Daily Business Report: Thursday, July 21, 2022
Community college districts in San Diego
are working to build housing.
Here’s where those efforts stand.
By Jakob McWhinney | Voice of San Diego
As San Diego’s housing crisis rages on, local community colleges are stepping into housing for the first time, as state lawmakers have created funding opportunities for those efforts.
In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 169 into law, which allocates $2 billion over three years to fund the planning and construction of affordable housing on college campuses, with $750 million available this year and next. Fifty percent of that funding will go to community colleges.
But the state’s push doesn’t stop there. One bill in the works would provide more capital for public colleges to build affordable housing and anotherwould let schools tap into federal and state affordable housing credits and bond dollars to build housing for community college district employees — something that was previously limited to K-12 teachers.
The developments are welcome news to local officials. Few California community colleges offer housing and none in San Diego County do, despite community colleges being home to disproportionately more lower-income students than public four-year universities.
Community college students also tend to be older and more likely to experience housing insecurity. Surveys indicate that 59 percent of San Diego Community College District students have struggled with housing insecurity and 18 percent have experienced homelessness.
Schools in every district in the county have received state funding – from $155,000 to $812,000 – but the grants are limited to planning for housing. They’ll need much larger grants to build anything. Local officials each said they intend to seek money to build housing, too.
Providing new housing isn’t cheap, and community college officials say they could look beyond SB 169 for funding, whether by striking partnerships with developers, working with housing agencies, looking for other grant opportunities, or even pushing their own bond measures.
Top Photo: City College
Rehabilitated historic college building
opens at Scripps Mercy Hospital
A historic structure built nearly a century ago to train nurses is now taking on a new purpose. The recently rehabilitated Woltman Family College Building at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego has opened its doors for cancer support services for patients and families.
Built in 1926, the Italian Renaissance-style building was previously known as the Mercy College of Nursing. After the college closed in 1970, the building was used for various purposes until the San Diego Historical Resources Board designated it a historic site in 1999. Since then, it has stood mostly vacant until rehabilitation work started in 2020.
The building is renamed the Woltman Family College Building in honor of their philanthropic gift for the project. The rehabilitation began with a detailed adaptive reuse plan to restore the building’s utility in a way that allows an efficient contemporary use, while also preserving its significant historic features. Efforts focused on restoring existing building materials wherever possible and refabricating deteriorated elements to match original specifications as needed.
Today, the structure is home to cancer support services for patients receiving care at Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center locations, including Prebys Cancer Center located nearby on the Scripps Mercy San Diego campus. Services include patient navigation, pastoral counseling, family consultation, fitness classes, yoga, meditation, a patient resource library, a wig boutique and more.
NewMark Merrill South acquires land in Vista
for multi-tenant restaurant development
NewMark Merrill South LLC, the San Diego-based retail shopping center owner and development company and subsidiary of NewMark Merrill Companies Inc., has acquired a 1.4-acre site located at the corner of South Melrose Drive and Faraday Avenue in Vista, where it will build two new drive-through buildings for lessees Dutch Bros. Coffee and Wendy’s. Completion of the buildings, to be called Melrose Landing, is scheduled for summer 2023.
“NewMark Merrill was able to source the land, gain full city entitlements for two new-construction drive-thru buildings, lease the property and arrange for attractive project financing, all prior to close of escrow,” said John Hickman, managing director for NewMark Merrill in San Diego. “The project will bring one of the first Dutch Bros. Coffee locations to open in San Diego County, and with Wendy’s will provide much-needed food and beverage options to the Vista/Carlsbad business park.”
On the land acquisition, financing, and leasing transaction, NewMark Merrill’s team was represented by John Hickman; Barret Bradley, vice president of acquisitions and development; and Sandra Kist, chief financial officer. Additionally, Travis Fidel and Kevin Marusiak of Radar Capital arranged the financing. Jon Walters of Kidder Matthews represented the seller. Kevin Barry of Irish Commercial represented Wendy’s with Andrew Peterson of SRS representing Dutch Bros Coffee.
Otay Mesa industrial building sold for nearly $24.9 million
An Otay Mesa industrial building has been sold for nearly $24.9 million. Dalfen Industrial bought the building at 7615 Siempre Viva Road from a partnership between Alcion Ventures and Lincoln Property Company (LPC) West, which purchased and leased the property in February of 2021. Mark Lewkowitz and Chris Holder of Colliers represented both parties.
The 86,680 square-foot building has 20 dock-high doors, two grade-level roll-up doors, a sprinkler system, clear height of 27 feet to 28 feet, 1,500 amp, a 180-degree truck court, and 6,950 square feet of office space.
Dalfen Industrial plans to lease the property following minimal tenant improvements to the existing office spaces.
RPG and CenterSquare sell Vista industrial building to BLT Enterprises
RPG, a commercial real estate firm based in San Diego, in joint venture partnership with global real estate investment manager CenterSquare, has sold 1 Viper Way, a Class A industrial building in Vista, to private real estate investment firm BLT Enterprises.
RPG and CenterSquare initially acquired the asset, which had been vacated after serving as the headquarters for an automotive technology company for 20 years, as a 202,844 square-foot property in February 2021. The partnership identified an opportunity to implement strategic renovations that would improve functionality and further enhance the well-located asset’s appeal to high-quality industrial users, according to Adam Robinson, founder and president of RPG.
After upgrades were made, RPG leased the building to two new tenants, Robinson said.
