In This Issue
October Event's Details
- Friends of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Speaking
of Architecture
- New Gaslamp Quarter Monthly Self-guided
Tour
-
Paths to Partnership at the Convention Center
-
Public Meeting and Waterfront Tour
- Annual Light the Night Against Crime
Festival of Lights in Balboa Park
Monday Night Football Event
Center City Advisory Committee (CCAC)
Election
Urban Trees Seven
Balboa Park Halloween Family Day
San Diego's Largest Halloween Party
Annual Halloween Ball at the Prado
November Event's Details
- Election Central at Golden Hall
- Fall Version of Taste of Little Italy
- Free Fallback Children's Street Festival
- First TEDx Event in San Diego
- Wine & Food Festival
- Walk San Diego Luncheon
- Friends of San Diego Architecture Monthly
Lecture
- Sun Harbor Chorus Holiday Show
December Event's Details
- 39th Boat Parade of Holiday Lights on the
Bay
Downtown News of the Day
-
Haunted Hotel Open for
Halloween
-
SANDAG to Study
Effectiveness of Border Crime Fighting
-
Downtown Information Center
(DIC) Renamed
-
Birch Aquarium’s Kelp Forest
Tank on Web Cam
-
New Setback Park Planned for
Lane Field
-
Council Approves Move Toward
Permanent Homeless Center
-
Large Downtown Condo
Development Sold as Rentals
-
Retro Boutique Opening New
Shop Downtown
-
Café Sevilla to Move Within
Downtown
-
Helping the Homeless
-
Trolley System to be
Upgraded
-
Port Shows Newest Design For
Ruocco Park
-
East Village Green Park
Moves Forward
Recurring Events
- Little Italy Association
Meeting
- Lunch & Learn Series
- Coffee with CCDC
- Horizons Downtown Book Club
- Critical Mass Monthly
Bicycle Ride
- Police Captain's Community
Outreach Meeting
Free Downtown Tours
- Monthly Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
Free Period & Tours
- Sofia Hotel Downtown Walking Tours
- CCDC Downtown Bus Tours
This publication is giving away
several pairs of general admission tickets to San Diego's
largest Halloween party, Monster Bash,
www.sandiegomonsterbash.com. This event will be held,
as most years, on the last Saturday of October which is one
day prior to Halloween this year. There is a cash prize of
$3,000- for the winner of the costume contest at the
event. It is in a closed area adjacent to the Gaslamp
Quarter. The tickets are provided by San Diego's premier
event coordinator, McFarlane Promotions,
www.mcfarlanepromotions.com, 656 Fifth Avenue suite B,
in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. To enter the drawing
for two tickets you must be a subscriber to this publication
and send an email message with "Monster Bash Ticket Drawing"
as the subject to the editor at
smarder1@alum.ups.edu. The deadline for entries is
Sunday 24 October and the winners will be notified on Monday
25 October. Winners will have to pickup their tickets not
later than Thursday 28 October at a location in downtown San
Diego.
The Gaslamp Quarter
Historical Foundation is in great need of volunteers to help
with their annual children's historical street faire,
Fallback. The event will be held in the area of the
Gaslamp Quarter centered on Fourth and Island Avenues on
Sunday 7 November from 11am to 3pm. A wide variety of jobs
are available and you do not have to work the entire four
hours the event runs for. If you can help the
foundation with this great need please contact Sherry
Linden, 233-4692 /
info@gaslampquarter.org. Your
assistance would be greatly appreciated by the foundation
and the attending children. More information on Fallback
can be found at
www.gaslampquarter.org.
* Indicates that
this event is not covered in more detail in this publication.
