Daily Business Report — March 26, 2013
Nominations Now Open For 20
Women Who Impact San Diego
Now’s the time to submit your nominations for the 20 Women Who Impact San Diego. Tell us what your nominee has done in her career and in the community that makes her an outstanding leader or role model. We will publish the winners in May. Email your nominations to: rebecapage@sandiegometro.com.
Scripps Ranch to Boast the County’s
First All-Solar Apartment Community
The first units of the county’s first all-solar apartments — Solterra EcoLuxury Apartments — will be released in May in Scripps Ranch, with full completion by early summer, according to developer H.G. Fenton Co. The “smart” community, as described by the developer, will not only allow residents the benefit of “zero” electricity bills, but will give them added conveniences that include garages that are pre-wired for electric vehicle charging and in-home Virtual Net Metering displays that let them easily monitor their kilowatt usage.
“We are very proud to offer San Diegans the first market rate, 100 percent photovoltaic apartment community that will provide solar generated electricity for all 114 units as well as common areas,” said Mike Neal, H.G. Fenton president and CEO.
Located at the intersection of Scripps Ranch Boulevard and Erma Road, Solterra will have a mix of one- and two-bedroom floor plans offering 741 to 1,127 square feet. Rental rates will range from $1,495 to $2,255 per month.
The focal point of Solterra is a 3,200-square-foot Club Room for residents to socialize, work-out or entertain. The heart of the clubhouse is a restaurant-style bar and professional culinary kitchen that can be used for gatherings and events. There also is a Sports Club with cardio stations, personal television screen monitors, iPod docks and free weights; a gaming center with Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstations, and billiards; a 24/7 Cyber café and lounge equipped with wireless printing, faxing and scanning capabilities; and a private stand-up tanning salon. The Club Room overlooks a salt water pool and spa, sundeck, private outdoor cabanas offering towel service and built-in HDTVs, and a barbecue and fire pit lounge area.
Solterra was designed by Architects Orange of Orange County. The general contractor is Ledcor Construction Group.
Pacific Hospitality Group Purchases
Historic Warner Springs Ranch
Pacific Hospitality Group Inc. (PHG) has acquired the historic Warner Springs Ranch. The nearly 2,400-acre property was purchased at auction by the company, which will have $15 million to $18 million invested in the acquisition, with plans to invest up to $50 million in the renovation and redevelopment of all facilities, the company said. PHG is scheduled to take over operations on April 1. CBRE was the broker on the deal. The property, which was founded as a working ranch in the mid-1800s and opened as a resort in the 1920s, currently encompasses a 27,000-square-foot main lodge, 250 casita units, a 144-acre golf course and club house, four tennis courts, equestrian facilities, two restaurants, a spa, campgrounds, three swimming pools, a private airport and meeting facilities. Known as a health resort as well as a recreational destination, Warner Springs Ranch has gained considerable fame over the years for its therapeutic natural hot springs and quiet rural location.
Former Political Watchdog Chief
Seeks California Fundraising Reform
California lawmakers spend a lot of time raising money while the state Legislature is in session. Now, a former head of the California Fair Political Practices Commission is pushing to ban the practice, KPBS reports. Former FPPC Chairman Dan Schnur said state Senate and Assembly members can schedule political fundraising breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day of the work week. Time devoted to raising money translates into numerous hours away from what the legislators were elected to do. Schnur, who now heads the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, said he’s in the initial stage of gathering support for possible legislation prohibiting fundraising while lawmakers are at work.
Carlsbad Biotech Firm a World Leader in Sustainability
A Carlsbad biotechnology firm has made the list of the world’s 100 most sustainable large companies. Life Technologies made the list because it is actively shrinking its carbon footprint. And the focus on sustainability is coming with an eye on the bottom line. Life Technology’s San Diego County offices are landscaped to look lush. But the firm’s Shelly Murasko looked over the manicured garden one day recently and insisted the use of water here is judicious. “All of the plants in this particular area are considered aesthetically appropriate,” Murasko said. “But also they require less water than what you would find in other types of landscaping.” And that’s not an accident. Landscaping is just one way the company, which has nearly $4 billion in annual sales, focuses on environmentally friendly practices. Inside the company’s building, Murasko said lighting, heating and cooling are all designed to minimize energy use. Even in the break room, she said the employee culture is set up to encourage sustainable practices like recycling. “We’re challenging our locations to go to zero waste. Zero waste is defined as a 90-percent diversion from landfills.”
Nirvanix Appoints Executive Chairwoman
San Diego-based Nirvanix, which provides cloud storage services to companies, has appointed Debra Chrapaty as its chief executive officer, effective in April. At the same time, Dru Borden will remain as part of the leadership team as senior vice president of planning and development. Chrapaty will remain executive chairwoman of the board, an appointment that was made last November in conjunction with Khosla Ventures and Intel Capital becoming the lead investors in the company. Chrapaty previously served as CIO of Zynga, where she oversaw infrastructure design, technical and support operations as they developed games. Before Zynga, Chrapaty was the senior vice president of Cisco’s Collaboration Software Group. At Cisco she oversaw the design and development of Cisco’s collaboration services. She has also worked at Microsoft as a corporate vice president and was president and COO of E*TRADE Technologies.
CleanTECH San Diego Names VP of Business Development
Scott Holmen has been named vice president of business development for CleanTECH San Diego. Holmen is responsible for developing, implementing and managing strategic membership programs for CleanTECH San Diego’s membership portfolio of 110 corporations and stakeholders. Prior to joining the agency, Holmen started several small businesses ranging from manufacturing and distribution to software development. He consulted with numerous global brands on improving business efficiencies, including ERP software implementation, search engine marketing and customer relationship management best practices. Holmen serves on the board of the San Diego/Yokohama Sister City Society and its education committee.
Jeff Abramson Joins Lee & Associates
Commercial brokerage firm Lee & Associates has added Jeff Abramson as senior vice president in its office in Carlsbad. With over 22 years of industry experience, Abramson specializes in tenant and buyer representation and investors of office and industrial properties throughout Southern California. Some of his clients include Wells Fargo Bank Trust Real Estate Department, First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc., Nierman Pearlman Properties and ConAm Investment Management. Prior to joining Lee, Abramson was a partner with Cassidy Turley. Abramson holds a bachelor’s degree with the School of Veterinary Medicine/Biomedical Sciences from Colorado State University.
Spurlock Poirier-Landscape Architects Awards Promotions
Spurlock Poirier-Landscape Architects has promoted Rocio Gertler and Yu-Ju Liu from project managers to associate principal positions. Gertler joined the agency in 2006. She has led projects such as the New Children’s Museum Park in Downtown San Diego, the Mercado del Barrio ULI Open Space, and Virginia Avenue Park, the nation’s first LEED-certified community park in Santa Monica. She is currently designing the Pico Branch Library within that park. Liu has also been with Spurlock-Poirier since 2006 and has managed some of the firm’s largest and most complex projects, including UC San Diego’s Charles Keeling Apartments – the first LEED Platinum housing project in the University of California system – and Palomar Hospital in Escondido, with the largest vegetated roof in Southern California. For the past six years, Liu has guided the design and construction of the North Embarcadero Vision Plan Phase 1 Implementation.
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The Daily Business Report is produced by SD METRO.
Contact: Manny Cruz (619) 287-1865. manny@sandiegometro.com.
