SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[keg92101]

Originally Posted by OneMetropolis

I seriously hope that they don't build a charger football stadium downtown.

Are you serious? This could potentially be a fantastic benefit to the East Village, as long as it is designed correctly. The location is absolutely perfect.

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by keg92101

Are you serious? This could potentially be a fantastic benefit to the East Village, as long as it is designed correctly. The location is absolutely perfect.

If if if...

I would like to see pictures of street scenes immediately around a downtown football stadium.. on non-event days. Only when I see something cool and livable... would I be persuaded. I have not seen anything yet.

The aerial of the Seattle stadium looks impressive from the air; howevr, even from the air you can tell the street level environment does not appear very welcoming.

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo

I can't believe we're having a lot of discussion about this...it just doesn't make sense at all...

It's about time that HSR discussion does get traction here... it's an incredibly influential thing to happen to downtown San Diego.. bigger than the proposed civic center or library by far.

Comments are due to CHSRA on Friday. I hope peeps here forward comments supporting a downtown station location.

[HurricaneHugo]

Originally Posted by bmfarley

It's about time that HSR discussion does get traction here... it's an incredibly influential thing to happen to downtown San Diego.. bigger than the proposed civic center or library by far.

Comments are due to CHSRA on Friday. I hope peeps here forward comments supporting a downtown station location.

I mean that a downtown station makes a lot more sense that a station in qualcomm, therefore it doesn't need much discussion in terms of choosing the location of the station.

[Marina_Guy]

Originally Posted by bmfarley

If if if...

I would like to see pictures of street scenes immediately around a downtown football stadium.. on non-event days. Only when I see something cool and livable... would I be persuaded. I have not seen anything yet.

The aerial of the Seattle stadium looks impressive from the air; howevr, even from the air you can tell the street level environment does not appear very welcoming.

That is the major concern of mine. Finding a way to activate the site during the 300+ days a year it will NOT be used is an extremely important issue to address. I can see people claiming about how it will eliminate blight, but I have a feeling there will be a few homeless people sleeping under that fancy new Charger Stadium sign.

If they could figure out how to line the walls of the stadium (street side) with active uses (maybe even some housing) that would help. (like how Farenheit covers the Padres parking structure)...

Remember this is a huge investment that will most likely take redevelopment $$$ that could be used somewhere else downtown and dedicate them to one project that has limited quality of life community benefit.

[dl3000]

I think the plan is to have a mixed use street front. I think a stadium would be way better than the convention center in terms of usability and remaining vibrant throughout the year, and it's not too close to the bay.

[eburress]

Originally Posted by bmfarley

If if if...

I would like to see pictures of street scenes immediately around a downtown football stadium.. on non-event days. Only when I see something cool and livable... would I be persuaded. I have not seen anything yet.

The aerial of the Seattle stadium looks impressive from the air; howevr, even from the air you can tell the street level environment does not appear very welcoming.

I haven't been to that part of town since the stadium was built and I don't know how it helps/hurts, but I'm sure at least part of what you're noticing is a product of the preexisting neighborhood, which was pretty unwelcoming to begin with.

[eburress]

Originally Posted by dl3000

I think the plan is to have a mixed use street front. I think a stadium would be way better than the convention center in terms of usability and remaining vibrant throughout the year, and it's not too close to the bay.

I completely agree.

[Crackertastik]

Originally Posted by eburress

I completely agree.

The major difference will be the vitality of the area this Charger stadium would be built. Its very different than Seattle, which is on the outskirts of the downtown area and very much barren regardless of the stadium.

I think that as long as the Chargers are smart in design, creating a large open gathering space and friendly street level design, large sidewalks, and inviting spaces on the edges, then the surrounding area will take care of the traffic around the stadium.

I am praying this takes hold. Seems the whole charger footing the bill idea is gone though doesn't it? Im interested to hear the details of how this will be funded.

[tdavis]

I've been told that the CAHSR committee overseeing the southern line is receiving hundreds of emails to move the I-15 line. Friday is the deadline to email in if you are in favor of keeping the southern proposed line to continue through UTC, by the airport, and ending downtown.

comments@hsr.ca.gov
rosecanyon@san.rr.com
JerrySanders@sandiego.gov
SherriLightner@SanDiego.gov
benhueso@sandiego.gov
toddgloria@sandiego.gov
carldemaio@sandiego.gov

[IconRPCV]

I have read that the stadium will utilize the existing tailgate park that PETCO usues. So no new parking will be built, all of you worring about a stadium in a sea of asphalt can be relieved.