October
16 Sat Friends of San Diego
Architecture lecture, New School of Architecture &
Design, 1249 F Street,
friendsofsdarch.com,
9:30am
20 Wed Gaslamp
Quarter Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start
William Heath Davis House Museum, 410 Island Avenue,
www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm
21 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art
free period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 /
www.mcasd.org,
5-7pm
21 Thu East Village
Community Action Network, East Village Community Church,
1374 Island Avenue,
evcan.net,
5:30pm-7pm *
21 Thu Coffee
w/CCDC, DIC,
www.ccdc.com, 6pm (change
from first Thursday)
23 Sat Waterfront
meeting and tour, Port of San Diego, Embarcadero
Planning Center,
www.portofsandiego.org,
8:30am meeting / 2pm tour
25 Mon Monday Night
Football event, House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Avenue, RSVP
Rachel Morris
sdbrand.intern@livenation.com / 525-1935, 5pm
(kickoff 5:30)
25 Mon & 26 Tue CCAC
election, DIC Horton Plaza Mon, various Tue, Brandon
Nichols 533-7182 /
nichols@ccdc.com /
www.ccdc,.com, 5pm-7pm Mon,
noon-6:30pm Tue
30 Sat Monster Bash,
adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, 233-5008 /
www.sandiegomonsterbash.com,
6pm-midnight (free ticket giveaway see this
publication)
31 Sun Halloween
Ball, Prado, Balboa Park,
djhere.com, 9pm
November
02 Tue CCDC
Lunch & Learn, monthly speaker and Q&A, DIC, Horton Plaza,
www.ccdc.com, noon-1pm
07 Sun Fallback
free children's cultural and historic street faire, Gaslamp
Quarter, www.gaslampquarter.org
/ 233-4692, 11am-3pm (Volunteers needed for this event.
Please contact Sherry Linden, 233-4692 /
info@gaslampquarter.org.)
08 Mon
09
Tue (change from the usual first Tuesday) Little Italy
Association BoD, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State
St,
www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp,
8:30am-10am
17 Wed Gaslamp Quarter
Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start William Heath Davis
House Museum, 410 Island Avenue,
www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm
18 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free
period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 /
www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm
18
Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village
Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue,
evcan.net,
5:30pm-7pm *
19 Fri
Walk San Diego bi-monthly luncheon, DIC Horton Plaza,
www.walksandiego.org, noon-1pm
20 Sat
Friends of San Diego Architecture lecture, New School of
Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street,
friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am
22 Mon
25 Tue Police Captain's Community Outreach
Meeting, (November meeting canceled, next meeting Tuesday 25
January) Central Division Headquarters, 2501 Imperial Ave, www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml, 5:30pm
26 Fri
Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, large fountain Balboa Park,
www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm
27 Sat
Sun Harbor Chorus Holiday Show, Prado Theater, Balboa Park,
www.sunharbor.org /
sunharborchorus@cox.net / (888)-723-7464, 1pm / 4pm
December
12
Sun Boat Parade of Lights, San Diego Bay,
sdparadeoflights.org, 5:30-9pm
15 Wed Gaslamp Quarter
Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start William Heath Davis
House Museum, 410 Island Avenue,
www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm
October's Events Details
Friends of San Diego
Architecture (FSDA) Speaking of Architecture
There are eight monthly free Speaking of
Architecture lectures a year. They are held the third
Saturday each month--except for June, July, August and
December--at the New School of Architecture & Design (NSAD),
1249 F Street at 9:30am. The October lecture will be
on the history of the Gaslamp Quarter. It will be
conducted by Sherry Linden who is the curator for the
Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation's next exhibit, at
the William Heath Davis House Museum. After
the lecture and Q&A period there will be a free tour of
the museum which is location at 410 Island Avenue, just
a few blocks from the NSAD. A $5 donation is
suggested. For additional information
www.friendsofsdarch.com.
New Gaslamp Quarter Monthly
Self-guided Tour
On the third Wednesday of each
month starting at 5pm and ending at 8pm the Gaslamp
Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour will take place. This
new tour will showcase the Gaslamp Quarter's shops,
boutiques and galleries. During this event there will be:
-
live demonstrations
-
home décor and hardware
specials
-
wine classes
-
unique fashion opportunities
-
an array of gifts available
-
unique pet products
available
-
eyewear
-
lingerie
-
pilates
-
spa treatments
-
info about sexual health
-
acupuncture
There will be more than 30
participating locations in and around the Gaslamp Quarter.
The suggested starting point for the tour is the corner of
Fourth and Island Avenues in the pocket park at the William
Heath Davis House Museum (410 Island Avenue) where you can
pick up a map and register to win prizes. For additional
information
www.gaslamp.org/locals-lifestyle-design-tour.
Paths to Partnership at the
Convention Center
The 12th
Annual Paths to Partnerships Regional Forum is a
collaborative regional outreach event for small businesses
interested in working with public agencies. It will be held
at the convention center on Thursday 21 October from 8:30am
to 4:30pm. It provides firms with an opportunity to learn
about government contracts and forge business relationships
with public agencies and other government contractors. In
attendance will be
local, state, and federal officials and buyers. For
registration or further information
events.constantcontact.com.
