SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[aerogt3]

Originally Posted by Northparkwizard

That thing looks like a huge stucco #1 that attorneys waste peoples time at. Give me something dynamic, not a diet version of a Shanghai Radison (without the hat).

WTF do people on here mean when they say they want a more "dynamic" structure? That they want more earthquakes? That they want it in a constant state of teardown and remodel?

I don't think dynamic is the droid you are looking for?

[spoonman]

Are the Little Italy streetcars being configured to use on streets? The article stated that the cars would share the street, but it was not clear how they would be propelled. $34M does not sound like enough money to construct rails. If anyone know, please share.

[eburress]

Originally Posted by aerogt3

WTF do people on here mean when they say they want a more "dynamic" structure? That they want more earthquakes? That they want it in a constant state of teardown and remodel?

I don't think dynamic is the droid you are looking for?

I would image they're using the "positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas" definition of dynamic to describe the building, especially considering that it looks like a tired, still-dated 60s era structure.

[Northparkwizard]

Urban designer critiques San Diego, via The Daily Transcript: http://www.sddt.com/news/article.cfm?Sou...esigner+critiques+San+Diego#.UnybiJTTWft

[Urbanize_It]

Originally Posted by Northparkwizard

Urban designer critiques San Diego, via The Daily Transcript: http://www.sddt.com/news/article.cfm?Sou...esigner+critiques+San+Diego#.UnybiJTTWft

What a great article. I could not agree more with his ideas. Plus, An added benefit of narrowing our streets is the reduced cost to maintain. One often overlooked fact that the "repair our streets" crowd doesn't seem to get. Less surface = less maintenance cost.

[tyleraf]

Wow. That was a good read. Hopefully his ideas are applied to the next phase of the NEVP. I wish the city would bring him on staff to work with Fulton.

[spoonman]

Does anyone here have a preference as to where a future Chargers stadium might be located. For example, downtown vs rebuilding at Mission Valley?

[tyleraf]

Downtown! Preferrably alongside a new arena.

[Derek]

I actually prefer the Mission Valley site, but I'm not opposed to a downtown stadium.



I just want them to stay!

[Northparkwizard]

Either/Or, however downtown would be really interesting to see. Shoehorning a 70,000 seat stadium (the NFL's minimum seating requirement to host a Superbowl) between Petco, the I5, K St. & Imperial would take some ingenuity.

If I had money on it i'd guess that the Chargers get a deal done to redevelop the Mission Valley site and play home games at the Rose Bowl for 2 years during construction. There's enough sq ft at Qualcomm to accommodate anything the Chargers would want to build. Remember the Spanos' made their fortune in real estate/apartments.

I want them to stay as well.

[SDCAL]

Has anyone heard if there are any long-range plans to either redevelop or relocate the police headquarters downtown.

It's a huge building and a huge eyesore, and I noticed it's considered part of the IDEA district.

Is the plan to leave it as-is and, if so, why would it be considered part of the IDEA district ?

You can see on the map below, it's a big area of the IDEA district :

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by spoonman

Does anyone here have a preference as to where a future Chargers stadium might be located. For example, downtown vs rebuilding at Mission Valley?

Mission Valley for sure. Football stadiums should never be in DTs. Why waste precious city blocks for 8 games.

I'd rather see an nba team in the East Village. I'm surprised we don't have a movement to bring the Clippers back to SD. 41 homes games, concerts, great indoor convention space.

[aerogt3]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

Mission Valley for sure. Football stadiums should never be in DTs. Why waste precious city blocks for 8 games

+1 8 days out of 365 is a massive waste of money.

[Derek]

NFL stadiums aren't used "8 times a year".

They are used at least 10 times per year including the preseason, and even a few more days if the Chargers were to make the playoffs. It would be included in the Super Bowl cycle as well.

I'm sure the Aztecs would also play there, along with a few NCAA bowl games (possibly even a BCS title game every few years).

Not to mention the dozens of other events that take place at Qualcomm every year. Motocross, monster trucks, CIF (high school football) championships, concerts, etc. The possibilities are endless.

It could possibly lure an MLS team in the future as well (fingers crossed).

[Northparkwizard]

Originally Posted by Derek

NFL stadiums aren't used "8 times a year".

They are used at least 10 times per year including the preseason, and even a few more days if the Chargers were to make the playoffs. It would be included in the Super Bowl cycle as well.

