SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[SDCAL]

If this does ever get off the ground will it be re-designed? when I look back to the intro of this forum, that design has been around since at least 2007. Let's say it breaks ground in another year or two and then it takes several years to build. By that point we could be looking at buildings designed nearly 15 years prior going up. Plus, the design was mediocre even 8 or 9 years ago when it first came out.

That is prime land, I've even heard it's the most valuable undeveloped coastal property on the West Coast. I'm as anxious as everyone to have the nasty buildings there now replaced, but I really hope something more iconic and visionary goes up there. Whether it's manchester re-doing it or someone else coming-up with something way better, I just think proceeding with the current plans would be a huge missed opportunity for DTSD.

[nezbn22]

Mello - couldn't agree more. Absolutely mind-boggling how poorly the western waterfront has been handled.

SDCAL - I'm with you on the design. Looks very nice, but nothing iconic. On the other hand, though, maybe we should be thankful that it looks nice. I get worried when they take bold design risks. I'm pretty conservative from a design perspective, so the modern stuff (like Lane Field) makes me nervous. I'm not saying it's bad, it just makes me nervous that it'll look super weird in a decade or two.

I don't know how it works, but maybe they have a basic design that leaves room for finishing touches once the project actually becomes a reality? I'm sure they'll update it accordingly once it ever gets off the ground. Too much money going into that to have it be out-dated from the get-go.

[Prahaboheme]

A couple updates from this weekend. I didn't make it further into the East Village or over to the Waterfront as I had hoped, perhaps I will be able to get to those areas this week.

First and foremost, Bikeshare (aka DecoBike) is finally setting up around town. I have to admit, I wasn't sure if this was ever going to happen. It's great to see what will eventually become one of the nation's largest bikeshare programs finally launch.



6th / B St


5th / Jst (Gas Lamp)

"Mr Robinson" - Jonathan Siegel's new project at Robinson / Park Blvd in Uptown:




Broadway and 9th: I'm really liking the base of this building. It is going to help activate what is now a rather dumpy corner of downtown. No word yet on retail at the base?







Courtyard Marriot on 6th and Sempra Energy in the background:



Courtyard is very thin!

Pendry Montage Hotel site at 5th / J in the Gas Lamp (the last parking lot in the Gas Lamp to be developed!
Notice that Pendry, Courtyard Marriott, Sempra Energy, and Pinnacle are all under construction in the picture:



Pinnacle off in the distance looming over EV.

That is all for now. Like I mentioned, I'll do my best to get out and snap a few updates for EV and Waterfront soon. All and all, there is a lot of exciting activity around town.

[SDCAL]

Originally Posted by mello

SDCAL: I think we are all a bit disappointed with the height of Sempra but 7th and Market directly behind it almost a sure bet to be taller than 400 feet and the new Hilton going in at 24 floors close by will give a good variety of height to that area. I was really hoping the Sempra building would be mixed use and add a hotel component on top to bring the height up significantly.

I'm confused, where is the Hilton planned for, exactly? I looked at the article and it says NW corner of island and 7th, isn't that where Alta already is?

[spoonman]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

I'm confused, where is the Hilton planned for, exactly? I looked at the article and it says NW corner of island and 7th, isn't that where Alta already is?

There is a warehouse type of building on the corner next to Alta. That will be replaced.

[SDCAL]

Originally Posted by spoonman

There is a warehouse type of building on the corner next to Alta. That will be replaced.

Ah, OK, thanks.

[spoonman]

First of 4 new towers in the UTC area. Already excavated huge hole. 270 Ft tall. Corner of Regents and La Jolla Village

http://www.examiner.com/article/open...rden-community

http://www.tsmrinc.com/projects/mult...g/monte-verde/

[HurricaneHugo]

Meh.

Should have been taller

[staplesla]

At the San Diego Downtown Community Planning Committee (DCPC-SD) meeting yesterday it was reported that the Horton Plaza Park will commence construction this month, with work anticipated to be complete in October, 2015.

[nezbn22]

Thanks for the news about Horton Plaza Park!

Regarding the Navy Broadway Complex, I saw this article with Faulconer commenting on the lawsuit:

http://www.sdbj.com/news/2014/nov/12...p-hears-mayor/

The article is of little-to-no real substance, but it's hard to find any news about that project, so I thought I'd share.