Public Meeting and Waterfront
Tour
Members of the public
will have another opportunity to hear a presentation and
provide comments on development plans and concepts for the
North Embarcadero area of San Diego's waterfront. The
meeting, facilitated by the San Diego Councils of Design
Professionals, is set for Saturday 23 October from 8:30am to
1pm at the Embarcadero Planning Center (old Coral Reef
restaurant), located at
585 Harbor Lane. A guided
waterfront walk, beginning at 2pm, will follow the
meeting. The Port of San Diego's role in the workshop is
to provide the venue and to make public presentations on
waterfront projects including
North Embarcadero Visionary Plan Phase 1.
NEVP Phase 1 encompasses an area from the front of the
B Street Cruise Ship Terminal to
the front of Navy Pier and a small portion of West Broadway
from Harbor Drive to just past Pacific Highway. The
workshop will also focus on:
- Pending projects and their
relationship to the NEVP
- Restating the importance of the
waterfront
- Identification of the opportunities
and constraints for future redevelopment
- Preparation of a phasing in plan
- Discussion of how to fund and
implement the NEVP
Sponsors of the workshop include:
This should be the last public workshop on
NEVP Phase 1 before the Board of Port Commissioners votes on
a coastal development permit for the project. The vote
should occur at the November meeting of the Board. For
additional information
www.portofsandiego.org.
Annual Light the Night Against
Crime
At 7pm on Saturday 23 October
San Diego County Crime Stoppers will host its 24th Annual
Light the Night Against Crime 5k Run/Walk at Balboa Park.
This is a family-friendly evening featuring a costume
contest, band, expo with law enforcement displays &
demonstrations and additional pre- and post-race
festivities. Proceeds benefit San Diego County Crime
Stopper's Felony Crime Reward Fund and its community
education program. The 5k walk/run is on a flat course.
To register or more information
www.sdcrimestoppers.com.
Festival of Lights in Balboa
Park
Balboa Park will be the setting
for the third annual community Diwali Festival, the annual
Festival of Lights celebrated in India and around the world,
which will be held in Balboa Park on Sunday 24 October from
4pm to 8pm. Diwali celebrates the victory of good over
evil. The colorful festival will feature:
One thousand, eight small lamps,
arranged in graceful patterns, and 50 large brass lamps,
some nearly five feet high, will be lighted at sunset by
distinguished women from San Diego and the evening’s Guest
of Honor, the Consul General of India in San Francisco.
Admission to the festival is $10 for individuals and $15 for
families. Tickets will be available at Mingei International
Museum and at the Festival. Further information is
available at
www.americantowns.com/ca/sandiego/news/indian-diwali-festival-in-balboa-park-218130 /
239-0003.
Monday Night Football Event
The House of Blues
will be having a free Monday Night Football Happy Hour
at their location, 1055 Fifth Avenue (between Broadway
and C Street) on Monday 25 October starting at 5pm (game
kickoff is at 5:30pm). They will provide free hot
dogs, hamburgers and grilled chicken with happy hour
prices on drinks. In attendance will be the ladies of
the San Diego Seductions of the Lingerie Football
League. RSVP Rachel Morris
sdbrand.intern@livenation.com
/ 525-1935.
Center City Advisory Committee
(CCAC) Election
The CCAC is a state-mandated
group of twenty-eight members who are elected for a 2-year
term to represent downtown:
They meet monthly and review and
make recommendations on almost everything that is be brought
up before the CCDC Board. This year there are eleven seats
open in the election that will be held on Monday 25 &
Tuesday 26 October. On Monday the election kick-off event
will take place at the DIC from 5pm-7pm. The candidates
will speak and you will have a chance to vote. On Tuesday
voting will continue from noon to 6:30pm at three locations:
Downtown Information Center (DIC),
Horton Plaza
Caffe Italia, 1704 India Street
Venissimo Cheese, 871 G Street
Urban Trees Seven
The newest version of a
very popular and unique San Diego tradition will be
dedicated at 4pm on Thursday 28 October. Urban Trees Six,
which was an exhibit of 30 sculptures, that lined San
Diego's North Embarcadero waterfront in planter boxes - from
Broadway to Laurel Street- has come to a close. Many of
the sculptures from Urban Trees Six are available for
purchase from the artists. Prices range from $9,500 to
$40,000. They are also available on an on-loan basis for
display in public, corporate or private collections or
settings. For more information, contact the Port's Public
Art Department at 686-7246. On 4 October the Port
began installing the 30 new artworks of the
Urban Trees 7 exhibit. The
dedication ceremony for the new artworks will be held at the
B Street Pier. For additional information
www.portofsandiego.org.
