Daily Business Report-Jan. 28, 2016
Pure Project leases this space in the Miramar area from Brewery Igniter for its craft brewery operation. The turnkey operation was developed by the H.G. Fenton Company. Photo courtesy of Pure Project.
Brew Space for Lease
H.G. Fenton to offers craft brewers
fully stocked brewery space at North Park site
Brewery Igniter North Park, a new concept developed by the H.G. Fenton Company to help novice brewers open their own breweries, is now taking lease offers for a site at 3052 El Cajon Blvd. which, until late last year, was a strip joint.
Brewery Igniter will allow three brewers to lease suites at the site, located at the corner of Ohio Street.
H.G. Fenton Company owns and manages 13 apartment communities with more than 3,100 homes in San Diego County, but last July it started leasing something entirely different — new facilities for craft brewers.
Brewery Igniter’s first two turnkey brewing facilities (located at at 9030 Kenamar Drive, Suites 309 & 308, in the Miramar area) are now launching pads for Pure Project Brewing and Amplified Ale Works.
And the next one is coming to North Park early this year.
Typically, a startup microbrewer must invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in brewing equipment, manage construction expenses and logistics and wait for a liquor license and their equipment to be delivered and installed before they can brew, pour and sell their first pint. The Fenton company’s Brewery Igniter provides the space and all of the equipment to produce and sell craft beer, so that a startup microbrewery can begin selling product as soon as it gets its ABC license, which can take as little as two months.
Brewery Igniter isn’t an incubator — nobody will be helping these entrepreneurs learn to brew or kicking them out once they’ve learned — but rather a way to reduce the barriers to entry so that passionate brewers can produce beer, get it to customers, and help San Diego continue to lead as the Craft Beer Capital, according to Bill Hooper, a portfolio manager with the Fenton company.
“We have had the privilege of working with many craft brewers in San Diego and have seen firsthand the challenges that they face. We developed Brewery Igniter to lower new brewers risk and help them get the most successful start possible,” said Hooper.
“H.G. Fenton is focused on providing value with flexible lease terms and lease rates that reflect a fair monthly cost craft brew entrepreneurs would expect for rent and equipment payments,” a Fenton spokeswoman said. “Our hopes are that entrepreneur brewers will enter Brewery Igniter to get their business off the ground, blossom into a financially stable and growing business and eventually invest into a bigger brewing space of their own. But if they want to continue leasing, they’re more than welcome to.”
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Lyceum Theatres Begins
$3 Million Renovation
The Lyceum Theatres, home to San Diego REPertory Theatre, has begun a $3 million upgrade of its public spaces, including the lobby and concession areas, restrooms and Lyceum Stage.
Renovations — to be done in stages — are funded by Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation and The city of San Diego and are expected to take about a year to complete. The project’s general contractor is Soltek Pacific Construction. The construction is being managed by Eric Jackson of Harris & Associates.
Although there will be major changes in the layout of the lobby during construction, San Diego REP and the Lyceum Theatres will continue to be fully operational. Patrons will be able to access all normal amenities of The Lyceum Theatre complex. Ample free parking will still be available in the Horton Plaza parking garage. The box office, elevators, restrooms and concession areas will be easily accessible unless otherwise noted.
Since opening in 1986, The Lyceum Theatre has not had renovations of this scale. The remodel will transform the space to a more modern, open concept, allowing the venue to be “The Cultural Town Hall of Downtown San Diego.”
“We are excited to help create a new physical space worthy of the art it contains,” said Larry Alldredge, managing director. “The renovation will transform the theater into a destination that engages people to create art and community.”
Renovations include:
• New lobby area to feature raised ceilings, natural and modern lighting, projection for lobby events, and a new architectural centerpiece stairwell;
• Stylish, new concession areas;
• Renovated restrooms with wood and glass finishes throughout; and
• Completely redone floors and aisles in the Lyceum Stage seating area with new carpet, polished floors, and aisle lighting.
‘State of the Region’ Economic
Forecast Luncheon Set for Feb. 10
On Wednesday February 10, 2016 the North San Diego Business Chamber, in partnership with Northrop-Grumman, will present their annual “State of the Region” economic forecast luncheon on Feb. 10 at Sony Electronics in Rancho Bernardo. Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Speaking will be Michael Tanner, CATO Institute and author of “Going for Broke: The Debt, Deficit and Entitlement Crisis.” Tanner will talk about debt, deficit and entitlement on a national level, and the effect it will have on our region.
