it's not going to get traction, we certainly don't want to create problems for others,” namely the Chargers and the Mayor's Office.

“Had we known fully what the Chargers' position was, maybe that press conference wouldn't have gone forward,” he said.

Black added some good could come of the Qualcomm site redevelopment review if the city decides at some point to revisit the issue without a new stadium.

“Was it a wise move to do the study?” Black said. “I think so. It gave us a lot of information on the site.”

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...3stadium16374/



Big surprise.

eburress Jun 4, 2009 11:02 PM

In the interest of offering solutions to problems, here's how I fix SD's convention center.


The plan:

Bulldoze through the center of the convention center, extending 3rd and 5th avenues through the center, restoring sight lines and creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment. The convention center would be rebuilt somewhat taller and deeper, so that the center's square footage would actually be increased.

Fill in a small portion of the water along the rear of the convention center, which combined with an extended Park Blvd, would create open space and a gorgeous boulevard.

Somewhat related: bulldoze through and rebuild Horton Plaza, creating a pedestrian-friendly, urban shopping district. Imagine seeing the water while shopping at Horton Plaza.

Easy as 1 2 3. :)

http://www.ericburress.com/sandiego/sdcc.png

JSsocal Jun 5, 2009 2:41 AM

^^^Cool proposal, the only unfortunate problem I believe would be that it just makes the convention center a whole lot less attractive to those holding conventions there, possibly driving some of them out, (like Comic-con).

Though in terms of boosting street life, your proposal is fantastic. The area behind the convention center is dead, and could really use shops, and to just become more pedestrian friendly

spoonman Jun 5, 2009 3:35 AM

Very nice map...I think that's a step in the right direction.

My vote would be for the tunneling of Harbor Drive and the train tracks. Those stupid tracks have screwed up access for cars and pedestrians...

Cut and cover isn't that expensive and I think it would be better spent (at least in the near term) than decking over the freeway. Instead the city is squandering money on not one but now 2 pedestrian bridges.


All times are GMT. The time now is 3:30 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.