SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 3

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by SemperVigilans

Also has anyone read the Axios update on Midway Rising? It's subscriber only and I'm not clever enough to work around paywalls.

Nothing new. Just that the project developer is aiming for the state density bonus law to eliminate the height limit and the city is exploring site specific state legislation to exempt the site from CEQA. They'll probably work with local Assemblymembers and senators to go that route.

And you don't need to pay to be a subscriber to Axios; it's a free account.

[mello]

The change to volume 3 made me realize I've been on this forum since 2000. Was wondering if many other long timers recall renderings of what the skyline would look like in "the future" from back then and has your expectation of how built up downtown SD would become been met? I would say back in 2002 if you asked me where we would be in 2026 I would have guessed an additional 10 to 15 significant towers like West or the original Pinnacle on Market than what we have today. So I'd say downtown is a let down but North Park is a pleasant surprise.

Back then we were thinking the office market would eventually turn and a few towers would have been built. So many renderings of residential towers over these years never came to fruition unfortunately, and we seem to be hitting a stall right now with only the Little Italy highrises on India coming online.

Speaking of North Park walked around yesterday around 430 and it was very vibrant lots of pedestrian activity maybe becoming a true urban environment! Good news spoke with guy running construction trailer for the Refuge project at 30th and Gunn, he said soon the 3 houses across the street that have been boarded up for 2 years will be demolished and another project underway!

[mello]

Saw multiple articles about Novartis breaking ground in last couple days on a massive 1.1 billion dollar 466k sq foot facility. Tried to find address all I can find is "somewhere in campus point". That street already has tons of construction going on and I'm looking on the map trying to see where another big facility could possibly fit on that already very built up street. Good news to see that biotech is still alive here I was a bit worried it was stalling out.

[HurricaneHugo]

Jeez Vol 3?

Crazy I've been here for 19ish years now.

Not a wealth of knowledge but hey, a good bump here and there is always useful

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

A few more articles went up today,
AMP 30 in Northpark, a recently completed 5 story apartment building.
https://buildsd.org/projects/amp-30


Brickhouse Northpark, a 6 story infill project at 32nd street near Polk
https://buildsd.org/projects/brickhouse-north-park


Torrey Heights in Torrey Hills, a new life sciences campus with a total of 9 stories

https://buildsd.org/projects/torrey-heights
\

We just did a writing binge so expect more shortly.

[SemperVigilans]

Torrey Heights looking suspiciously like a certain vacant plaza in Downtown...

Anyone want to bid on the Spreckels building?

https://rimarketplace.com/auction/3019/l...e-landmark-investment-downtown-san-diego

Starts at $5 mil.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by SemperVigilans

Anyone want to bid on the Spreckels building?

https://rimarketplace.com/auction/3019/l...e-landmark-investment-downtown-san-diego

Starts at $5 mil.

As much as I would love to own an amazing theater and offices, my budget is more like 500 sqft condo right now

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Here are some of our new mapped projects by neighborhood, total of 13 new articles

North Park
Idaho 24-2
https://buildsd.org/projects/idaho-24-2
Tenney North Park
https://buildsd.org/projects/tenney-north-park
Bancroft
https://buildsd.org/projects/bancroft

Hillcrest

Flats Hillcrest
https://buildsd.org/projects/flats-hillcrest

Downtown (2 Completed projects)

West
https://buildsd.org/projects/west
Harrington Heights
https://buildsd.org/projects/harrington-heights

Middletown (another completed project)

City 24 Condo Hotel
https://buildsd.org/projects/city24-condo-hotel

UCSD (all completed projects)

Ridge Walk North Living & Learning Neighborhood (LLN)
https://buildsd.org/projects/ridge-walk-north-living-learning-neighborhood-lln

Theatre District Living & Learning Neighborhood (LLN)
https://buildsd.org/projects/theatre-district-living-learning-neighborhood-lln

UCSD in Mission Bay, Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve Field Station
https://buildsd.org/projects/kendall-frost-marsh-reserve-field-station

Barrio Logan

Mercado New Apartments
https://buildsd.org/projects/mercado-new-apartments

Chula Vista
Gaylord Pacific
https://buildsd.org/projects/gaylord-pacific

San Ysidro

Beyer Blvd TOD
https://buildsd.org/projects/beyer-boulevard-tod

The reason why so many completed projects is we have a horizon of 2022 onward for our map, to get an accurate look at what was happening in San Diego since we started

[SDfan]

Great work, Build SD team. Really enjoying these articles.

[Streamliner]

Originally Posted by mello

The change to volume 3 made me realize I've been on this forum since 2000. Was wondering if many other long timers recall renderings of what the skyline would look like in "the future" from back then and has your expectation of how built up downtown SD would become been met? I would say back in 2002 if you asked me where we would be in 2026 I would have guessed an additional 10 to 15 significant towers like West or the original Pinnacle on Market than what we have today. So I'd say downtown is a let down but North Park is a pleasant surprise.

I remember the CCDC office had a cool model of downtown, as it would appear at some point in the future. I thought it was really cool but I don't know if I got any pictures.

One of my main takeaways over the last 20 years is that the built buildings are much more boring than I thought they'd be. So many residential buildings that all have the same design.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Streamliner

I remember the CCDC office had a cool model of downtown, as it would appear at some point in the future. I thought it was really cool but I don't know if I got any pictures.

One of my main takeaways over the last 20 years is that the built buildings are much more boring than I thought they'd be. So many residential buildings that all have the same design.

I don't think we have gotten a new iconic building since Pacific Gate in 2017. I to think some of the buildings on the downtown development map are a bit more unique than some glass bricks that recently were built

1st and Island is not the most unique building if it were along broadway or near little italy, but it will be the first of the glass blocks by the waterfront.

