San Diego Development News

[octosd]

Was on the webcam today and you can now see the Diegan hotel. I also saw a new crane I have not seen before in the East village. Its on the same street leading from the ballpark as Icon. I have no idea what project it is. Does anyone know?

[octosd]

Is it echelon maybe?

[sterlling]

I think you're seeing the Lofts at 707 tenth ave.

[octosd]

After checking it out I think your right

[octosd]

Originally Posted by sterlling

What was the last big project to break ground downtown? Bayside last year?


Will any big project start construction in DT in 2007? I've seen nothing yet that even looks "likely" at this point?

Would 707 lofts at 10th and G be big enough to qualify for a new start?

[hngcm]

Urban Sky at Skyscraperpage posted this beautiful pano shot of his:



I busted a nut just looking at it.

[sd_urban]

It will be great news for Chula Vista and the rest of the South Bay if this project actually happens. Maybe this is just the development that will change the bad image the area has now.



PLANS FOR HUGE COMPLEX SHOWN

Resort would total 2 million square feet

By Tanya Mannes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 16, 2007

CHULA VISTA – In a plan that would transform Chula Vista's vacant bayfront, Gaylord Entertainment yesterday unveiled its design for the massive, high-concept hotel and convention center the company hopes to build.

The complex includes a resort hotel of 1,500 to 2,000 rooms – which would be among the largest in San Diego County – 400,000 square feet of meeting space, shops, a spa and fitness center, six restaurants and a rooftop bar.

It would border on protected wetlands and new public parks. The design concept emphasizes sunshine and the outdoors, with a series of open-air courtyards and lots of windows – glazed to prevent bird strikes – featuring views of the bay.

The complex would include one 300-foot tower. Earlier plans for the site included up to three towers. The company said the single tower would have a “slender profile” when seen from downtown Chula Vista. Most of the complex would be less than half the height of the tower, according to the renderings.

At two back-to-back meetings at Chula Vista City Hall, company officials presented the artists' renderings to the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan. Bennett Westbrook, the company's vice president for development, introduced Michael Ezell, principal of TVS, an Atlanta architectural company hired by Gaylord to create the design.

Ezell said the company worked to reduce the building footprint and “preserve the impression of open space.”

Gaylord, a Nashville, Tenn.-based company, owns a chain of massive “everything under one roof” hotel/convention centers that cater to associations and corporations. The company's flagship property is the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Since 2002, Gaylord has built similar projects near Orlando and Dallas, and has a project under construction in the Washington, D.C., area.

“The West Coast is important to our business community and we are really hopeful that Chula Vista will work out for us, because we really like this opportunity,” Westbrook said.

Hundreds of people attended the meetings, many wearing “We Support Gaylord” stickers that were handed out at the door.

Lisa Moctezuma, a planning commissioner and member of the Chamber of Commerce who owns a book store on Third Avenue, enthusiastically praised the design, repeating “thank you” over and over. “I hope all the community appreciates your sticking with us,” she said to Westbrook. “You have been so responsive to us.”

A few people were skeptical. Bruce Chalett, a Chula Vista resident of seven years, said he's “a little worried” about the size – a total of 2 million square feet.

“If it's too massive, it becomes a problem,” he said.

City officials believe Chula Vista's 550-acre bayfront has great potential for commercial development and public access.

For years, much of the land was taken up by an aerospace factory and the South Bay Power Plant. The factory buildings have been relocated farther from the water, and city officials are working to get the 47-year-old power plant demolished by 2010. At the urging of city officials, the San Diego Unified Port District voted Tuesday to reject a plan to build another power plant on the Chula Vista bayfront.

Gaylord's investment in Chula Vista is expected to jump-start a Bayfront Master Plan that was drafted cooperatively by the port and the city. The plan, which was completed in 2005, includes Gaylord's 32-acre complex as well as 200 acres of public parks, two other hotels, restaurants, shops and condominiums.

In July 2006, Gaylord, the city and the port signed a letter of intent that outlines in general terms the company's plan.

Gaylord would invest the lion's share – dollar figures have ranged between $716 million and $1 billion – in the hotel and convention center, with the rest coming from Chula Vista and the port.

As an incentive, the city and port agreed to provide tax-exempt public financing of $308 million to pay for infrastructure and part of the convention center. The letter of intent specifies that the subsidy would come from new revenue generated by the Gaylord development, such as hotel taxes.

The company has been negotiating with the city and the Port District, but details of the talks have not been disclosed.

The Gaylord project would create 6,500 construction jobs, according to an economic impact report prepared by HR&A Inc. Once the project is completed, the complex is expected to employ more than 2,000 people and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for the city.

[hngcm]

The tower is ugly...

[derek5]

muy feo

CHARGERS STADIUM SITE!!

[bushman61988]

I dont think the tower is all that ugly...it would just be nice if it were slimmer and taller. The roof is a little weird...

But it for Damn Sure looks better than that ugly-ass Convention Center Hotel they're building

[derek5]

i like the Hilton...

[octosd]

Was reading the details and was happy to see that it looks like we will see a start on cosmo

Located in downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood.

Full block bounded by J Street and Island, 7th and 8th avenues

Simplon Corporation plans to construct a mixed-use project with 290 condominiums, 12,500 square feet of retail space, and 17,100 square feet of office space on the block bounded by J Street, 7th, 8th and Island avenues. The project will encompass the entire block and include the expansion of the existing Fire Station #4 facilities. The project is scheduled to start in Spring 2007, with a fall 2009 completion targeted.

[octosd]

Strata has a new timeline as well, a little later but better than nothing

Located in downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood.

Intracorp plans to develop a 236-unit condominium project with 12,100 square feet of retail space on the southwest corner of 10th Avenue and Market Street. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2008, with a winter 2009 completion.

[octosd]

Library Tower also has a timeline update, suprised this one is going forward without the library

Located in downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood.

Centurion Partners and Avion Development plan to build a 43-story mixed-use project on the northeast corner of Park Boulevard and K Street. The project will include 168 condominiums, 187 parking spaces and approximately 14,000 square feet of retail space. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2007 with completion anticipated in early 2010.

Here is 15th and Island's details also with an update having them starting this year

Located in downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood.

Pinnacle Development will be developing a mixed-use project consisting of approximately 620 condominium units, 20,000 square feet of commercial space, and 800 parking spaces in three levels of underground parking on an approximately 120,000 square foot "super-block" site bounded by Island Avenue and 14th, 15th, and J Streets. The development would create an approximately 57,000 square foot public park on the west half of the site, with the east half of the site being developed with two condominium towers of 31- and 39-stories (approximately 370 and 430 feet tall, respectively) above a 4-6 story base (45-80 feet tall). Construction is anticipated to commence in early 2007 and be completed in mid-2009.

[octosd]

How much weight would you guys give to these timelines?

[derek5]

did you get those from CCDC?

[octosd]

yeah all of the blurbs are the project details of the ccdc website

[SDfan]

I don't give to much weight to these timelines just because they can be changed quickly.

[SDfan]

Also, I may be in the minority but I kind of like that Chula Vista tower.

[octosd]

I like the Chula Vista tower too, simple, striking, and elegant.