California poised to restrict bee-killing pesticides
By Rachel Becker |CalMatters)
What in the world are neonicotinoids? It turns out they’re a relatively new class of pesticides — inspired by the toxicity of nicotine — used in the agricultural industry to kill plant-damaging pests like aphids. But they also harm bees, birds and other creatures, and California’s pesticide agency is proposing to restrict their use with what would be among the nation’s most extensive regulations, CalMatters’ Rachel Becker reports. Although the proposed rules have been applauded by some environmental advocates — even as they say tighter measures are needed to address the chemicals’ risks — growers warn the restrictions could hamstring their power to protect crops and cause even worse outcomes for bees. Meanwhile, the state agriculture department expects costs will rise due to the price of replacement pesticides.
SDG&E residential customers to get $64 reductions
in their August and September electric bills
Thanks to the California Climate Credit program, residential customers of San Diego Gas & Electric will receive $64.17 reductions in both their August and September electric bills — or a total of $128.34. Earlier this year, SDG&E’s residential natural gas customers also received $43.06 in credits. This is all thanks to the California Climate Credit program. Administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the program is part of the state’s efforts to fight climate change.
Altogether, this year’s climate credits total up to $171.40, about double last year’s amount. In addition to residential customers, eligible small businesses will also receive the same amount of climate credits on their electric bills. The credits will be applied during what are typically the hottest months in the year, when energy use tends to be higher due to air conditioning.
Lytx introduces Asset Tracking Service
SAN DIEGO — Lytx Inc., a global leader in video telematics solutions, has launched the Lytx Asset Tracking Service to augment its industry-leading fleet management solutions. Available now in the U.S. and Canada, the Asset Tracking Service can be used by fleet managers looking for a streamlined approach to locating and managing their powered equipment. The company also announced several new maintenance enhancements for its Fleet Tracking Service, which are slated to release later this year.
With nearly $1 billion dollars of large machinery lost or stolen in the United States every year, today’s fleet managers need an efficient solution that can quickly help them secure and locate their most important powered assets.
Available now, the all-new Lytx Asset Tracking Service is designed for fleet managers who need timely information about their powered equipment. The service consists of the Lytx Asset Tracker hardware and a monthly subscription per unit that grants customers access to the customizable software via a Lytx account.
Frontwave Arena coming to Oceanside
OCEANSIDE — Oceanside Arena Management and Frontwave Credit Union announced the naming rights Tuesday for the new state-of-the-art community entertainment and sports arena coming to Oceanside in 2023.
The 170,000-square-foot arena will be named Frontwave Arena and is being built in the El Corazón sports complex area near Oceanside Blvd and Rancho del Oro Drive.
“We’re dreaming big with the creation of a state-of-the-art entertainment complex in Oceanside, and we’ve got a naming rights partner that dreams big as well,” said Oside Arena Management President Sean Bowers. “We couldn’t be happier to partner with Frontwave Credit Union, an organization we have worked with closely in recent seasons with the San Diego Sockers. Together, we look to change the face of entertainment in San Diego’s North County.”
Aya Healthcare named to Fortune’s 2022
Best Workplaces for Millennials
SAN DIEGO — Aya Healthcare, the largest health care staffing company in the U.S., was named to Fortune’s list of Best Workplaces for Millennials for 2022. Aya was recognized for its focus on employee happiness and promoting a company culture that encourages comradery, personal and professional growth and an overall sense of wellbeing. The organization consistently recognizes hard work with quarterly awards, helps employees build rapport with frequent team-building events and offers a variety of wellness programs, including virtual exercise, meditation and mental health classes.
“Our employees help clinicians live their best lives and help health care facilities do their best work,” said Amber Zeeb, VP of employee experience at Aya Healthcare. “We’re obsessed with creating exceptional experiences and fostering an environment that gives our employees meaning and purpose aiding communities in need.”
San Diego recognized by Ovation TV
for its Stand For The Arts initiative
SAN DIEGO – Arts network Ovation TV announced that it has recognized San Diego as part of its national and local Stand For The Arts initiative that encourages community support for local artists and arts organizations. With arts and culture providing millions of dollars in economic activity and employing thousands of people in San Diego, the initiative encourages support of the arts and arts organizations essential to the economic and mental health recovery from the covid pandemic.
In support of local access to the arts, Mayor Todd Gloria presented a $10,000 Stand For The Arts Award to WorldBeat Cultural Center, funded by Ovation TV, that will be used for 2022 programming. In addition, a PSA featuring Mayor Gloria will air nationally on Ovation TV: https://www.ovationtv.com/sfta/partner-initiatives/
Stand For The Arts (SFTA) is Ovation TV’s intersectional grassroots campaign comprised of arts & culture workers, unions, and institutions to advocate for support and relief to the arts & culture sector of the American economy. SFTA highlights the people and programs across America that enrich their local communities through art.
Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos
opens new clubhouse in Richmar
SAN MARCOS — What formerly sat as an empty retail space in the Richmar neighborhood of San Marcos just a year ago has transformed into a buzzing clubhouse offering daily recreation, education and support programs for dozens of local youth.
The new 6,000 square-foot clubhouse on Autumn Drive, known as the Walter J. & Betty C. Zable Foundation Boys & Girls Club, is a branch of the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos located less than half a mile from the main site on Positive Place which they have outgrown in recent years.
On June 28, club leaders, city officials and community members gathered to officially celebrate the opening of the brand-new space equipped with a games room, community connections center, learning and technology centers, arts room and demonstration kitchen.
For learn more about the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos, please visit their website.
TuSimple partners with global logistics leader
SAN DIEGO – TuSimple, a global autonomous driving technology company, has announced its partnership with Hegelmann Group, a major European transport and logistics provider, that operates a fleet of over 5,000 vehicles, including an initial reservation of purpose-built SAE Level 4 (L4) Autonomous International Trucks for operation in North America. The trucks will be equipped with TuSimple’s advanced autonomous driving system and will be based on a world-class global vehicle platform developed by Navistar.