[Fusey]

Yay. San Diego already got ripped off due to the alignment through Riverside and being in the second phase, now these idiots want to build a train station away from everything that makes sense and link it to TJ's airport. The idiocy of this city's leadership never surprises me.

[HurricaneHugo]

I don't see why people complain so much about the location of the stadium.

As if the MTS busyard and the Wonderbread building generated much traffic...

[CoastersBolts]

Are people really that concerned that a new football stadium is somehow going to kill the street life around it when not in use? Two things to keep in mind. First - as has been pointed out already - there is practically no street life there already with just a parking lot, old factory that is possibly only half full, and a bus yard. Also, don't forget about the $400 million elephant in the room located one block west. That thing called Petco Park which will be in use at least for 82 days out of the year. Petco Park events bring in foot traffic to that area which I'm sure will take advantage of any streetside businesses built on the street level of a new stadium.

Get it built!

[mongoXZ]

Other things to think about is what if the downtown Charger stadium never materializes?

1.) Would smart/vibrant development eventually infiltrate these blighted areas?

2.) Is there any other kind of development besides a stadium/arena that would ultimately rejuvenate that area and bring people there while generating decent revenue for the city?

My answers would be:

1.) Maybe in 20-30 years.
2.) Nope

Not only that, but if a stadium doesn't get built chances are we would've most likely lost our NFL team too. I used to say build the Chargers stadium no matter where the site is in the county. Chula Vista. Oceanside. Escondido. Mission Valley. No matter how lame the location.

But ever since these talks of the Chargers playing home games in DOWNTOWN I say "Why not? Why not further centralize the county's major sporting events and bring the occasional Superbowl downtown? Why not put our city center further into the global spotlight? I only see positives in this.

[dl3000]

If there is a lot of street front usage in the building, I bet the uniqueness of that arrangement would attract the super bowl quite a bit.

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo

I mean that a downtown station makes a lot more sense that a station in qualcomm, therefore it doesn't need much discussion in terms of choosing the location of the station.

I gotcha. Someone tell Donna Frye and the electeds... they should not be allowed to ruin our future and that of our children, and our children's children.

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo

I don't see why people complain so much about the location of the stadium.

As if the MTS busyard and the Wonderbread building generated much traffic...

Except, relocating the bus yard will come at taxpayer expense. The entirety of a stadium plan would need to include securing and building a bus yard someplace else. And, a location near downtown is essential to minimize un-necessary dead head moves between yards and where a line begins/ends.

[Marina_Guy]

Originally Posted by CoastersBolts

Are people really that concerned that a new football stadium is somehow going to kill the street life around it when not in use? Two things to keep in mind. First - as has been pointed out already - there is practically no street life there already with just a parking lot, old factory that is possibly only half full, and a bus yard. Also, don't forget about the $400 million elephant in the room located one block west. That thing called Petco Park which will be in use at least for 82 days out of the year. Petco Park events bring in foot traffic to that area which I'm sure will take advantage of any streetside businesses built on the street level of a new stadium.

Get it built!

I do find it very interesting how the 'buzz' is crazy over this downtown stadium and those that want a library are criticized. Hmmm.. A library open 8-10-12 hours a day every day.... a stadium open 5 hours a week 10 times a year... The library needs 20 or 30 million... the Charger Stadium 1 billion... hmm...

[alasi]

My problem with the stadium has nothing to do with developing the area. It would be right next to Father Joe's village, so this area is never going to be the next Marina district.

It wouldn't bother me at all, if the Chargers were going to foot the entire bill, like the Dolphins did when they built Joe Robbie. But considering that Mayor Saunders just announced that our debt is higher than expected, the economy is still down, we are killing our police and firefighters with overtime due to understaffing and our roads are in need of massive repairs, the last thing we need to add to our burden is a stadium. I love football, but I don't need a spanking new stadium to supplement my manhood.

By the way, for those that think the redevelopment money means it won't cost us anything, that money was meant to address real infrastructure and development projects that now will have to come from some other revenue stream (in other words, we rob Peter to pay Paul).That's not including the cost overruns that will come out of our pockets (i.e.the development of PETCO).