Balboa Park Halloween
Family Day
On Saturday 30 October over a dozen museums
will open their doors free to children under 18 in
celebration of the 2nd annual Balboa Park Halloween Family
Day. In addition, participating museums and cultural
attractions are presenting a wide variety of:
-
spooky activities
-
creepy crafts
-
spine-tingling tours
-
scary storytelling
-
free treats
The time for this event is
from 11am to 3pm. While children under 18 will be admitted
free of charge to museums with a paid adult admission,
adults can receive discounted admission when they pick up a
Stay-for-the-Day Pass, which is a one-day excursion pass,
allowing one adult admission to five park museums for one
low price of $35. The pass can be purchased at the Balboa
Park Visitors Center or at the participating museums. For
a complete listing of the activities scheduled for the day
see
www.balboapark.org.
San Diego's Largest Halloween
Party
The 9th Annual Monster Bash will
be the biggest Halloween party in San Diego. It runs from
6pm to midnight on Saturday 30 October. It is held adjacent
to the Gaslamp Quarter at 7th Avenue between Market and J
Streets and on Island Avenue between 6th and 8th
Avenues. The main entrance is at Market Street and Seventh
Avenue. There will be:
The event wristband is a
ticket to food and drink specials and free entrance into
many of the Gaslamp Quarter and East Village’s nightclubs
that evening. There are also VIP tickets available.
General admission tickets are $25.00 in advance and $30.00
at the door but this event often sells out. You must be 21
years old and you must show a valid ID to enter. For
information or tickets 233-5008 /
www.sandiegomonsterbash.com.
You do not need to drink and drive if you attend this event
as there is a free designated driver shuttle home to
anywhere in the County from 9pm to 1am. This publication
is giving away free tickets to this event. See
article at the beginning of this issue.
Annual Halloween Ball at the
Prado
This event features a $500
costume contest. It is held at the Prado in Balboa
Park starting at 9pm on Sunday 31 October. This event
is only open to those 21 or older. For tickets or
information
djhere.com.
November Event's Details
Election Central at Golden Hall
On almost all election days the San Diego
County Registrar of Voters runs what they call Election
Central in Golden Hall at the Civic Center. It runs from
8pm, when the polls close, until the wee hours of the
morning. All the major local TV and radio stations will
have areas setup there from which they will broadcast live
that evening. Much electioneering will take place there as
almost all the local candidates will show up with their
entourages. This is of course legal as the poll have
already closed and the election is actually over but the
counting is not. As the returns are counted they will be
posted on a large stage. On the whole it is the place to
be on the evening of Election Day. For further
information www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/Eindex.shtml.
Fall Version of Taste of Little Italy
On Wednesday 3 November Taste of Little Italy
returns from 5-9pm. Many restaurants in Little Italy will
provide their top dish to the participants. All
restaurants are within easy walking distance of each
other. The cost is $35 for advanced purchase or $40 the
the day of the event. To purchase tickets or for more
information, including a list of all restaurants
participating,
www.tasteoflittleitalysd.com.
Free Fallback Children's Street Festival
The Tenth annual children's cultural and
historic street faire in the Gaslamp Quarter will not be
charging an admittance fee this year. The name
fallback comes from the festival always being held on
the day the clocks are turned back one hour as we switch
from saving time to standard time. Under current US
law this is the first Sunday on November. The festival
will be held on Sunday 7 November from 11am to 3pm in
the area centered around Fourth and Island Avenues
adjacent to the William Heath Davis House Museum which
is the oldest building in downtown San Diego. Among the
activities that will be found at the festival are:
-
stages
-
crafts
-
house of 1,000 spiders
-
activity booths
-
face painting
-
puppet shows
-
wagon rides
-
pony rides
-
hot dogs for children
-
gold panning
-
contests
-
live music
-
eating races
Some activities require a minimal fee to
participate. The festival name sponsor is Union Bank
of California and all proceeds will benefit the Gaslamp
Quarter Historical Foundation. For additional
information
www.gaslampquarter.org /
www.mcfarlanepromotions.com / 233-4692. There is
a need for volunteers to help conduct this event. If
you can help please contact Sherry Linden, Gaslamp
Quarter Historical Foundation, 233-4692 /
info@gaslampquarter.org.
First TEDx Event in San Diego
On Monday 8 November San Diego will host
its inaugural TEDx event, The Next Wave.
