Daily Business Report — June 29, 2010

Downtown Library Plan Moves Forward

The San Diego City Council voted Monday to move forward on a project to build a new Downtown Library. Mayor Sanders said the city now will start planning for groundbreaking sometime this summer. He warned, however, that the San Diego Public Library Foundation must still raise an additional $32 million over the next two years to complete the construction of the library’s interior. “I would not have urged the council to approve the project were I not confident that the foundation will be able to raise the remaining funds needed once we break ground on this project, and I’ll personally support their fundraising efforts,” Sanders said.

The mayor said the project will have no impact on city services. “The funds came from sources that legally cannot be used to fund the city’s day-to-day operations. These include a state library grant, philanthropic donations, Downtown redevelopment funds, and a school lease for two floors of the building for a unique charter high school,” he said.

County Sees Drop in Assessed Value of Property

The assessed value of all taxable property in the county declined by 1.56 percent or $6.2 billion over last year — only the second year that the assessment roll value decreased since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, according to a report issued Monday by County Assessor David Butler. The assessments bring the county’s assessed roll value for 2010 at $393.68 billion.

Of the 18 cities in the county, only Del Mar, Coronado and Encinitas experienced an increase in assessed value of property. Assessed values in Del Mar increased by 3.18 percent while Coronado’s increased by 1.05 percent and Encinitas saw an increase of 0.13 percent. Unincorporated areas of the county experienced a 2.28 percent drop in assessed values.

Butler said that 664,000 taxpayers that now have an established Proposition 13 value on their property will see a modest decline in their properties’ assessed value rather than the normal annual 2 percent increase that is allowed by the proposition.

Fewer than 10,000 requests for review of their assessments were filed this year, a substantial reduction from the 56,000 requests made last year. “This precipitous drop in requests for a reduction in value, and in appeals, is a result of the assessor’s proactive review and adjustment to property values,” said Butler.

PriceSmart to Open Membership Warehouse in Colombia

PriceSmart Inc., which operates shopping warehouse clubs in Central America and the Caribbean, has entered into an agreement to purchase property in Barranquilla, Columbia to construct its first membership club there. Barranquilla is a major industrial city in northern Colombia and lies at the mouth of the Magdalena River.

The San Diego-based company said the agreement, expected to close later this year, involves the purchase of 19,500 square meters of property in Barranquilla. The club it intends to build there is anticipated to open in summer 2011.

PriceSmart operates 27 warehouse clubs in 11 countries and one U.S. territory — five in Costa Rica; four each in Panama and Trinidad; three in Guatemala, two each in Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States Virgin Islands).

Tenant Improvements Completed for Hearst RealAge

Turner Construction Co. has completed office tenant improvements for Hearst RealAge in San Diego. Improvements included officde space, multiple conference rooms, a reception area, kitchen and an exercise room. The project’s architect was Gensler. Subcontractors included Brady Company, SASS Electric, Control Air, Spooners Woodworks, Howards Rug, Windco Painting and Cement Cutting.

SCS Engineers Hires Senior Technical Adviser

SCS Engineers has hired Sean Porter as senior technical adviser and stormwater manager. Porter will be in charge of all SCS stormwater practices in the San Diego area. Porter specializes in water resource services with a background in stormwater, wastewater, urban and natural landscape watershed studies and groundwater. His 10 years experience includes designing and implementing large-scale water quality and sediment monitoring programs for regional stormwater monitoring programs for state, municipal, transportation, federal, and low impact development. Porter received his bachelors degree and a master’s from Georgia State University.

USD Nursing School to Receive $40,000 Grant

County Supervisor Ron Roberts will present a $40,000 grant to the USD Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science at a 4 p.m. ceremony in the school’s Clinical Simulation and Standardized Patient Laboratory. The laboratory provides clinical skills education to graduate nursing students. The laboratory uses trained “patient” actors and programmed robotic equipment to simulate primary care, acute care and emergency scenarios to ensure that students develop the full range of clinical skills prior to treating patients. It can simulate a variety of critical care and emergency situations.

The county, through a Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant, has provided major funding for the nursing laboratory and classrooms for several years totaling close to $300,000, which includes the latest grant to support audio-visual technology development for online and off-site learning. During the event, students and professors will demonstrate the laboratory’s capabilities.

Small Business Workshops-July

SCORE San Diego continues its workshops in July for small business owners and those who want to launch small businesses. Fees range from $29 to $129.

Upcoming workshops:

• July 7 – Restaurant 101 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• July 8 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 9 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 10 – How to Start and Manage Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 13 – Internet Marketing 101: Use the Internet to Successfully Market Your Business – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 14 – QuickBooks Basic – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 15 – How to Start a Nonprofit – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Rd #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).

• July 16 – Women’s Networking Breakfast and Exhibits – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; pre-paid registration $35 by 7/13, $45 thereafter; exhibitor rate: $85 by 7/13, $95 thereafter).

• July 17 – Business Plan 101: How to Develop Your Best Competitive Advantage – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $79, $89 at the door).

• July 20 – Marketing & Contracting with the Federal Government – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 21 – Legal Issues for Small Businesses: Contracts and Leases – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• July 22 – Internet Marketing 201: Build Your Business through Search Engine Optimization – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

•  July 23 – Insurance: What You Need to Know – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• July 24 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 27 – How to Start and Manage Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 29 – Intellectual Property: Promise and Practicalities – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 30 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – Carlsbad – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 31 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).

For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.

The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.