Diane Harkey, Board of Equalization 4th district State Representative and Helen Robbins-Meyer, CAO for the county of San Diego, will address the following topics on a state and local level:
• Fiscal Outlook of the State/County
• Impact of the 2016 Elections (Presidential, Senate, Assembly and Local)
• Regional Issues that Impact All
• Hot Issues that could Impact Business
After the keynotes there will be a 15-minute moderated discussion between the three presenters.
Lambda Archives Receives $25,000
To Fund Digitation of Photos in Collection
Lambda Archives of San Diego, a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving and teaching the history of LGBT people in the San Diego and Northern Baja California regions, has received a $25,000 check from the California Institute for Contemporary Arts.
The check was the final gift of a grant from the Dr. Fritz Klein estate and will allow Lambda Archives to continue the digitization of photos in the archives in order to preserve the photos and make them accessible to researchers.
The mission of the Lambda Archives of San Diego is to collect, preserve, and teach the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the San Diego and Northern Baja California region. Although most of the collections date to post-1970, there are original materials dating back to the 1930s. History is best reflected in the records and cultural artifacts of those people who are directly involved in its events. Lambda Archives is dedicated to preserving and interpreting this important historical material and making it available for learning.
EPA Makes $30 Million Loan
to Carlsbad to Expand Water Recycling
City News Service
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $30 million loan to the city of Carlsbad to expand its water recycling facility.
The 1 percent federal loan will be coupled with $7 million from other funding sources to pay for the project, which will nearly double the plant’s capacity to generate water for nonpotable uses like irrigation and industrial uses.
The expansion project will involve the installation of 18 miles of pipe, as well as a new storage tank and 156 recycled water meters.
Once completed, Carlsbad will recycle and use all of its wastewater during the summer months, meeting nearly 33 percent of its water district’s annual water needs, according to the EPA.
The loan was part of $182 million in funding the EPA announced for projects in California.
“This substantial investment at the federal level helps communities like Carlsbad provide sustainable sources of water in the face of California’s historic drought,” said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA regional administrator. “EPA is committed to protecting the state’s water resources so critical to our environment, public health and economy.”
He said the money would be used for water quality projects to reduce water pollution, improve municipal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, make projects more sustainable by increasing water and energy efficiency, and provide technical assistance to communities.
Puppy Mill Ban Approved
By San Marcos City Council
Times of San Diego
Joining a wave of California cities in banning so-called “puppy mills,” the San Marcos City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance prohibiting the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail pet stores.
The City Council voted 4-0 in support of the ban. Councilwoman Sharon Jenkins was absent.
“This does pull on your heartstrings,” Vice Mayor Rebecca Jones said. “From what I can tell, the breeders are not taking care of the animals the way I think they should. It’s important to love them and treat them like a living being. That being said, I’m fine with the ordinance that’s been presented to us.”
The ordinance prohibits the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail pet stores from breeders. Animals that pet stores obtain from shelters, animal control, or animal rescue organizations are exempt.
The focus of the ban was on Mini Toy Puppies, a store on Nordahl Road owned by David and Veronica Salinas. The owners, who also have a store in Oceanside, were targeted with a similar ban in Oceanside last year.
Veronica Salinas, who spoke during public comment, said closing a pet store could cause various problems in society.
“There’s no way of regulating anything,” Veronica Salinas said. “Animal shelters are not regulated.”
Court Commissioner Named a Family
Law Judicial Officer of the Year
San Diego Superior Court Commissioner William Y. Wood was named a Family Law Judicial Officer of the Year by the Southern California chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers at a Jan. 16 awards dinner in Newport Beach.
Wood was appointed by the judges of the San Diego Superior Court as a court commissioner in March, 2009. He began his career as a judicial officer presiding over traffic, small claims, misdemeanor arraignments and unlawful detainer actions. In 2010, he was assigned to the Family Support Division and heard child support cases. In January, 2012 he was assigned to Department 15, an independent calendar family law department in North County.
