Daily Business Report-July 29, 2016
A rendering of Cisterra’s 7th & Market project.
Civic San Diego Board Approves
Designs for 3 Large Downtown Projects
The Civic San Diego board of directors has approved the design and permits for Cisterra’s 7th & Market project — the construction of 39-story and 19-story Downtown towers containing residential units, office space and a hotel.
In separate actions on Downtown projects, the board also approved the design for Citiplace, a seven-story residential project on the edge of Cortez Hill, and a five-story single-room occupancy hotel called Nook East Village.
Cisterra’s proposed project would be located on the full-block site bounded by Market Street and Island, Seventh, and Eighth Avenues in East Village. Cisterra was selected through a competitive RFP process in May 2015. Designed by Carrier Johnson + CULTURE Architecture, the project will contain approximately 218 residential units, 156,000 square-feet of office space, a proposed 153-room hotel, approximately 40,000 square-feet of retail space for a grocer, and 887 parking spaces.
Of the 218 total dwelling units, 34 will be affordable units, 125 will be market rate apartments, and 59 will be hotel-branded condominiums. The project will pay more than $4 million in development impact fees to fund new parks, fire stations and traffic circulation improvements in the Downtown community plan area. It is estimated the project will generate approximately 800 construction jobs and 700 permanent jobs. The project received unanimous approval by both the CivicSD Design Review Committee and Downtown Community Planning Council.
Citiplace
Essex Inc.’s Citiplace project would be located on the north side of Ash Street between First Avenue and Front Street. Designed by Skyport Studio, the project will include 147 residential units and 152 parking spaces. Those 147 units will include 10 lofts, 68 studios, 44 one-bedrooms, and 25 two-bedrooms. The project will pay approximately $1.1 million in development impact fees and generate approximately 152 construction jobs and three permanent jobs.
Nook East Village
Trestle Develoment LLC’s Nook East Village would be located on a 7,620-square-foot site on the northwest corner of 15th and K streets in East Village. Designed by Joseph Wong Design Associates, the project includes 91 single-room-occupancy units, seven parking spaces, and 1,850 square-feet of ground floor commercial space. The project will generate approximately 112 construction jobs and 60 permanent jobs. The proposal was approved unanimously by both the Downtown Community Planning Council and the CivicSD Design Review Committee.
General Atomics Conducts First UAV
Flight at Training Academy in North Dakota
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc announced the successful first flight of a company-owned Predator A at the San Diego-based company’s new Unmanned Aircraft System Flight Training Academy in Grand Forks, N.D. on Thursday.
“This first flight represents a significant milestone for our new Training Academy, further demonstrating our company’s capability to conduct UAS training operations safely and seamlessly within the National Airspace System,” said David R. Alexander, president of Aircraft Systems. “Our first class is already underway, and students progressed to the flight training portion of the syllabus today.”
The mission of the training academy is to provide safe, effective, and cutting-edge flight training for international and domestic aircrew operating the company’s aircraft. As an additional benefit, the training academy also can serve to augment U.S. Air Force RPA training programs. Training for aircrews began in early July.
Classroom and simulator instruction will take place at Training Academy classroom facilities located in the city of Grand Forks. Flight Instruction will occur at temporary facilities located at the Grand Sky UAS business and aviation park adjacent to Grand Forks Air Force Base. Construction of a state-of-the-art, 16,000 square-foot Flight Operations Center began in November 2015 and is expected to conclude in Spring 2017.
Major Sailing Competition
Could Come to San Diego Bay
By City News Service
It’s Not the America’s Cup, but there could be a major sailing competition on San Diego Bay next year.
The Port of San Diego Board of Commissioners Wednesday asked for further vetting of a plan to bring an Extreme Sailing Series event to town.
A group called Extreme Sailing San Diego hopes to organize races in October 2017, according to the port.
The series began in 2007 and currently holds events in eight cities in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. No races are scheduled in the United States this year.
Competitors raced in 40-foot catamarans until last year, when they switched to 32-foot boats.
According to a staff report, the local organizing group is asking the port for sponsorship and fee waivers. They contend the port will financially benefit by increased business for tenants, such as hotels, restaurants and marinas.
The commissioners asked staff to conduct an economic analysis, hold further discussions with the organizers and return at an Aug. 9 board meeting.