Participants are invited to interact in a sea change of
new ideas and shared passions. TEDx San Diego brings
together innovators, explorers, teachers and learners in
an environment that encourages collaboration,
conversation and interaction. TEDx San Diego is a
not-for-profit event organized entirely by local, unpaid
volunteers. The inaugural San Diego event will be held
at Anthology, 1337 India Street from 8:30am-6pm. For
additional information
www.tedx-sandiego.com.
Wine & Food Festival
The seventh annual San Diego Bay Wine and
Food Festival will be held in the Embarcadero Marina
Park North from 17-21 November. The event will feature
over 800 wines from 170 breweries and food from 70 local
restaurants. There will also be an auction along with
cooking and wine tasting classes. Further information
can be found at
www.worldofwineevents.com.
Walk San Diego Luncheon
Walk San Diego will hold their bi-monthly luncheon
at the Downtown Information Center (DIC) on Friday
19 November from noon to 1pm.
The luncheon is free but a donation of $7 is
suggested. Reservations to Cynthia Offenhauer
coffenhauer@walksandiego.org. More
information
www.walksandiego.org.
Friends of San Diego
Architecture Monthly Lecture
The eight monthly free Speaking of Architecture
lectures continue. They are held the third
Saturday each month--except for June, July,
August and December--at the New School of
Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street at
9:30am. The 20 November lecture is Reality
Hits Home for Aging Baby Boomers which is about
aging in place and not having to move into a
special home for elderly people. The lecturer
will be Anne Kellett and the results of the
Designed for Life Kitchen and Bath contest will
be announced. A $5 donation is suggested.
For additional information
www.friendsofsdarch.com.
Sun Harbor Chorus Holiday Show
San Diego's oldest barbershop chorus will
be having their holiday show at the Prado Theater in
Balboa Park on Saturday 27 November. There will be two
performances, 1pm and 4pm. For tickets or additional
information
www.sunharbor.org /
sunharborchorus@cox.net /
(888)-723-7464.
December's Events Details
39th Boat Parade of Holiday Lights on the
Bay
This is one of San Diego's favorite
annual holiday events. As usual it will be held on two
Sundays in December, the 12th and 19th. There are many
good viewing areas along the bay. The parade
of illuminated boats starts near Shelter Island and
proceeds through the bay making a U-turn just before
reaching the Bay Bridge. Starting time is shortly
after the sky fully darkens at about 5:30pm and the
event ends at 9pm. Information at
sdparadeoflights.org.
Downtown News of the Day
Haunted Hotel Open for Halloween
A long time Halloween
tradition in the Gaslamp is open again. The Haunted Hotel
is open until Sunday 31 October. It can be found next to
Hooters on Market Street just off Fourth Avenue. The hours
are 7-11pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 6pm-1am on
Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Admission is $15 except for Friday and Saturday when it is
$17. It is not recommended for those under 10 years old.
Tickets or information at
www.hauntedhotel.com
SANDAG to Study Effectiveness of Border
Crime Fighting
The San Diego Association of
Governments (SANDAG) has been awarded $300,000 by the US
Department of Justice to study collaborative efforts to
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of combating
criminal narcotics activity along the US / Mexico border.
The Department of Justice is funding the project. It will
include a two-year evaluation of the Chula Vista Police
Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which
received federal funding to target crime on the California /
Mexico border. The study will look at both San Diego County
and Imperial County through interviews and historical
records. Additionally, surveys will be conducted with
members of local, state, and federal agencies that have been
directly involved in these efforts. An analysis of the
compiled data will be used to determine if opportunities for
better coordination exist.
Downtown Information Center
(DIC) Renamed
At a dedication held on Thursday
23 September at 4pm the DIC was renamed the Sheila R. Hardin
DIC. The renaming celebration took place at the DIC in
Horton Plaza. A plaque on the wall was dedication to Ms
Hardin during the event. Several of the attendees at the
renaming were from Ms Hardin's family and came from Ohio for
the event. The welcome and introductions were done by the
CCDC board Chair. Mayor Jerry Sanders and several members
of the City Council, including Kevin Faulconer, were also in
attendance. Ms Hardin started at CCDC over twenty years ago
as a volunteer and created the original DIC and became its
first manager. She died in April of this year after a
short illness at the age of 60. At the time of her death
she was serving as the community outreach manager for CCDC.
