Daily Business Report-Oct. 12, 2020
NAVWAR facility. (U.S. Navy Photo)
Governor signs bill to begin groundwork
for the redevelopment of NAVWAR
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed AB 2731, legislation laying the groundwork for potential redevelopment of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command in the Midway District (photo).
Co-authored by Gloria and Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, the new legislation follows joint efforts by SANDAG, the region’s transportation planning agency, and the U.S. Navy. Both have been collaborating on a potential major redevelopment of the NAVWAR site straddling Old Town Transit Center.
Both agencies have been exploring the possibility of creating a central mobility hub connecting transit to the San Diego International Airport, along with creating a newly modernized cybersecurity facility for the Navy and new regional housing units.
“This is a very big and important day for our military, our transportation system, and our broader San Diego community,” said Gloria. “AB 2731 is saving 5,000 existing Navy jobs from potential relocation, and could be a transformational project for our San Diego region creating a 21st-century transportation system while providing desperately needed economic stimulus to our community during a time of recession because of COVID-19.”
The project has the potential to generate at least 16,000 jobs and provide housing for up to 27,000 residents, according to Gloria. “Both are desperately needed and should be part of our collective goal of creating new housing next to mass transit.”
“More than 340,000 good-paying jobs in our region are tied to the (federal) Department of Defense budget,” said Mark Balmert, executive director of the nonprofit San Diego Military Advisory Council. “NAVWAR is a vital military headquarters, but it is in bad need of modernization. Keeping this work here at NAVWAR will enable its growth and modernization. This is a world-class, one-of-a-kind project.”
Excerpts from Dave Schwab report in sdnews.com.
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Opinion
Ignoring current problems, California
comes up with illogical reparations bill
By Victor Davis Hanson
California’s state Legislature just passed, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed, Assembly Bill 3121 to explore providing reparations to California’s African American population — 155 years after the abolition of slavery.
Apparently, when California’s one-party government cannot find solutions to current existential crises, it turns to divisive issues that have little to do with the safety and well-being of its 40 million citizens.
California has the highest gas taxes in the nation, even as its ossified state highways remain clogged and dangerous. Why, then, does Sacramento keep pouring billions of dollars into the now-calcified high-speed rail project?
When fires raged, killed dozens, polluted the air for months, consumed thousands of structures and scorched 4 million acres of forest, in response the governor thundered about global warming. But Newsom was mostly mute about state and federal green polices that discouraged the removal of millions of dead and drought-stricken trees, which provided the kindling for the infernos.
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Chamber presents the 2020
Small Business Awards program
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce is recognizing three local small businesses for their outstanding work in the region as part of the 2020 Small Business Awards program. Small businesses — those with fewer than 50 employees — employ half of San Diego’s workforce and account for more than 90 percent of businesses in San Diego County.
The 2020 Small Business Awards winners are:
Computers 2 Kids – Winner of the Community Minded award recognizing dedication to helping others and making a positive impact in the community during this challenging time. Computers 2 Kids is helping bridge the digital divide by refurbishing used computers and giving them to families in need. Since March the organization has distributed more than 19,000 computers to help students from elementary school to college complete their education online.
FASTSIGNS San Diego Mira Mesa – Winner of the Creative Pivot award which recognizes an organization that has shown leadership, resilience, and creativity by making adjustments in response to the pandemic. FASTSIGNS, a print and signage shop, switched from traditional business printing to becoming experts on health ordinances so they could advise businesses on the best solutions during COVID, turning their store into a nearly one-stop shop selling items like PPE and safety barriers.
GoBeRewarded – Winner of the 2020 Success Story award which recognizes the resilience and pride of a small business that was able to triumph above challenge.
GoBeRewarded, a digital marketing and communications firm, put its expertise to work helping local businesses respond quickly to changing information and make updates to websites and marketing campaigns and in the process added new staff to help respond to the needs of businesses.
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San Diego airport achieves
World’s health accreditation
San Diego International Airport has achieved Airports Council International (ACI) World’s Airport Health Accreditation for its “Let’s Go Safely” program which prioritizes the health and safety of passengers, employees and the community through a number of modifications and improvements at the airport.
Since March, the airport has been implementing several health and safety modifications throughout the terminals, Rental Car Center, Parking Plaza, and Airport Authority administration building.
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City announces project selection to turn
2 vacant city-owned properties into housing
The City of San Diego has announced the selection of two proposals to develop vacant city-owned properties into permanent housing with on-site supportive services to house veterans, seniors, youth and young adults who’ve experienced homelessness.
Community Housing Works and San Diego Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC), have been conditionally awarded the development bids after a competitive Request for Proposals was issued in February. The City Council may consider the two ground leases and their respective development plans in the coming months.
The Community Housing Works’ proposal includes building 26 units for chronically homeless youth and young adults on a .336-acre site at the former Serra Mesa Library. It also proposes YMCA Youth and Family Services providing on-site case management and is targeting an opening in August 2023.
SDCHC proposed developing the 1.42-acre Scripps Ranch Park and Ride and constructing 60 units for veterans and seniors. Targeted to open in January 2024, it will provide on-site case management through the San Diego Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
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Vogt Industrial Park fully leased in Otay Mesa
Less than one month after completion of construction of the Vogt Industrial Park in San Diego’s Otay Mesa area, Colliers International San Diego Region announces that it has fully leased the 100,631-square foot multi-tenant industrial building to six tenants.
Vogt Industrial Park, another state-of-the art project by IRE Development, is located on a 7.4-acre parcel at 9505 Airway Road, San Diego. Divided into six suites, the property features concrete yards and 31 trailer parking spaces for lease.
