Daily Business Report — Dec. 11, 2009
General Atomics’ Predator Takes High Honor
The Predator, the unmanned aircraft developed and manufactured in San Diego by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. and used extensively in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans and other trouble spots over the years, has been named the recipient of the William W. Otterson Award for 2009 by CONNECT, the high-tech and life science support organization. CONNECT cites the Predator as “the most successful unmanned aircraft surveillance program that has ever been made to support all the U.S. armed forces in combat.” The award is named after CONNECT’s founder and first executive director and goes to technologies or products developed in San Diego that have demonstrated a significant positive impact on society or on quality of life. Presentation of the award is set for today’s 22nd annual Most Innovative New Product Awards luncheon at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.
“Just as CONNECT has been a catalyst for revolutionizing the technology and life sciences industries in San Diego, General Atomics’ flagship Predator unmanned aircraft system has revolutionized aviation by expanding the capabilities of UAS, making them viable alternatives to manned aircraft for a variety of missions,” said Thomas Cassidy Jr., president of General Atomics’ Aircraft Systems Group.
“The development of the Predator and the contributions of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems are critical to America’s leadership in these industries and to our national security,” said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. “Predator has had a significant impact on the defense and aerospace cluster while creating countless jobs for San Diegans. This product is a key example of the innovation and creative leadership we have here in San Diego.”
This year, CONNECT will recognize companies in eight categories: action and sports, aerospace and security, cleantech, communications and IT, hardware and general technology, diagnostics and research tools, medical products and software.
2.5 Million Pounds of Steel headed for Port of San Diego
The first shipment of steel for the Port of San Diego’s new cruise ship terminal at Broadway Pier — 50 to 100 tons — is expected to arrive today. All of the steel — a total of 2.5 million pounds or 1,250 tons — should be at the construction site by late January. A crane with a 70-ton capacity will also be on site to set the steel columns for the terminal building in place. Columns for the building’s frame will be 44 feet tall and weigh five tons each.
The building’s roof will be supported by Vierendeel trusses. These are specially designed trusses that will allow louvers to be installed for natural air circulation. The trusses are eight and a half feet high and 75 feet wide. Each truss weighs 8,600 pounds. Erection of the steel for the terminal building is expected to be completed in February.
The two-story Broadway Pier cruise ship terminal can accommodate 2,600 passengers. The terminal will include offices for the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs & Border Protection. The facility will be the Port’s first “green” building and is being designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Some of the construction elements that will help the project qualify for its LEED certification include use of a photovoltaic system that will provide at least 12 percent of the building’s energy. The project also may incorporate highly reflective roof paint, low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets that will help keep water and energy costs down. Low-emitting materials such as low voc paints (paints that contain minimal amounts of volatile organic compounds that could be hazardous to a person’s health), as well as low voc carpets and sealants may also be incorporated.
The new cruise ship terminal will incorporate public art into its design. New York-based artist Leni Schwendinger was selected by the Port to design an art wall with special lighting that will reflect the motion of the bay onto the terminal’s façade.
The terminal will also be open to the public for gatherings and events on days when there are no cruise ships in port. A special section for events will be located at the back of the pier, providing views of the water. Another public event area will be on the terminal’s second floor. Designed by Bermello Ajamil & Partners and constructed by Janes Corporation, the $21.1 million project will be completed in December 2010.
San Pasqual Indian Band Gets Federal Bonds for New Hotel
San Pasqual Casino Development Group Inc., the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indian’s development arm, has become the first tribally-owned corporation to take advantage of President Obama’s Build America Bond program. The program makes provisions for tribal governments who have received a Tribal Economic Development Bond allocation to issue taxable bonds for capital projects and to receive reimbursement for a portion of the interest payment. The program is intended to assist state and local governments in financing capital projects at lower borrowing costs and to stimulate the economy and create jobs. The San Pasqual Band, owners of Valley View Casino in Valley Center, had already begun construction of its boutique hotel addition at the time of the bond program announcement.
The Casino Development Group received $35 million in high-yield bond financing for its hotel project. “With the current challenging credit market we modified our hotel construction schedule until we could obtain financing at a reasonable rate,” said Jennifer Bryant, chief financial officer and vice president of finance at Valley View Casino. “This program helped make that happen and I am proud to have been part of the team that spearheaded this historic project.”
Allen Lawson, chairman of the San Pasqual tribe, said Valley View Casino’s hotel project will create 60 new jobs and will also employ an additional 250 throughout the construction process through sub-contractor positions. The hotel is scheduled to open in December 2010.
Westcore Properties Donates Space to GiftBagDrive
Westcore Properties has donated a 1,400-square-foot space in the recently redesigned Alpine Creek Town Center to the nonprofit group GiftBagDrive.com. The space will serve as the official holiday drop-off center for the nonprofit, which collects non-perishable food items, new toys and new children’s clothing and donates them to San Diego County families in need and to the Polinsky Children’s Center. Founded by San Diego Realtor Jeff Campbell and now in its 13th year, GiftBagDrive.com has passed out over 100,000 donation bags door-to-door and collected and given away over 10,000 bags of goods helping hundreds of families during the holiday season. The nonprofit will accept donations in the donated Westcore space during November, December and early January.