Birch Aquarium’s Kelp Forest
Tank on Web Cam
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Institution of Oceanography in San Diego has launched a new,
live, HD Web cam featuring the aquarium’s two-story kelp
forest tank. The Web cam gives a diver’s-eye view of
leopard sharks, garibaldi, eels, barracuda, giant sea bass
and more in the 70,000-gallon tank. During weekly dive
shows, viewers can watch divers feed the animals and discuss
the kelp forest’s role in the health of the ocean. Dive
shows take place at:
10:30am on Sundays
12:30pm on Tuesdays
12:30pm on Thursdays
2pm on Saturdays
Birch Aquarium’s kelp forest—one
of only a handful displayed at public science centers
worldwide—features more than 175 fish and invertebrates,
representing 35 species. Viewers are advised to keep an eye
out for the fiery-orange garibaldi, California’s state
fish. The Web cam can be found at
aquarium.ucsd.edu.
New Setback Park Planned for
Lane Field
The San Diego
Board of Port Commissioners
has approved amendments to the two option agreements held by
Lane Field San Diego Developers.
The amendments will allow for a 150-foot-wide setback park
on North Harbor Drive adjacent to Lane Field. The
Lane Field
development calls for construction of two hotels with a
total of 800 rooms. The project also includes about 60,000
square feet in retail space, two acres of public space and
1,330 parking spots. It is estimated that the project will
earn $7 million annually in rent for the Port. The Port
will now work with the Lane Field developers to work out the
terms of a new option agreement, including the 150-foot-wide
setback, and business terms to be negotiated. In August
2010 the Lane Field San Diego Developers pledged to the Port
that it would consider changing the footprint of the Lane
Field project to allow more public space for the
North Embarcadero Visionary Plan's
(NEVP) Phase I. The NEVP will redevelop about a mile and a
half of waterfront along North Harbor Drive, from Laurel
Street to Navy Pier with public plazas, enhanced
landscaping, improved traffic and public art, is a joint
project among the Port,
Centre City Development Corporation
and the
City of San Diego.
NEVP Phase I encompasses an area from the front of the
B Street Cruise Ship Terminal
to the front of Navy Pier and a small portion of West
Broadway from Harbor Drive to just past Pacific Highway.
The NEVP Phase I has gone before the
California Coastal Commission (CCC)
twice this past year for approval. The Coastal Commission
rejected it both times stating that additional public park
space needed to be incorporated in the plan. it is hoped
that this modified plan with the new setback park will meet
the requirements of the CCC and finally allow the NEVP to
move forward with the first phase.
Council Approves Move Toward Permanent
Homeless Center
The San Diego City Council voted 8-0 on
Tuesday 5 October to move forward with a plan to establish
San Diego’s first permanent homeless service and housing
facility in the old World Trade Center building at Sixth
Avenue and A Street. The City will now enter into
negotiations with the project’s developer and various
service providers to finalize plans for the facility which
would include:
-
health care
-
mental health services
-
substance abuse care
-
job training
-
housing
The proposed project would house 223
individuals in a regulated environment and accommodate
services to care for them. The center was proposed by a
coalition including family health centers, affirmed housing
and PATH (People Assisting The Homeless), which runs similar
comprehensive service facilities for homeless in Los
Angeles. Details of the project, including funding and
neighborhood mitigation measures, will be outlined in spring
2011. The City Council will consider final approval of the
center at that time. CCDC has estimated that the total
cost of the facility will be about $34million.
Large Downtown Condo Development
Sold as Rentals
Chicago-based Equity Residential
has acquired Vantage Pointe, a 40-story building said to be
the largest condo ever built in downtown San Diego. It is
located on the block bounded by Ninth and Tenth Avenues and
A and B Streets right near City College. The purchase price
was $200 million. The complex has 679 apartments, 26,000
square feet of retail space and 968 underground parking
spaces. The purchase price values the apartments at about
$290,000 each and $350 per square foot of rentable apartment
space. The property was originally developed as a
condominium and was completed in 2009. The original
developer, Pointe of View, defaulted on its original $210
million construction loan in March of this year. In
addition to the loan Pointe of View also invested more than
$75 million in Vantage Pointe. Amenities include:
rooftop pool
sundeck
fitness center
theater
The building is being operated
as rentals now and is approximately 22 percent occupied.
The company said it has begun a marketing and leasing
campaign to rent more of the units. Equity Residential is
becoming a major player in the San Diego region apartment
market as they now own and operate 14 properties consisting
of about 5,000 apartment units in the local area.
Retro Boutique Opening New Shop
Downtown
Retro retailer Bettie Page will
be opening a new location in Gaslamp City Square. The
3,800 square foot store front will be at 430 Fifth Avenue in
the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter between Island Avenue and J
Street and should open by the end of this year. It will be
the fifth location for the 1950s-era clothing manufacturer
and retailer. They how have locations in Los Angeles, Las
Vegas and San Francisco.
