Daily Business Report-April 11, 2017
The Richman Group’s K1 project, with the Central Library on the right. (Credit The Richman Group)
Construction Begins on Massive
East Village Mixed-Use Project
The Richman Group of California Development Company has started construction of a mixed-use development across from the Downtown Central Library that will cost in excess of $100 million and include a 23-story residential tower with 222 apartments, ground-floor commercial space and parking.
The development also will include an adjoining low-rise building containing two penthouses, a restaurant and an urban garden.
Called K1, the project would occupy most of the block bounded by Park, 13th, J and K streets. Completion is scheduled for early 2020.
Level 10 Construction of San Diego is the general contractor. The development team also includes architects DesignARC LA Inc., Rob Wellington Quigley of San Diego, and Large Architecture of Los Angeles, and landscape architect Spurlock Poirier of San Diego. NEXUS Planning Consultants of San Diego is the land use consultant. Bank of America provided construction financing.
Architectural highlights include a two-story “Sky Lounge” on the 19th floor, a resort-style pool area with spa and fire pits on the fifth-floor podium level and adjoining two-level recreation center with lounge, demonstration kitchen and gym.
Quigley, who designed the Central Library, designed the project’s secondary structure, “The Sliver,” as an idiosyncratic, playful building to animate and give life to the tower. It features a restaurant space that includes generous outdoor seating and two architecturally striking mid-rise penthouses.
The tower is designed to include 58 studios, 87 one-bedroom units and 77 two-bedroom units, and six levels of secure parking.
K1 is The Richman Group’s second major Downtown San Diego residential project to break ground in the past year. Last May, The Richman Group broke ground on another Richman Signature Property, F11, a seven-story luxury apartment/retail mixed-use development, located on the north side of F Street between 11th Avenue and Park Boulevard. F11 with 99 units is scheduled to open in mid 2018.
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SDSU Basketball Coach Steve Fisher
to Announce Retirement Today
Steve Fisher, who is credited with breathing life into the San Diego State University men’s basketball program and making the team a conference and national power, is expected to announce his retirement today.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday that Fisher has decided to step aside after 18 years with the university.
A news conference is expected today to make the formal announcement, with Fisher assistant and head-coach-in-waiting Brian Dutcher expected to be announced as Fisher’s replacement, according to the U-T report. —Times of San Diego
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General Atomics Reports Successful
Demonstration of Radar Warning Receiver
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. announced the successful airborne demonstration of a Radar Warning Receiver on a Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 aircraft. The company-owned Predator B operated from General Atomics’ Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, Calif., against various ground-based radars.
“The successful demonstration of a mature radar warning receiver on our company-owned Predator B clearly shows the utility of the aircraft in conducting missions in the proximity of threat radars and enemy air defenses,” said Claudio Pereida, executive vice president, mission systems. “We are pleased to be the first company to demonstrate this capability on a remotely piloted aircraft and hope to make it available to interested customers on a quick-reaction basis.”
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Scripps Research Institute Teams with
City of Hope in Effort to Cure AIDS
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to tether HIV-fighting antibodies to immune cells, creating a cell population resistant to the virus. Their experiments under lab conditions show that these resistant cells can quickly replace diseased cells, potentially curing the disease in a person with HIV.
“This protection would be long term,” said Jia Xie, senior staff scientist at TSRI and first author of the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers, led by study senior author Dr. Richard Lerner, plan to collaborate with investigators at City of Hope’s Center for Gene Therapy to evaluate this new therapy in efficacy and safety tests, as required by federal regulations, prior to testing in patients.
“City of Hope currently has active clinical trials of gene therapy for AIDS using blood stem cell transplantation, and this experience,” said John A. Zaia, director of the Center for Gene Therapy in the Hematological Malignancy and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute at City of Hope. “The ultimate goal will be the control of HIV in patients with AIDS without the need for other medications.”
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New AtWork Franchise Opens in Carlsbad
AtWork Group, a national staffing franchise, announced the opening of a new franchise location in Carlsbad. The franchise was awarded to local entrepreneurs Gregg Hassler and Moses Rangel, whose AtWork franchise, located at 5375 Avenida Encinas, Ste. F, will provide staffing services to a variety of businesses throughout the San Diego County area.
This is Hassler and Rangel’s third Southern California AtWork Group location.
The new Carlsbad location features a business model that encompasses both staffing and pre-employment screening divisions — making it a comprehensive hiring solution for job seekers and employers in the community, according to Hassler and Rangel.
With more than 28 years personal experience in the field of staffing management, Hassler has a track record of opening and managing nearly 50 employment offices throughout the United States.
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Nominations Open for CONNECT’S
Most Innovative New Product Awards
Nominations are now open for CONNECT’s 30th annual Most Innovative New Product Awards that highlight groundbreaking new products launched within the past two years. The nomination period closes on July 31.
Submissions will be accepted in 13 categories: Bluetech; Cleantech, Sustainability & Energy; Cybersecurity; Defense, Aerospace & Transportation; Information Communication Technologies; Life Science Diagnostics & Research Tools; Life Science Products-Clinical State; Medical Devices; Mobile Apps; Pharmaceutical Drugs & Biologic Therapies; Robotics & Unmanned Vehicles; Software & Digital Media; and Sports & Active Lifestyle Technologies.
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony Nov. 30 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
Nominations can be submitted here.
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Convention Center Earns
Recycler of the Year Award
The San Diego Convention Center was recognized for innovative and successful zero waste efforts by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department with the Recycler of the Year Award. This was sixth time the convention center has achieved this prestigious recognition.
The award was presented on April 6, 2017, at the city’s 25th annual ceremony held at the San Diego Central Library. District 3 City Council Member Chris Ward and the City’s Environmental Service Assistant Director Darren Greenhalgh presented the awards to 15 businesses and organizations leading the way to promote sustainable business practices.
The convention center’s President and CEO Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, CFE, Building Superintendent Ron Barham and Executive Director of Communications Barbara Moreno accepted the award.
“Our success is attributed to years of cultivating a green culture; one that takes pride in doing the right thing,” said Rippetoe. “San Diego Convention Center employees believe in sharing their best practices with other businesses in the community and throughout the industry.”
The San Diego Convention Center is a proud industry leader in sustainability. Each program in place as part of daily operations continues to improve, helping reach new record diversion rates. The facility set an all-time recycling record in 2016 by diverting 79 percent (3,162 tons) of total waste from local landfills. That is equal to about the weight of eight Boeing 747’s.
The great increase was in part due to the recycling of all the concrete removed as part of the Sails Pavilion renovation.
