SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[eburress]

The airport plan.

[Derek]

Thank you

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by Trvlr

Several major regional airports? Try...one. That is ONT, and it is indeed the only bright spot in this whole mess. Palmdale, too, might become some sort of regional reliever, but will only satisfy the needs of far inland citizens, at best.

Let's recap the condition of LA's other airports:

LAX: The passenger cap means that the airport is required, by law, to accomodate no more than 78 million passengers. Modernization might make the airport more enjoyable for travelers, but it cannot raise the cap.

Orange County (SNA): Also has a passenger cap (10.3 million), which is approaching fast. Moreover, physically the airport cannot be expanded. There's no room.

Burbank (BUR): Same deal as SNA. Totally hemmed in by development, no room to expand.

...and there you have it. Unless you expect ONT to become another LAX, there's going to be a big problem in the LA basin over the next decade. LAWA spent many, many years of wrangling with local governments getting the go-ahead for their current modernization plan; raising the cap to 90 million will be twice as hard and twice as costly. It is going to be much easier for the powers that be in Los Angeles to turn to San Diego's own capacity shortcomings to help mitigate theirs.

Just speculating... when airports reach their policy driven capacity limit; doesn't that mean prices will go up? The business oriented law of supply and demand would say so.

[SDCAL]

This weekend, downtown:
SAN DIEGO -- The California Democratic Party Convention is coming to San Diego, and at least seven presidential hopefuls will be in town for the event.

The convention runs from Friday through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.

Those expected to attend are New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson

I know this isn't a political blog, but I put it here because it sounds like a sizeable event that should bring some national attention to downtown this weekend

[PadreHomer]

Thats disappointing to hear about Cosmo Square. The more you hear about that project the more you eventually believe its going to be canceled. I wish they wouldn't have demolished the buildings on the site in that case, I hate empty dirt lots.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

This weekend, downtown:
SAN DIEGO -- The California Democratic Party Convention is coming to San Diego, and at least seven presidential hopefuls will be in town for the event.

The convention runs from Friday through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.

Those expected to attend are New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson

I know this isn't a political blog, but I put it here because it sounds like a sizeable event that should bring some national attention to downtown this weekend

Gonna be CRAZY with the Dodgers in town this weekend! How am I supposed to find parking for the game tonight? (Without paying $20...)

[SD_Phil]

^This isn't a public event is it?

[sandiego_urban]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

I stopped by the CCDC office downtown today and asked someone working there about these two projects.

She said she heard Cosmo Square has been delayed yet again, but said it has not been cancelled

I'm hopeful that this project will eventually break ground - even though it probably won't happen for at least 18 months. At least we get to watch Vantage Pointe, Bayside and Sapphire rise during the same period. That should keep us occupied for the time being, right?

Originally Posted by SDCAL

She said Library Tower is on-schedule and not on hold in any way, so we'll see, hopefully she's correct

Recently, I called the sales office of Sapphire Tower (same developer of Library Tower) and asked about the status of Library. They told me that they are looking at changing the use from all condos to a hotel and condo project. The person said the plans for the updated project would be released in about 8 months. We shall see if they redesign the tower to do this.



Speaking of airports, did you hear about the Carlsbad Airport making their upgrades and preparing for their future? They already have flights to LA and Phoenix (and soon Las Vegas). Maybe this could be our primary airport in the future

Article from yesterday's U-T:



COUNTY APPROVES NEW TERMINAL AT "DISJOINTED" PALOMAR AIRPORT

By Craig Gustafson
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

April 26, 2007

CARLSBAD – The mishmash of buildings that form Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar Airport will be torn down and replaced with a new terminal in a nearly $24 million face-lift that officials say will reinvent the 48-year-old airport.

McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad is operated by San Diego County and used by private and corporate aircraft, as well as two commuter airlines.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors yesterday unanimously approved a plan to use federal grants to combine 10 smaller upgrades into a single large project.

County officials said they expect to begin receiving construction bids this summer with the goal of starting work in October and finishing by November 2008.

The project calls for a new 18,000-square-foot commuter terminal with such amenities as baggage areas, outdoor gardens, a restaurant, and curbside drop-off and pickup.

The overall size of the airport will remain unchanged. But the improvements “will bring the airport into the 21st century and provide some real good service to North County,” said Peter Drinkwater, director of San Diego County airports.

Federal and state officials have long criticized the airport's layout. Drinkwater said those issues will be addressed by adding an inspection facility, access roads, security improvements and parking lots.

Drinkwater described the airport as a series of “disjointed, dysfunctional” buildings built in the 1960s and 1970s with no clear vision.

“We're not making the airport bigger. We're reinventing the airport to be more modernized, safer, more efficient and a better airport,” he said.

Supervisor Bill Horn, whose 5th District includes Carlsbad, called the airport an important asset for North County residents and businesspeople who can avoid driving to Lindbergh Field in San Diego.

The general aviation airport is operated by the county and used by private aircraft, corporate aircraft and two commuter airlines – AmericaWest Express and United Express. Built in 1959, it is named for aviator Gerald McClellan, a North County civic leader.

The airport has passenger service to Los Angeles and Phoenix from its 5,000-foot-long runway, although that could be expanded in the future.

Vision Airlines has committed to bringing a commuter flight from McClellan-Palomar to Las Vegas, where the carrier is based, starting in June.

Drinkwater said the upgrades will help attract more airlines and possibly expand service to markets such as Dallas, Denver, Sacramento and Salt Lake City.

“There's no reason why those kind of services can't be offered out of Palomar,” he said. “We're going to let the market decide.”

[sandiego_urban]

Downtown should be fun this weekend. In addition to the Dodger-Padres series being pretty much sold out, ArtWalk is also going on http://www.artwalkinfo.com/, so go out and support the local artists!!

I'll be going to both and will try to post some pics here after the weekend.

[eburress]

^^ Go to Google Maps and look at Palomar Airport and then go look at LAX. There's no way a major airport would fit there without leveling thousands of homes, buildings, and such. There's just not room.

[sandiego_urban]

^^ I was totally kidding

Can you imagine the residents of La Costa or Aviara ever letting that happen? Never in a million years

[eburress]

^^ hahaha - Oh I gotcha! Yeah, the folks up there would go just as apeshit as the people around Miramar.

[HurricaneHugo]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo

I saw two relatively tall cranes up by the 28th street naval station

anybody know what's going up there?

[Derek]

Walking past the Cosmo Square sales office, it appeared to still be under construction. A possible good sign?

[Derek]

Hugo, it could be this maybe...

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/OMF/Projects/..._english-2.pdf

[<ak/>]

haven't came across this before:



The proposed project is a 22-story building with 228 housing units, ground floor retail and three-floors of subterranean parking. The project will comply with LEED standards for a residential building and potentially become the first LEED certified building in Downtown San Diego. Burger King has a lease on the existing site, and will be the tenant for the ground floor retail space. KB Homes was the original developer and received entitlements for a plan for 172 condominium units. Affirmed Housing will utilize the approved design with some revisions to the unit size, number of parking spaces and building materials.

[<ak/>]

burger king tower

[Derek]

This is a good looking tower.

[eburress]

Yep - I like it.

[spoonman]

Looks like something you'd find around India St.