San Diego Facelift

We all feel the rising wave: overwhelming population. So many new construction projects all over the city, and I personally feel disconnected. Here is a list of some major projects in San Diego and some of their features.

Convention Center Downtown
BayFront Project Chula Vista

• 556 Acres
• H street Pier extension
• Conference center 1,600 rooms, 415,000ft^2
• 1,500 condos on 35 acres
• 95 acres of permanent habitat restoration space
• Will include several large buildings

SD Public Library Downtown (619)236-5800

• $185Million ($80Million in Redevelopment money, $40 from local gov, $65 private)
• September 30 opening day (start date: 8/2010)
• 9 stories, 497,652 ft^2
• Observation Deck on the 9th floor overlooking The Coronado Bridge
• 250 parking spots in the garage
• 2 story charter high school (first ever in a library)
• 350 seat auditorium
• 22 seminar rooms
• Courtyard
• Dome larger than the Capital dome in Washington D.C.
• TV Media Center, Gaming room, juice bar
• Amazingly unique Sony Wall
• Hours
• Monday: noon-8
• Tuesday: 9:30-5:30
• Wednesday: noon-8
• Thursday -Saturday: 9:30-5:30
• Sunday: 1-5
• Prior library (built in 1950's) is still being decided on

North Embarcadero Visionary Plan

• West Broadway construction complete
• Construction of the 105 ft wide esplanade is taking place now, extending into the harbor
• WiFi
• Pedestrians only
• Fountains, artwork, and unique lighting

Admin Center Waterfront Park

• 8 acres between Grape and Ash on PCH
• 254 car parking lot underground
• $34Million

Horton Plaza

• Full city block (60,000ft^2)
• $14.2Million
• Construction beginning late this year on the amphitheatre

Apartment Complexes/hotels downtown

• Lane Field Hotel
• Finish date: Year end
• $115Million
• 365 Parking spaces
• 400 rooms with 25,000 ft^2 retail space
• Celadon at Broadway and 9th
• Low-income apartments
• 13th and Market Luxury Apts
• 9th and Market Luxury Apartments
• Park and F St. Apartments
• Broadstone Little Italy
• Several Other Complexes

Sempra Headquarters Downtown

• Changing from a different address downtown
• Cisterra Partners are project managers
• 16 story, 55,000ft^2
• Between J/Island, 7th/8th (prime location)
• Accommodate 1000 employees, 490 person Garage
• 25 year lease
• LEED Gold status, with revolutionary designs

Seaport Village Retail Center Downtown

• Old Police Headquarters (abandoned 1987)
• $40Million
• Historic Building
• Will be 30 storefronts
• Cheesecake Factory
• Eddie V's
• Gelato Paradiso
• Pizzeria Mozza
• Leasing company has the 100,000ft^2 space for 40 years

Terminal 2 Point Loma

• http://techjamesesler.blogspot.com/2013/08/august-13-unparalleled-airport.html
• Plan to add a remote site to the south for extra office space, parking, and facilitation

Health and Sciences Biomedical Research Facility (La Jolla)

• 196,000 ft^2, 5 stories, 3.3 acres
• UCSD funded
• $120Million

Heart/Vascular Center La Mesa

• 74,000ft^2 in Grossmont Hospital complex

Balboa Park Centennial Plans

• 700 events throughout the year
• Transformation of the entire park
• Irwin Jacobs of Qualcomm is a huge benefactor ($45Million)
• The Cabrillo Bridge will be restructured ($38Million)
• Installation of Microgrid Technology ($30Million) to enable only renewable energy

San Diego has the lowest rate of foreclosure in any major American city, and we are quickly running low on developable land, meaning that demand due to population growth is rising but supply is falling. Currently equity resales make up 84.7% of all resales, and San Diego Project managers experience an 8.2 month backlog. Additionally, SDSU is getting a new student union, Mitt Romney is building an 11,000ft^2 mansion, and The bay is getting a new Spanish Galleon (San Salvador). Will we have another Manhattan on our hands? I believe so, just with a different orientation. Forbes recently named San Diego as the second most inventive city in the WORLD. Indeed America's Finest City, but for how long?