Mark Lewkowitz, Chris Holder and Will Holder of Colliers International San Diego Region represented the landlord, Vogt Industrial Park LLC, and five of the six total tenants. Jorge Martin of Synergy Real Estate Group represented one tenant.
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UCSD and SDSU awarded $10 million to bring
COVID-19 testing to underserved communities
San Diego’s two largest universities have scored $10 million in government funding to ensure that COVID-19 testing efforts don’t leave behind communities that have been deeply affected by the pandemic. UC San Diego and San Diego State University received $5 million apiece and are among 32 institutions awarded $234 million by the National Institutes of Health.
The federal funding is a response to stark evidence that the pandemic has hit communities of color hardest. Blacks, Latinos and other minorities are more likely to get COVID-19 than White Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and are more likely to end up in the hospital or die from the disease.
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Debut Biotechnology receives
$1 million Air Force award
San Diego-based Debut Biotechnology received $1 million to produce a plastic monomer, a high-value molecule used to build advanced plastics, as part of the Air Force Research Lab’s Biotechnology Grand Challenge. The company occupies 5,000 square feet of lab space and employs 10, with plans to expand to 15 in the region.
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Stone Brewing launches
women’s mentoring group
Six female employees at San Diego’s Stone Brewing have launched what may be the first women’s mentoring and leadership group at an American craft brewery. The voluntary group seeks to connect managers with all levels of employees for networking, highlighting one another’s accomplishments, and discussions on advancement within the company.
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DoD announcxes 5G prototype testing
at San Diego Navy Base
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering has selected Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) to be one of five Tranche 1 sites for the Department of Defense’s 5G to Next G Initiative.
The NBSD site will utilize a Naval Base Coronado warehouse operated by Naval Supply Systems Command Logistics Center San Diego (FLCSD) to prototype a smart warehouse use case enabled by 5G technology and to perform at-scale experimentation using the developed prototypes.
The prototyping’s objectives are to create a proving ground for testing, refining, and validating emerging 5G enabled technologies and to increase the efficiency and fidelity of logistic operations.
The desired outcome is a 5G enabled smart warehouse that improves the efficiency, accuracy, security, and safety of materiel and supply handling, management, storage, and distribution for Naval Supply Systems Command Logistics Center San Diego (FLCSD).
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USD shows off its newest student
space — The Learning Commons
More classrooms and flexible study space were two prime reasons for University of San Diego officials when they sought to add a new building on campus and provide necessary resources for students.
The Learning Commons, a two-story, 36,000-square-foot building just north of Copley Library, was unveiled this fall. The building features nine collaborative study spaces and 13 classrooms. It will host classes, study groups, work teams and solo exploration. It will also be home to USD’s Honors Program and the USD Writing Center.
There is also a Town Square, an informal gathering space featuring stadium seating for more than 150 people, encircled by a second-story observation gallery and equipped with the latest in sound and video technology for presentations, films, and other events.
“The Learning Commons was designed to serve our entire undergraduate student population while fulfilling two urgent needs on campus,” said Ky Snyder, vice president for operations/chief operations officer. “Every undergraduate, regardless of major, will find themselves using this new building. As such it was designed to be available 24/7 with both indoor and outdoor study space and automated food service. The Learning Commons is another anchor to the academic core of campus.”
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Certificate program recognize efforts to improve school equity
SDSU Global Campus and the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST), a San Diego State University center working to transform urban schools nationwide, have partnered together to provide new professional certificate programs that aim to support and recognize school leaders for their work advancing equity in education.
NCUST works to equip urban schools with tools to provide all students with the opportunity to succeed and to prepare for an endeavor in secondary education, the workplace, or their communities.
“The first pillar of what we do is identify, celebrate, and try to learn from these schools that achieve great results,” said Joseph Johnson, founding executive director of NCUST and former dean of SDSU’s College of Education. “The other part of our work is we try to take what we learn from studying those schools with great results and help other schools.”
Two Certificates
Since 2005, 167 schools in 25 different states, plus Washington, D.C., have been recognized by NCUST. Now, NCUST is expanding its efforts to improve national urban education by offering two new certificate programs focused on strengthening school leadership:
- National Principal Certificate for Equity and Excellencefor school-level leaders, including principals, assistant principals, and school directors.
- National Principal Supervisor for Equity and Excellencefor district-level school leaders who supervise principals, including superintendents, administrators, and school board members.
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SDG&E releases sustainability strategy
Amid the growing urgency to address climate change and its impacts, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) today released a comprehensive sustainability strategy with aspirational goals in the areas of environmental stewardship, clean transportation, grid modernization, community engagement, and company operations to support California’s clean energy ambitions.
The company’s holistic approach to sustainability builds on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, as well as its accomplishments to date. Titled “Building a Better Future: Our Commitment to Sustainability” (available at sdge.com/sustainability), the document will serve as a foundation for SDG&E to work toward key sustainability goals in the years and decades to come. Similar to climate action plans developed by local cities, SDG&E aims to update and evolve its “living” sustainability strategy to reflect stakeholder feedback, regulatory policies and technological breakthroughs.
“It’s imperative that we move more quickly to address climate change with strategic investments and partnerships because the stakes are so high if we fail to take collective action now,” said Caroline Winn, SDG&E’s chief executive officer. “As an energy company, we have an important role to play in the fight against climate change by not only doing our part to reduce emissions from our own operations, but to also develop and encourage the use of energy innovations that can make a difference.”