I'm sure the Aztecs would also play there, along with a few NCAA bowl games (possibly even a BCS title game every few years).

Not to mention the dozens of other events that take place at Qualcomm every year. Motocross, monster trucks, CIF (high school football) championships, concerts, etc. The possibilities are endless.

It could possibly lure an MLS team in the future as well (fingers crossed).

Exactly, Petco Park is used for many special events during the on and off season despite it's configuration not being ideal. A new football/soccer configured stadium would have more options for special events do to it's mostly symmetrical layout. Look at any newer stadium in the NFL and you'll see that they're mostly booked for every weekend of the year. Add to the list the x-games, rodeos, circus', bull riding, and children's events like Sesame Street live.

[Bertrice]

Originally Posted by Northparkwizard

Exactly, Petco Park is used for many special events during the on and off season despite it's configuration not being ideal. A new football/soccer configured stadium would have more options for special events do to it's mostly symmetrical layout. Look at any newer stadium in the NFL and you'll see that they're mostly booked for every weekend of the year. Add to the list the x-games, rodeos, circus', bull riding, and children's events like Sesame Street live.

I had to jump in on this one after the "sesame street live" take. The only reason the chargers wanted the DT spot was it had 100 mil. in redevelopment funds attached to that land. That is gone now. Then they tried to piggy back the convention expansion. That is over. Now the message is "sell the Q. and sports arena site and give us that money." 10 years ago it was "give us Q site to redevelop plus more land."
As someone who worked charger games at the Q. part of the experience is tailgating. There isn't enough parking downtown for the amount of staff for a game alone. Imagine 70k taking the trolley. As for the other events, SDSU games are weak and motocross was the only 50k attendance. Petco has events now only they are corporate parties on the field. We have a symmetrical arena now, look how much that is used.
The Chargers need to step up and say how much they are willing to pitch in.
A new stadium could be built next to the old one. there is enough room.
Look at this before you start citing Super bowl's will come back. Peace.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_22350058/santa-clara-weighs-super-bowl-financial-terms-imposed

[mello]

I think a downtown Arena is actually a better fit, if I knew the 90 or so acres of the Tenth Ave marine terminal was going to open up anytime soon then maybe a football stadium would be acceptable but land is getting gobbled up quickly downtown and I want to see as much as possible taken up by 300 plus foot tall structures to cram in as much housing and office space as possible.

I think the Qualcomm site has so much potential for vertical living and is best suited for the Chargers. When you walk around downtown and realize it is actually a pretty small area and having a huge piece of it taken up by Petco and a Stadium....

The problem with SD is downtown is the only place where vertical growth is accepted and all the inner hoods shit when something over 30 feet is proposed, so that makes DT space even more precious.

[S.DviaPhilly]

Looks like the underground garage is done at Urbana! I like this infill building, good for the area! Snapped this photo last Thursday from a condo in Parkloft

[spoonman]

I want the Chargers to stay too.

*******

The only part of a downtown Chargers stadium that I like is the possibility for spurred high rise growth around the stadium due to the appeal that it creates (on game days). That said, there is plenty of activity going on anyway downtown, and as other have said, land down there is becoming increasingly precious. Mission Valley has always seemed like the perfect spot for the stadium anyhow.

*******
I have been thinking more and more that the Chargers may be well served to partner with another sport to get a facility built in SD.

For those that don't know, the Jacobs brothers (of Qualcomm) have been quietly considering brining NBA to San Diego over the past year or so. For now, they have poured money into the Sac Kings to help keep them in Sacramento (that's the story). However, in the future, they may push to move the team to SD, or they may simply be cutting their teeth before they jump into something bigger, in SD.

It may be unlikely, but the planets could bizzarely align and bring SD a new combined NFL and NBA arena, especially if Nathan Fletcher (works for Qualcomm) is elected mayor.

You'd think that between Spanos (NFL), Qualcomm (NBA), the sale of Sports Arena, redevelopment of the current site, and some additional city funds, this would be easy enough. I have to think that these conversations have already happened or are happening...whether they pan out I don't know, but it sure would make for a strange turn of events.

[Derek]

Sacramento just put up an epic fight to keep the Kings away from Seattle, I doubt they would move any time soon.


It would be amazing to see San Diego get another NBA team though. In a perfect world, I'd like to see the Clippers playing in San Diego again.