San Diego Retail Market Forecast Set for Jan. 13
The International Council of Shopping Centers will present its 2010 San Diego Retail Market Forecast on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at the Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, in San Diego. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. In San Diego’s second economic forecast focused exclusively on the retail markets, local retail experts will discuss what to expect in 2010 and provide insight on how to survive and thrive in a dynamic and unpredictable market. Mike Clark of Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, will moderate the panel. Panelists will be Pete Bethea and John Jennings, Cushman & Wakefield; Nancy Johnston, Epsteen & Associates; Phil Lyons, Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial; Don Moser, Retail Insite; Colleen Nemeth, Spectrum Property Management; and John Still, Flocke & Avoyer.
The cost is $45 for ICSC members and $60 for nonmembers. For more information, call (646) 728-3800.
Medical Office Park Completed in Vista
CreekView Medical Center, a 63,000-square-foot medical office park at Via Centre Drive in Vista, has been completed. Designed buy KMA Architecture & Engineering, the center has 12 separate, single-story buildings ranging in size from 3,765 square feet to 8,496 square feet. The buildings were designed to accommodate small to mid-sized private practice medical professionals and health care related businesses.
More than 50 percent of the project’s construction was recycled and reused onsite, a bioswale is being utilized for the treatment of storm water, minimizing runoff from the development, and the site elevation has been adjusted to minimize the amount of soil importing or exporting.
The KMA team consisted of Don Blair, Alison Warren and Bill Karrasch. KMA also provided electrical engineering services for the project, with structural engineering by Wiseman and Rohy, civil engineering by San Dieguito Engineering and Hunsaker & Associates and landscape architecture by Teshima Design.
Sierra Pacific Industries Leases San Diego Warehouse Space
Sierra Pacific Industries leased 3,978 square feet of warehouse space at Centerpointe Commerce Park, 9010 Kenamar Drive, in San Diego. The 62-month lease is valued at $270,367. Dean Asaro of CB Richard Ellis represented the lessor, H.G. Fenton. Barry Slotten of SD Commercial Realty Advisers Inc. represented Sierra Pacific Industries.
Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas Receives $10 Million Gift
The Leichtag Family Foundation has bestowed a $10 million gift on Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas — the largest philanthropic award in its 45-year history — in honor of Lee and Toni Leichtag. The gift to The Campaign for Scripps Encinitas supports construction of a new two-story, 60,000-square-foot critical care building with a new 27-station emergency department, twice the current number. It will double the capacity of the emergency department and allow for new, state-of-the-art technology and services. This project is part of the nonprofit hospital’s most extensive expansion effort in several decades, which also includes the addition of an acute care building, parking structure and medical office building. Construction on the parking structure will begin in spring 2010.
Prior to this gift, the Leichtags donated more than $7 million to Scripps Encinitas. Toni, who passed away last month, and Lee, who passed away in November 2007, made their first donation to the hospital in 1979. Since then, the family has made gifts to the emergency department, neonatal intensive care unit and the Leichtag Women’s Health and Birth Pavilion, which was dedicated in their honor in 1993.
San Diego’s Green Job Growth Rated 2nd Highest in California
Green jobs in the San Diego region grew by 57 percent between 1995 and 2008 — second largest growth rate in California, behind Sacramento at 87 percent — according to new data released Thursday by Collaborative Economics and the nonpartisan Next 10.
The report also said that California green businesses have increased 45 percent in number and 36 percent in employment from 1995 to 2008 while total jobs in the state expanded by only 13 percent. As the economy slowed between 2007 and 2008, total employment fell 1 percent, but green jobs continued to grow five percent.
“Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs,” tracks the most recent available data on green companies, job type, location and growth across every sector and region of California.
“Data show that green sector businesses are taking root across every region of California, generating jobs across a wide spectrum of skill levels and earnings potential,” said F. Noel Perry, founder of Next 10. “While green jobs clearly cannot solve the state’s current unemployment challenges, over time these jobs could become a growing portion of total jobs in California.”
While the absolute numbers of green jobs are not large, they are comparable to the biotech and software sectors, according to the report.
Highlights of California’s Core Green Economy:
• Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45 percent, green jobs grew 36 percent while total jobs in the state grew only 13 percent.
• Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy.
• Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew 5 percent while total jobs dropped
1 percent.
• Manufacturing represents 21 percent of all green jobs, and grew 19 percent, while manufacturing represents only 11 percent of all jobs in California (January 2008.)
• Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between energy efficiency andenergy generation.
• Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in environmental consulting.
• With nearly 43,000 jobs in 2008, Air & Environment is the largest of California’s green segments. While this segment’s jobs remained steady, hovering around 35,000 from 1995-2005, since 2005 the number of green jobs in this segment has increased 24 percent.
• From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61 percent by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63 percent).
• Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63 percent from 1995-2008.
• Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152 percent since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles &
Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201
percent, and representing 48 percent of all jobs in this segment.
• Green Logistics is an emerging field, only in the Bay Area at present,
with employment growing by 1,144 percent since 1995.
“California is home to companies driving technological advances in clean energy products and services,” said Collaborative Economics CEO Doug Henton. “Green technology has the potential to do for energy, the world’s largest sector by revenue, what IT did for communications. As a first mover, we are well positioned to capture the fast emerging multibillion-dollar global green market.”
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