4th and B is unique because it is narrow and office and hotel only

Mirka Tower is not very glassy on the southern end of east village

Apres Little Italy is very rounded on the corners

[Streamliner]

Tech exec bets on downtown San Diego with purchase of 2 office towers
A former SoftBank executive has purchased downtown office towers 1 Columbia Place and 2 Columbia Place with the stated goal of boosting the local economy.



Link to Article
San Diego Union-Tribune
Jennifer Van Grove
February 11, 2026

Monday, real estate management entity Golden Columbia LLC purchased 1 Columbia Place, a 27-story skyscraper at 401 W. A St., and 2 Columbia Place, a 12-story tower, at 1230 Columbia St.

The 1 and 2 Columbia Place purchase was motivated by Gan’s desire to invest in San Diego, bring workers back to the downtown market and draw more companies to the area, Gan told the Union-Tribune.

“The whole point is to revitalize the San Diego economy,” he said.

Built in 1982, 1 Columbia Place at 401 W. A St. is a fixture among the downtown skyline and is distinctive because of its stair-step design. A block from Little Italy, the 27-story property has 556,943 square feet of space and features an atrium lobby, upgraded gym, and third-floor tenant lounge with a game room and terrace, as well as sweeping views of San Diego Bay. Anchor office tenants include AECOM, Calpine Energy Solutions and the U.S. State Department. Donut Bar is located on the ground floor.

The lower profile 2 Columbia Place building, across the street at 1230 Columbia St., was built in 1990 and renovated in 2019, according to real estate tracker CoStar. The property has 150,680 square feet of space. The tenant rooster includes law firms and consulting businesses, most occupying suites that are 6,000 square feet or less in size.

Gan said he moved to San Diego from Japan nearly four years ago and hopes to raise the city’s profile at an international level. Japanese CEOs are enamored with Manhattan, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, but are less familiar with San Diego, he said.

“They say, ‘Where’s San Diego?,’” Gan said. His response is always, “It’s the best city in America.”

Hopefully this helps lead to an upward trend for office space downtown. While I want all the new residential towers, a good downtown should have a healthy mix of uses.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

IDK how i didnt notice this, a nearly 13 acre lot in utc mall is being subdivided into 10 lots. The former sears site.

https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/f...ge-dr-staff-report-final_attachments.pdf

My guess is dense housing and office with retail to integrate with the mall. Also it means the Groundscraper, The Loop UTC is dead which is good we are likely getting way denser

https://www.womoarchitects.com/the-loop

[SDfan]

Considering four office towers are being converted to hotel or residential use and the new office owners are getting deep discounts, they're positioned well for a longer-term recovery downtown. Plus RADD and Horton are both designed for bio/life science, so the competition will be less intense to chase more traditional office tenants (law firms, financials, government, etc.). Granted AI is tanking commercial real estate stocks right now with disruption fears, so the live/work/play angle is gonna need to be strong or more conversions will be on the horizon.

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

My guess is dense housing and office with retail to integrate with the mall. Also it means the Groundscraper, The Loop UTC is dead which is good we are likely getting way denser

https://www.womoarchitects.com/the-loop

I mean appreciated the architecture, but it did lack height and housing. I hope they get some good projects out of this, though I think mid-rise development will be most enticing from a cost/profit standpoint.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by SDfan

I mean appreciated the architecture, but it did lack height and housing. I hope they get some good projects out of this, though I think mid-rise development will be most enticing from a cost/profit standpoint.

I think they will probably be masterplanning it to lower their costs, probably focus on 2 or 3 of the best located lots to get something dense basically in UTC Mall. Given they were planning office before they may still do some office development but I doubt one developer now. I think it could be a similar situation to Costa Verde where they develop the best lots themselves while selling or leasing the others to other developers.

[NehemiahBuildSD]

Hi Folks,

Nehemiah from BuildSD here, Max has been active on this forum - figured other members of the team should be aswell.

I am curious - as part of our mission to document the development in San Diego, which neighborhood are you guys more curious about? I personally have been working on documenting the North Park Projects.

[mello]

I have specific interest about mostly Hillcrest/Bankers and North Park. National City I noticed keeps adding density. I guess I could just start listing my questions or noting what I see because I'm all around town. For example the old main post office on midway has finally been demolished what will be going there? I've noticed fenced off commercial properties on both sides of Washington between 1st ave on S Side and 3rd Ave N Side. Also 5th and Walnut has a strip of commercial storefronts fenced off.

Big picture idea, now that all of those small soccer fields at the North Park water tower have been closed for years is it possible to develope that property or is that huge concrete base part of the water infrastructure? It's a full city block.

[SemperVigilans]

Originally Posted by NehemiahBuildSD

Hi Folks,

Nehemiah from BuildSD here, Max has been active on this forum - figured other members of the team should be aswell.

I am curious - as part of our mission to document the development in San Diego, which neighborhood are you guys more curious about? I personally have been working on documenting the North Park Projects.

Hi Nehemiah, thanks for all you do. Downtown is my hood so I'm biased in favor of it. But wow, neighborhoods south of downtown are seeing some great development! Watching closely the area around the new Gaylord Palms resort.

Public transit is also important to watch. I'm hyped for the new station being added to the Convention Center.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by mello

National City I noticed keeps adding density. I guess I could just start listing my questions or noting what I see because I'm all around town. For example the old main post office on midway has finally been demolished what will be going there?

I have tried getting permit info in national city but it can be difficult, they are not as open as San Diego or Chula Vista are however i was able to get some via public records requests and public info. They are on our list but the more info on a project, the easier they are to write about. So that tends to lead some decisions to avoid writing on National City projects.

Specifically on my list are Kimball Highlands, Union Tower, and some market rate projects I have on a list.

Need to send some emails and more public records requests for most of those.