Chamber Announces Support
For Chargers Downtown Stadium
By City News Service
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce on Thursday announced its support for the Chargers Initiative to build a new multi-use sports complex and convention facility downtown.
“This is not about football business, this is about San Diego commerce,” said Margie Newman, a small business owner and member of the chamber’s committee on the Chargers Initiative.
“Our ad hoc committee’s recommendation to the board that the Chargers Initiative would be supported was the result of analysis and extensive discussion with representatives with the Chargers, the lodging and tourism industry, members of the community, chamber partner organizations and other key stakeholders,” Newman said.
“A new downtown stadium and convention center space with a long-term commitment from the Chargers franchise is the right call, not just for bolts fans, but for anyone who is a fan of a thriving San Diego economy.”
The announcement was made at a late morning news conference at Chargers Park in Murphy Canyon after the chamber’s board of directors voted unanimously to support the plan. San Diego Regional Chamber President and CEO Jerry Sanders, San Diego Chargers Chairman of the Board Dean Spanos, Chargers Head Coach Mike McCoy and retired Chargers center Nick Hardwick joined Newman in making the announcement.
“I cannot tell you what this means to me personally, but I can tell you that we would not have a chance of success without the support of the chamber,” Spanos said. “It’s a long hard road ahead of us and we’re up for the challenge. We’re committed to get this thing approved and we’re going to do it.”
In its letter of support for the initiative, the chamber outlined several requests that it asked be considered by the Chargers, including, making sure the tourism marketing district gets 2 percent of the increase in tourism taxes, that no money be used from the city’s general fund, and that parking, traffic and infrastructure issues be addressed, among other issued.
Sanders said it’s a matter of civic pride to keep the Chargers in San Diego and a new downtown stadium would have a positive impact on the East Village, Downtown and the entire region.
“We take pride in being an action-oriented business organization that works to continually move our region forward,” Sanders said. “After a thorough review of the plan, we believe the Chargers Initiative is the best step forward in meeting the challenge before us: Keeping our NFL team in San Diego and enhancing our convention industry.”
One group that the chamber’s board of directors did not meet with before the vote, was the “No Downtown Stadium – Jobs and Streets First” coalition.
“I oppose the Chargers ballot initiative because it’s another bad stadium deal for San Diego,” said City Councilman David Alvarez. “San Diegans are tired of deals that give away millions of taxpayer dollars to people who don’t need the money. I am confident San Diegans will say ‘enough’ and reject this bad stadium deal.”
Chargers head coach Mike McCoy took time out from his preparation for the beginning of training camp Saturday to speak in favor of the new stadium.
“We have a great opportunity here for what we’re doing moving forward,” McCoy said. “We look forward to getting this stadium and we are the San Diego Chargers forever. It’s important to support this great campaign.”
Retired Chargers center Nick Hardwick urged voters to get to the polls on election day.
“You’ve got to show up San Diego, you’ve got to show up, our number has been called,” Hardwick said. “When it comes November, and it’s time in that election booth to vote ‘yes’ on this initiative, it’s time to get out there and get it done.”
The Chargers Initiative was approved for the November ballot by the San Diego City Council earlier this month, after the Chargers submitted enough signatures by registered voters in the city of San Diego.
Navy to Name NASSCO Ship After
Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk
Times of San Diego
The Navy will name a fleet oiler built at General Dynamics NASSCO after San Francisco gay rights advocate Harvey Milk. The news was first reported Thursday by the U.S. Naval Institute, which cited a Congressional notification.
The USNS Harvey Milk would be the second in the John Lewis-class of six fleet oilers to be built at the shipyard in Barrio Logan. The class of ships is to be named for American civil rights leaders.
Milk was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California. His involvement in San Francisco’s gay rights movement earned him the name “Mayor of Castro Street.” In 1978, Milk was shot and killed in San Francisco’s city hall.
He was a Navy veteran who served on a submarine rescue ship and was wearing his Navy diver’s belt buckle at the time of his death, according to the Naval Institute.
Oilers are designed to transfer fuel to Navy surface ships operating at sea. The new class of ships will have the capacity to carry 156,000 barrels of oil, including the Navy’s new bio fuels.