Wood begins his fifth year in an IC Family Law assignment this month. Prior to his appointment as a commissioner, he served for 16 years as a deputy district attorney in San Diego County.
National University and UC San Diego Extension
Offer Sustainability Management Program
National University and University of California, San Diego Extension are introducing a partnership that offers students pathways to pursue studies in the growing field of sustainability management.
The credit transfer partnership allows those who have completed UC San Diego Extension’s Sustainable Business Practices certificate program to obtain credit for two classes that can be applied toward National University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management, which is the region’s only sustainability-focused master’s degree program. Both the certificate and master’s program are available online, allowing students throughout the country to benefit from the partnership.
Through the partnership, students enrolled in National University’s master’s program can elect to obtain Extension’s certificate in lieu of taking two of the degree courses at National University.
National University, which launched its M.S. in Sustainability Management in 2012, offers a focus on management skills that emphasize the environment, economics and equity to meet a growing management need in this specialty.
UC San Diego Extension’s Sustainable Business Practice certificate is designed to provide a foundational understanding of the business case for sustainability as well as build essential skills for measuring the effectiveness of sustainability.
San Diego State’s Business
Incubator Gets a New Name
With the start of the new semester, San Diego State University’s on-campus business incubator received a new name.
The Zahn Innovation Platform Launchpad, formerly the Zahn Innovation Center, helps SDSU students, faculty and staff with the commercialization of their social and commercially based ideas.
A recent gift from the Moxie Foundation prompted the shift, which will focus on collaboration across disciplines, the exploration of new ideas and the launch of new ventures.
“With the creation of the Zahn Innovation Platform — including the ZIP Launchpad (formally the Zahn Innovation Center) and ZIP Lab focused on design thinking — SDSU students have even more ways to experience entrepreneurship,” said Cathy Pucher, executive director of the ZIP Launchpad.
Human Longevity Acquires LifebankUSA
And Biomaterials Business from Celgene
Human Longevity Inc. of San Diego said it has agreed to acquire biobanking business LifebankUSA and the biomaterials program from Celgene Cellular Therapeutics . The price was not disclosed.
HLI co-founder Robert J. Hariri founded LifebankUSA, which focuses on placental and cord blood banking. Its assets include a high-yield method for extracting placental stem cells and related therapeutic programs. They reason that the cord and placental blood and tissue are ideal sources of stem cells and biomaterials from mothers and newborns that can be used for genome sequencing.
Following the closing of the acquisition, HLI said, it plans to start offering a newborn genome sequencing product along with stem cell banking beginning in the second quarter of this year. According to HLI, LifebankUSA’s process yields 60–70 percent more of the CD34+ stem cells needed for bone marrow and cord blood transplants.
LifebankUSA is one of three core units of CCT, which became part of Celgene in 2003 when the biotech giant acquired Hariri’s Anthrogenesis, established to commercialize the medical potential of the human placenta. Hariri and colleagues were the first researchers to discover and characterize pluripotent stem cells from the placenta, then develop exclusive methods for the extraction of those cells.
Also being acquired by HLI from CCT is the biomaterials program, which includes the marketed product Biovance, a cell matrix used for wound healing.
“This is a unique acquisition that gives HLI the ability to combine the power of stem cells with newborn genome analysis to offer parents new information and potential treatments for their families,” J. Craig Venter, HLI’s co-founder and CEO, said in a statement.
Personnel Announcements
Port of San Diego Adds to Executive Staff
The Port of San Diego has added two new executives to its staff — Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer Bella Heule, and Vice President/Chief Operating Officer T. Scott Edwards. Huele previously was executive vice president of World Trade Centers Association. Edwards was a former executive in the consumer technology industry.
Huele was president and CEO of World Trade Center San Diego for 10 years before taking the executive position with the World Trade Centers Association. She held previous positions as an import/export manager for a Swiss automotive accessory company, as international sales representative and export manager for SNUGTOP, and as executive VP of World Trade Center Association Los Angeles-Long Beach.
Edwards joins the Port with a background spanning more than 30 years in leading organizations. In a previous position, he was senior vice president, chief marketing officer and general manager of Cricket Communicationsl. He has also held executive general management and corporate marketing positions with Hewlett-Packard, Gateway, and Sony.