Café Sevilla to Move Within
Downtown
Café Sevilla will be
moving from their current location at 555 Fourth Avenue to
356 Sixth Avenue (between J and K Avenues) in January. The
new 8,000 square foot facility will be located in the 240
guestroom Marriott Residence Inn.
Helping the Homeless
Homeless Registry Week was
conducted Sunday 19-Friday 24 September. During the six day
period more than 240 volunteers made contact with 1,040
homeless persons in downtown, with 738, or 71 percent,
participating in the survey. Of those 738, 556 agreed to
have their picture taken, which will help with future
contact and identification. Registry Week was led by the
Downtown San Diego Partnership and CCDC, in partnership with
The program’s primary goal
is to get people off of the streets and into supportive
housing. The program should enable 125 people to be housed
by the end of the year. For additional information
www.ccdc.com.
Trolley System to
be Upgraded
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the San
Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) launched a large
construction project to renew the San Diego Trolley’s Blue
and Orange lines. It will result in brand new station
platforms and passenger amenities, as well as enable new
low-floor trolley cars to operate on the entire MTS
system. The $620 million project is expected to take five
years to complete. It will bring 57 low-floor trolley cars
to the region. The project also will raise 33 station
platforms to accommodate the easy access vehicles, replace
old rail and overhead wire, and improve street crossings,
switching, and signaling. In addition, the project will
expand freight capacity between downtown San Diego and the
border area and speed daily commutes. The Blue Line will
see the following changes:
The new cars have nearly level ramp boarding
eliminating the need for steep stairs that make getting on
and off our current vehicles slower and much more
difficult. The new cars will also eliminate the need for
mechanical lifts for people using mobility devices which
will make the operations faster. Construction will
necessitate adjustments to system operations, including
temporary station closures. Beginning in late October, work
will begin on the replacement of overhead electrical wire.
This will require the closure of sections of Blue Line
service in both directions and the closure of up to four
stations at a time. All work will be done on weekends. MTS
will provide bus service to all closed stations. All riders
will be able to use MTS services to reach their
destinations, but travel times may be increased by up to 30
minutes. For more information
www.sdmts.com/trolleyrenewal.asp /
www.keepsandiegomoving.com / 557-4533 /
www.twitter.com/sdmts / www.facebook.com/sdmts. The
project is funded by a variety of sources, including
TransNet (the local half-cent sales tax), California
Propositions 1B and 1A bond money, and the American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The funds are all designated
for capital improvements to the system and cannot be used
for day-to-day operations.
Port Shows Newest Design For
Ruocco Park
The newest design for the
proposed
Ruocco Park was presented to the
public on 12 October. The 3.3-acre park will be located at
the southwest corner of
West Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway
at the former Harbor Seafood Mart site diagonally opposite
the Embassy Suites Hotel. Most of the existing buildings in
the area will be demolished to make way for the park which
will overlook San Diego Bay. A $3.5 million donation from
the Lloyd and Ilse Ruocco Fund was awarded to the Port of
San Diego in November 2008 to enhance the park's
design. The grant is managed by the
San Diego Foundation. Lloyd
Ruocco (1907-1981) was a noted San Diego architect. A
public restroom is included in the park's design. The
restroom will feature a modern, minimalist design to go with
the overall theme of the park. Electrical outlets will be
installed to provide electricity for public events and
gatherings. The
Board of Port Commissioners is
expected to issue a Coastal Development Permit for the park
at its November meeting. Construction is scheduled to begin
in early 2011. Further information
www.portofsandiego.org.
East Village Green Park
Moves Forward
The CCDC Board has
approved the relocation and replacement housing plan for the
planned East Village Green Park site–east side, which is the
block bounded by F, G, 14th and 15th
Streets. It is adjacent to the Albertsons supermarket
block. CCDC is acquiring property for the proposed park,
which is one of several new parks planned for downtown.
Currently located on the site are seven dwelling units with
five residential tenants, one commercial office, a storage
unit used by property owner for personal belongings, one
grocery, one office and two industrial warehouses. Under
California Health and Safety Code, the agency must prepare a
plan for relocation of families or persons displaced from
housing in the area as well as a plan to replace any low-and
moderate-income housing that is destroyed in the process.
No dates have been finalized for construction, but property
acquisition for the proposed park began in 2005. For
further information www.ccdc.com.
Recurring Events
Little Italy Association
Meeting
The Little Italy Association
Board of Directors’ Meetings are open to the public.
