[sandiego_urban]

/B]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/hotel_large.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/22222.jpg

The proposed Hilton Convention Center Hotel is intended to satisfy the demand for hotel rooms to serve the San Diego Convention Center and the hospitality needs of downtown San Diego. Located across from the San Diego Convention Center at the intersection on Harbor Drive and Eighth Avenue, the project will transform the former Campbell Shipyard site into a 32-story, 1.65 million square-foot structure.

The hotel will include:

* A 385 foot tower
* 106,000 square feet of meeting space
* 5,360 square feet of retail space
* a 23,082 square-foot health club
* 1,200 private rooms
* a 14,000 square-foot restaurant
* a 4.3-acre public park
* a water taxi dock to serve hotel guests

The total acreage of the site is 12.8 acres. Hilton estimates its total project costs at over $335 million. The hotel is tentatively scheduled to open in Summer 2008.

[sandiego_urban]

The final design has changed, but these give some different angles of the tower -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/03.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/met_hilton.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/02-2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/04.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/05.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development/06.jpg

[spoonman]

This building appears to be basically Hyatt Tower 2 without the "oxidized copper" roof.

[northbay]

^ ive always liked the design. its a simple, (dare i say?) elegant tower with some open space.

on a side note, ive always thought san diego needed more buidings on the water (makes those skyline composition shots look more impressive). this building is perfect - its on the water, and extends the skyline at the same time.

[sandiego_urban]

This building appears to be basically Hyatt Tower 2 without the "oxidized copper" roof.
Yeah, you're not too off on that comment.

on a side note, ive always thought san diego needed more buidings on the water (makes those skyline composition shots look more impressive). this building is perfect - its on the water, and extends the skyline at the same time.
I'm not one for putting towers right along the waterfront for fear of the walling off the bay (especially at street level) , but I know what you are saying about the skyline composition looking better with them there.

You are definitely right in that it extends the skyline. It used to be that the skyline would fit into a normal snapshot, now it requires a panoramic shot to get it all in.

[Derek]

i like the design as well... very simple, but still elegant (as you said northbay ;)) and i like the fact that its long side isnt facing the water...providing a nice, clear path to the waterfront :tup:

[HurricaneHugo]

could have been better, but im not complaining

[eburress]

^^ Yeah, I liked the spires from the original design, but what they ended up with isn't too shabby. It is simple and elegant and I'm guessing it will take a very long time for it to begin to look dated.

[sandiego_urban]

While the tower shape could be much more exciting, what I like about this one is that there is more glass and less stucco/masonry that you see on alot of convention center hotels. Elegant, but boring is a good description.

I wish they would have left the spires on, too. Hey, maybe they'll decide to add them back on at the last minute?

[Derek]

i still dont get how its gonna have 1,200 rooms in 32 stories...

[spoonman]

Does anyone know if this hotel will have a night-time "hotspot"?

[Derek]

^i havent heard anything...but i dont think it will

[phillyskyline]

The view is gonna be quite impressive from this hotel...

[Derek]

^good picture opurtunities ;)

[sandiego_urban]

It's amazing how fast the Hilton is going up!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/Downtown%20Streetlevel/IMG_7530.jpg

[Derek]

^yeah, it is impressive:tup:

[spoonman]

Great shot!

The progress definately looks more impressive from the ground. I'm sure the Marriott, Hyatt and Omni are cursing, not to mention others...lol

[ChargerFan]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/CrazyKevin90/4-1-07.jpg

[spoonman]

It'll be interesting to see how this hotel compares to the Manchester Grand (which was partially renovated) in terms of quality.

[sandiego_urban]

^^Many reviews on Tripadvisor say that the lobby of the Manchester Grand is beautiful, but that the rooms are beginning to look a little shabby. I'm sure that the new Hilton will put pressure on the MG to do a major renovation.

Here are some webcam shots I took today-

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hit.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hilt3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hilty1.jpg

[spoonman]

If you've never been in the lobby of the MG it's worth a stop in

[spoonman]

I like the way this building appears angled when viewed looking down 7th Avenue
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hit.jpg

[Derek]

nice tilt;)

[eburress]

I'm surprised that people aren't bitching about how it is walling off the bay and blocking sight lines. :)

[spoonman]

^that is a shocking point...I'm guessing this one just slipped under the radar

[eburress]

In all seriousness, because of the street grid, I think it would be nearly impossible to build on that spot without blocking some sight lines - I'm just surprised that nobody has mentioned it.

[mello]

I don't see how this structure could possibly hold 1200 rooms. It really isn't *that* wide, (probably as wide as the Hyatt Towers) and at only 32 floors it seems impossible. Unless each room is a 200 square foot closet.

Can anyone explain this?

The first Hyatt tower has 800 rooms or so. I've been on the floors there and walked around them, they are pretty large and seem to hold a large number of rooms.

[Derek]

I'm surprised that people aren't bitching about how it is walling off the bay and blocking sight lines. :)

probablly because its slender side is facing the water and not blocking the water as much as the other hotels on the waterfront

[spoonman]

Progress as of last week...

thank you SanDiegoUrban
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/Downtown%20Shots/IMG_8445.jpg

[sandiego_urban]

Snapped today. Not much change, just taller -


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hh23-1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/hilton23.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/cc23.jpg

[Derek]

What floor is this thing on? Anyone know?

[HurricaneHugo]

I counted 16.

[spoonman]

Here's a current shot of progress. Sorry it doesn't show the top...

Thank you ChargerFan
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/CrazyKevin90/7-1-07.jpg

[HurricaneHugo]

glass!

[sandiego_urban]

Hilton Today....

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/DT%20WebCam/711-5.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/DT%20WebCam/hilt710-2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/DT%20WebCam/hilt710-1.jpg

Zoom on glass
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/DT%20WebCam/hilt7-11.jpg

[spoonman]

WoW...this thing is going to be hideous!!! :pet:

[Derek]

I like it.

[petter]

How tall is going to be?

[sandiego_urban]

WoW...this thing is going to be hideous!!! :pet:
Jeez, you're so harsh on the poor Hilton. ;) IMO, it could be alot worse AND alot better.....


How tall is going to be?
According to the developer's website, it's going to be 385', with 32 floors.


More renderings I found on the hotel's website - www.sandiegoconvention.hilton.com

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-7.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-6.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convention.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-5.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-4.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/downtown%20development%203/SANCCHH_Hilton_San_Diego_Convent-3.jpg

[spoonman]

That's nice that the website is functional. This project is moving along pretty fast!

[HurricaneHugo]

if it was 500 ft it wouldnt be too bad...

[sandiego_urban]

From last week:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/Downtown%20Shots/IMG_0824.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/Jaygergon/Downtown%20Shots/IMG_0825.jpg