Daily Business Report-May 4, 2018
Rendering of the Manchester Pacific Gateway Project. (Credit: Manchester Financial Group)
After 12 Years of Planning, the $1.5 Billion
Manchester Pacific Gateway Project
Will Break Ground June 1 on the Waterfront
Doug Manchester’s big dream for San Diego’s Downtown waterfront is about to take shape in brick and mortar. The Navy couldn’t be more pleased.
The Manchester Financial Group announced Thursday the groundbreaking date of June 1 for the $1.5 billion Manchester Pacific Gateway project, a development that will cover eight city blocks at the waterfront and contain seven buildings, including a 17-story Class A office building that will replace the Navy Broadway Complex and serve as the Navy’s regional headquarters.
More than four acres of the project will be dedicated to public open space, including a 1.9-acre plaza on the waterfront at the foot of Broadway along Harbor Drive.
“This project is a beautiful extension of Downtown San Diego, connecting the central business district to the waterfront, and encouraging pedestrian engagement,” said Perry Dealy, development manager for Manchester Pacific Gateway. “The pedestrian paseo, street setbacks, plaza, and restaurants will cater to locals, as well as regional, national and international tourists.”
The Manchester Pacific Gateway will include the following:
- Size and location: 12.07 acres on the waterfront bounded by Broadway, Pacific Highway, and Harbor Drive.
- Block 1: 1.9 acre plaza; 29-story, 524,000-square-foot office tower; 93,000 square feet of retail; 188,000-square-foot luxury boutique hotel with 260 rooms.
- Block 2: 29-story, 1.1 million-square-foot convention center hotel with 1,100 rooms; 70,000 square feet of supporting retail.
- Block 3: Eight-story, 178,000-square-foot office building and 81,000 square feet of retail; 17-story, 372,000-square-foot Navy headquarters in a Class A building.
- Block 4: Six-story, 153,000-square-foot office tower; and 147,000 square feet of retail.
“The Navy is very excited to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art Navy Administrative Building. The transformation of this property is a big win for both the Navy and the ity of San Diego,” said Rear Adm. Yancy Lindsey, commander of Navy Region Southwest.
“In the 12 years that we have fought for this development, our enthusiasm and commitment has never wavered,” said Manchester. “We have worked through extensive review from six public agencies… The time has finally arrived for construction of a world-class venue for Downtown San Diego.”
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Marijuana Jumps into the Capitol Mainstream
CALmatters
The growing clout of the marijuana lobby was on full display Wednesday as dozens of lobbyists and cannabis aficionados filled a Capitol hearing room to advocate for legislation that would allow deliveries pizza-style to users’ doors. The bill passed despite opposition from local government representatives who fear they will lose control over what happens.
CALmatters’ Laurel Rosenhall was there to report on the hearing, but also has been digging into political donations by the cannabis industry.
Eric Bauman, California Democratic Party chairman: “I’m sure we will (continue) soliciting (donations) from the cannabis industry. It’s a legal industry in California. It’s not one that hurts the environment, it’s not undermining our society. So we welcome their dollars.”
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race for governor, has raised more money from cannabis interests than any other California politician: at least $495,000 as of April. Newsom championed the legalization ballot measure and now talks about California rejecting the “war on marijuana.”
Sen. Ricardo Lara, a Bell Gardens Democrat who is running for insurance commissioner, is the author of the bill debated Wednesday. He has taken at least $18,900 from cannabis interests.
Money talks: By hiring blue chip lobby firms and strategically giving money to candidates’ campaigns, cannabis interests are taking their place as one of the Capitol’s big-time players.
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Wriggling Tadpoles May Hold
Clue to How Autism Develops
You could say Hollis Cline’s lab at The Scripps Research Institute is building better tadpoles. To better understand how humans learn, Cline, professor of neuroscience and co-chair of the Department of Neuroscience, leads experiments designed to spark learning in tadpole brains.
Over the years, her lab’s work with tadpoles has shed light on neuroplasticity — how new experiences flood brain cells with proteins that fuel brain development and learning. Now the lab’s latest study, published in eLife, suggests a key to neuroplasticity is not just the presence of new proteins, but how the brain makes proteins in the first place. The research also points to a possible new role for proteins in sensory processing in some people with autism spectrum disorder.
“The idea that visual experience can influence how we make proteins is something brand new,” Cline says. “This is interesting to think about because we live in a very busy sensory world.”
The researchers used tadpoles that naturally have translucent skin — which makes them an excellent model for peering into the wirings of a living brain. The tadpoles were kept in the dark and then exposed to either ambient light (for the control group) or a screen with moving bars (simulating normal visual experience) for four hours.
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Pentagon OKs Sale of General Atomics-Built UAVs to India
ExecutiveBiz
The Defense Department has decided to sell General Atomics-built Predator-B armed unmanned aerial vehicles to the Indian military, Hindustan Times reported. U.S. and Indian diplomatic officials told the publication that DoD conveyed its decision through government channels.
The report said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could bring up the proposed sale of weaponized UAVs at their “two-plus-two” meeting with Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman, respectively Indian external affairs and defense ministers, later this month in Washington.