They discuss the Little Italy Association's general
business, upcoming events and downtown issues. This
monthly meeting is usually held on the first Tuesday
at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State
Street, from 8:30am-10am. The next meeting will be on
Tuesday 3 August. For more information
www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp.
Lunch & Learn Series
The Downtown Sound Bites
Speaker Series is held on the first Tuesday of every
month from noon-1pm at the Sheila Hardin Downtown
Information Center (DIC) in Horton Plaza. The DIC is
located just above the CVS drug store between Victoria's
Secret and Sam Goody's. You are asked to bring your own
lunch to this free event and then listen and learn from
a variety of interesting speakers all of whom will
approach issues that are important to downtown's
future. A question and answer period will follow each
presentation. The event sponsor is CCDC and further
information can be found at
www.ccdc.com.
The next scheduled event in the series is on Tuesday 3
August and the featured speaker is to be determined.
Coffee with CCDC
The bi-monthly event that
toggles between Thursday evening and Friday morning will
resume on Thursday 7 October at 6pm at the Sheila Hardin
Downtown Information Center in Horton Plaza. It is a
good chance to learn what is happening with the
redevelopment agency arm of the City of San Diego. It
is held in all even numbered months. For more
information
www.ccdc.com.
Horizons Downtown Book
Club
Everyone
is welcome to the book club to facilitate a lively
discussion. It meets in the Horizons South Tower
Lounge, 510 First Avenue, at 7:30pm. It usually
meets the third Monday of each month. For
additional information Heather Forward,
hhumblef@aol.com /
Pat Getzel
pbgetzel@cox.net.
Critical Mass Monthly
Bicycle Ride
San Diego Critical Mass
is a loosely affiliated group of over 700 bicycle
riders that take over San Diego streets and public
rights of way to conduct a group bike ride on the
last Friday of every month. The group meets at the
large fountain in Balboa Park in front of the Ruben
H. Fleet Theatre / Science Center and the National
History Museum at 7pm and participants should be
prepared for up to 20 miles of riding. The ride may
go in any direction from the fountain but usually
goes through downtown. Additional information at
www.sdcriticalmass.com.
Police Captain's Community
Outreach Meeting
The Commander of the San
Diego Police Department's (SDPD) Central Division,
Captain Mark Jones, holds a bimonthly meeting with the
public to address problems and provide information on
what the division is doing to keep us safe. The
meeting is usually well attended and lasts about one and
a half hours. The meeting is always on the
fourth Tuesday of each odd numbered month at 5:30pm at
the SDPD's Central Division Headquarters, 2501 Imperial
Avenue. For additional information
www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml.
. Fifteen
free Mini-Concerts are presented at the
Lyceum each year.
These
concerts are made possible in part, thanks
to funding from the City of San Diego
through a program managed by the Commission
for Arts and Culture and the County of San
Diego. For additional
- 25
October-Alison Luedecke, piano and Bill
Owen, trumpet
- 8 November-Fred Benedetti and George
Svoboda, Classical Guitar Duo
- 22 November-Joshua White, Jazz Piano
Trio
The 2011 dates through the summer:
- 17 January
- 31 January
- 14 February
- 28 February
- 14 March
- 28 March
- 11 April
- 25 April
- 09 May
- 23 May
Free Downtown
Tours
Monthly Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Free Period & Tours
On the third Thursday each month
the MCA, 1100 Kettner Blvd, will open its doors from 5-7pm
to the public to allow free admission. Visitors can browse
anywhere in the museum on their own or join an organized
tour that will begin at 5pm and 6pm. For additional
information (858)454-3541 /
www.mcasd.org.
Sofia Hotel Downtown Walking
Tours
Each Saturday and Sunday the
Sofia Hotel offers complimentary guided two mile walking
tours of downtown that include the Gaslamp Quarter and the
bay front area. The tours are open to all and not just
guests of the hotel. No reservations are needed and the
tours leave from the lobby of the hotel at 9am. The Sofia
Hotel is at 150 West Broadway at the corner of Front
Street. For additional information 234-9200.
CCDC Downtown Bus Tours
Free Downtown bus tours offer
close-up views of downtown's unique neighborhoods and
highlight recently completed and upcoming new projects. All
tours begin at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information
Center, 193 Horton Plaza, just above the CVS drug store
between Victoria's Secret and Sam Goody's. Reservations are
required, please call 235-2222 for reservations or further
information.
Masthead
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the editor, Stan Marder
stan@gaslampquarter.org.
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