[mello]

UTC will start looking more like the "Condo Canyon" section of Wilshire rather than Century City. I have pretty much given up hope for a badass secondary skyline in SD County and just really hope the planned towers downtown get going soon. Too many delays for my liking even Blue Sky hasn't begun digging last time I checked.

I am getting more bullish on Navy Broadway though, I don't see why the Mayor doesn't try to become known as "Faulconer the Builder" and really push for more projects claiming the jobs and economic growth card. He still seems to be so timid refusing to take a hard stand against these ridiculous anti building crowd and their lawsuits.

Horton Plaza: You are telling me its going to take a year do to a little hardscaping and put up some small "Snack Shack" type buildings and redo a fountain? Atlanta built its tallest building BOA Plaza in 14 months I just looked it up. China builds 300 miles of MAGLEV in that time LOL. Will there only be 4 guys working on this

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by spoonman

First of 4 new towers in the UTC area. Already excavated huge hole. 270 Ft tall. Corner of Regents and La Jolla Village

http://www.examiner.com/article/open...rden-community

http://www.tsmrinc.com/projects/mult...g/monte-verde/

Huh, it's not too bad. Considering UTC will never get a tower over 300ft (from what I've read), this is alright. I believe there are going to be other towers on the site that will go up to 24 floors. Not as nice as the 35 story towers they were proposing, but hey, taller than the current tallest (Wells Fargo building).

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by mello

I am getting more bullish on Navy Broadway though, I don't see why the Mayor doesn't try to become known as "Faulconer the Builder" and really push for more projects claiming the jobs and economic growth card. He still seems to be so timid refusing to take a hard stand against these ridiculous anti building crowd and their lawsuits.

LA's current mayor is playing that part, and it isn't working out too well for him. California is full of too many lawyers, too many vague environmental laws, and too many narrow minded folk.

[embora]

Originally Posted by mello

... even Blue Sky hasn't begun digging last time I checked.

After months of no change, I saw some earth moving equipment and people with safety vests, working there yesterday and today.

[spoonman]

Originally Posted by SDfan

Huh, it's not too bad. Considering UTC will never get a tower over 300ft (from what I've read), this is alright. I believe there are going to be other towers on the site that will go up to 24 floors. Not as nice as the 35 story towers they were proposing, but hey, taller than the current tallest (Wells Fargo building).

If it is 270 ft, it will be about 30% taller than Wells Fargo. I'm just not sure how a 16 story residential building is 270ft. Would be great though to have a new tallest. Hope the other 3 are taller also. Sucks these were almost 43, then 35 stories before being cut down by NIMBYs.

[mello]

Originally Posted by SDfan

LA's current mayor is playing that part, and it isn't working out too well for him. California is full of too many lawyers, too many vague environmental laws, and too many narrow minded folk.

Can you go more in depth about what Garcetti is trying to do and why it isn't working? Like I said getting projects moving means jobs and more support for small business in the area which everyone seems to want to save.

Yeah how can a 16 floor tower be 270 feet? So there is no way to bring back the proposals of the 34 to 43 floor towers? Those are dead and never to be revived, I thought that battle was a few years ago maybe they can get around it now?

Another hotel about to sprout in Mission Valley, had lunch at Benihana today (free not my choice) and a 5 floor Homewood Suites or something of that ilk is going up right behind it. Wow SD Hotel market is red hot

[spoonman]

Click here to see NIMBY's gone wild. They think 60ft buildings are "towers". Do they live in the same SD I do?

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2...mits/#comments

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by staplesla

At the San Diego Downtown Community Planning Committee (DCPC-SD) meeting yesterday it was reported that the Horton Plaza Park will commence construction this month, with work anticipated to be complete in October, 2015.

were you at the DCPC meeting last night?

[dtell04]

Originally Posted by spoonman

Click here to see NIMBY's gone wild. They think 60ft buildings are "towers". Do they live in the same SD I do?

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2...mits/#comments

I could only make it through about 6 comments. These people basically said: I got mine, fuck anyone else. I don't think they have any clue why housing is so expensive in SD.

[Northparkwizard]

So Ron Roberts just tweeted this, "Looking forward to talking urban cable car transit today with James Haughey's @SDSU Senior Design Class."