Predator-B is available in land and naval versions and designed to carry air-to-land and anti-ship missiles as well as laser guided bombs. DoD previously approved India’s request to buy 22 Guardian drones intended for maritime surveillance missions.
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CaseyGerry Partner Wendy Behan
Receives Bar Association Award
Wendy M. Behan, a partner with San Diego-based CaseyGerry, was honored with a San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) Service Award during the organization’s annual Awards Luncheon and Celebration of Community Service on May 1 at the Westin San Diego.
The annual awards recognize distinguished individuals and organizations for their commitment to serving the San Diego community. Winner of the Service to the Legal Community Award, Behan was recognized for outstanding contributions to furthering the goals of the legal profession and promoting ethics, integrity, and professionalism in the practice of law by legal education, civics education, mentoring, or service to the SDCBA.
A CaseyGerry partner since 2010, Behan is a legal industry leader and has held numerous high-profile leadership roles promoting the work of female attorneys. She has served as president of the California Women Lawyers (CWL), the CWL Foundation and Lawyers Club of San Diego.
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Cubic to Showcase Advanced
Training Programs at Conference
Cubic Global Defense, the business division of Cubic Corporation, will be showcasing a comprehensive range of industry-leading training capabilities at the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference May 7-10 in Amman, Jordan. The biennial event brings together international Special Operations, homeland security decision makers and industry leaders from around the world to discuss a wide range of issues pertinent to current counter terrorism and homeland security issues.
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ProGreen Acquiring Additional
2,500 Acres in Baja California
ProGreen US Inc., a San Diego-based company with land development projects in Baja California, Mexico, announced that it is acquiring an additional 2,500 acre tract of land near its existing projects in Baja California.
ProGreen, through its Procon subsidiary, is in the process of acquiring a large tract of land less than a mile from the existing Arenoso farm, with the same access.
“It’s a beautiful piece of land with enormous possibilities for our projects, and within walking distance of the Arenoso farm,” said Jan Telander, CEO of ProGreen. “The first use of the land will be for expansion of the farming operations, for which we expect more than 1,000 acres to be farmable, providing for substantial growth in the coming years.”
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San Diego Housing Federation
Presents 2018 Ruby Awards
The San Diego Housing Federation presented 2018 Ruby Awards on Thursday, recognizing leadership, innovation and impact in the affordable housing and community development industries.
Award Winners:
Outstanding Resident Leader Award
Miguel Figueroa
Outstanding Service to Residents
Dennis Dearie
Outstanding Advocate
Jackie Camp
Outstanding Development Partner
LISC San Diego
Outstanding Government Agency or Elected Official
Sen. Toni Atkins and Assemblyman Brian Mainschein
John Craven Memorial Award
Rachel Hurst
SDG&E Environmental Award — New Construction
North Park Seniors, Community HousingWorks
CSH Supportive Housing Award
Talmadge Gateway, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation, St. Paul’s PACE, and City Heights CDC
Innovations Award
North Park Seniors, Community HousingWorks
Project of the Year — Rehab
Woodglen Vista Apartments, Jamboree
Project of the Year — New Construction
Atmosphere, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation
Housing Champion Award
Ken Sauder
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Chamber Honors 2018 Small Business Award Winners
2018 Small Business Award winners presented by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce on Thursday:
Support The Enlisted Project – Winner of the Bill Trumpfheller Social Impact award for companies and nonprofits who are dedicated to helping others and making a positive impact.
COOLA – Winner of the Industry Game-Changer award for companies paving the way in creative forward-thinking and innovation.
Shore Solutions – Winner of the Up & Comer award for young professionals who are rising to the top of their field, or companies founded and run by young professionals.
Cammies & Canines – Winner of the Vets Success award for companies owned by veterans or prioritizing the hiring of veterans.
America’s Local Lender – Winner of the Customer Service Star award for companies with exemplary customer service.
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Personnel Announcements
Catherine Asuncion, Irean Zhang Join Klinedinst San Diego
Klinedinst San Diego has welcomed two new associates to its San Diego office — Catherine M. Asuncion and Irean Zhang.
Catherine M. Asuncion focuses her practice on representing attorneys in professional liability matters. Asuncion also brings valuable appellate experience to the firm’s Appellate Practice Group. Asuncion honed her legal skills as an associate at a national firm where she represented clients in a wide range of matters including professional liability, employment, products liability, workers’ compensation, general liability, constitutional law, civil rights, healthcare, disability access, environmental, premises liability, and prisoner rights. She is active in the legal community, currently serving her second term as president of the Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego. She is also a member of Lawyers Club of San Diego where she is active in the Diverse Women’s Committee and the Human Trafficking Collaborative.
Irean Zhang joins the firm’s Professional Liability team, where she will work in defending clients in malpractice claims brought against attorneys, accountants, and other professionals. Prior to joining Klinedinst, Zhang worked at a national AmLaw 100 firm in business litigation, with an emphasis in real estate litigation. Zhang is a first generation Chinese-American and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. She is a member of the State Bar of California, San Diego County Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association – San Diego Chapter, the Lawyer’s Club of San Diego, and the American Inns of Court, Louis M. Welsh Chapter.
