| Downtown News & Events |
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In This Issue |
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Calendar of Events
* Indicates that this event is not covered in more detail in this publication.
February
02 Thu Coffee w/CCDC, DIC, www.ccdc.com, 6pm
03 Fri Wear Red For Women day, www.goredforwomen.org
05 Sun For sale condo tour, 246-8400 / citybythesea92101@gmail.com, 1pm
07 Tue Downtown Sound Bites, DIC, www.ccdc.com, noon-1pm
10 Fri & 11 Sat Symphony Valentine Show, Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street, 235-0804 / www.sandiegosymphony.com
13 Mon Downtown Book Club, 510 First Avenue,
Pat Getzel, pbgetzel@cox.net
, 7:30pm
14 Tue-15 Wed Tchaikovsky, Symphony, Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street, www.sandiegosymphony.com / 235-0804, 7:30pm
15 Wed Gaslamp Quarter Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start Gaslamp Museum, 410 Island Avenue, www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm
16 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm
16 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm *
17 Fri Japanese Tao-Taiko drummers, Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street, 235-0804 / www.sandiegosymphony.com, 8pm
18 Sat Friends of San Diego Architecture lecture, New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street, friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am
18 Sat Speaking of Architecture lecture, Friends of San Diego Architecture, 1249 F Street, Tall Buildings Since 9/11: The Spectacle of the Technical, www.friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30-11:30am
18 Sat-26 Sun Moby-Dick, Opera, Civic Theatre, 533-7000 / www.sdopera.com
24 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, start large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm
Wear Red To Fight Heart Disease In Women
Heart Disease kills more women that all cancers combined. That is the opening premise for the annual National Wear Red Day. It is the annual day of action for those who want to fight against heart disease in women. It will be celebrated on Friday 3 February in 2012. All those who support the cause are asked to wear red that day. For additional information www.goredforwomen.org.
Downtown Sound Bites
This monthly event will be held on Tuesday 7 February from noon to 1pm at the Sheila R. Hardin Downtown Information Center (DIC). It will feature a speaker covering topics of interest to downtown with a question and answer period to follow the presentation. No reservations are required to attend these free monthly meetings at the DIC, located in Horton Plaza on Level One (above CVS pharmacy between Sam Goody and Victoria's Secret). Lunch is not provided but you are encouraged to bring your own. Information at www.ccdc.com.
Valentine At The Symphony
On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 February at 8pm the Symphony’s Pops will be presenting their Valentine’s Day show featuring Marvin Hamlisch and Jennifer Holliday at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street. For more information 235-0804 / www.sandiegosymphony.com.
New American Work At The Rep
A fairly new work by an American, In the Wake, will be presented at the Repertory Theatre that is located at the Lyceum in Horton Plaza. It will open Saturday 11 February and close on Sunday 4 March. The show follows six friends for a six year turbulent period from 2000-2005. More information sdrep.org / 544-1000.
Downtown Book Club
The club will meet on Monday 13 February at 7:30pm in the South Tower Lounge of Horizons at 510 First Avenue. It usually meets on the second Monday of each month except for June - September. For more information about the book club contact
Pat Getzel,pbgetzel@cox.net
Tchaikovsky At Symphony Hall
On Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 February at 7:30pm Tchaikovsky will be performed at Copley Symphony Hall. The shows will be different with Sleeping Beauty the first evening and Swan Lake the second. For more information 235-0804 / www.sandiegosymphony.com.
Japanese Drumming At Symphony Hall
On Friday 17 at 8pm Tao-Taiko Drummers of Japan will perform at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street. For additional information 235-0804 / www.sandiegosymphony.com.
Friends Of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Speaking of Architecture
There are eight monthly free Speaking of Architecture lectures provided each year by FSDA. The lecture for Saturday 18 February will beTall Buildings Since 9/11: The Spectacle of the Technical. The presenter will be Kurt Hunker. He has studied at Oxford University, England, and earned his Masters of Architecture from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design in 1982. The monthly lectures 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 from 9:30-11:30am. The lectures are free but a $3-5 donation is suggested. For additional informationwww.friendsofsdarch.com.
Moby-Dick Opera At Civic Theatre
It will be the West Coast premiere of a opera version of Herman Melville’s famous story of the quest of one man for a great white whale that leave death and destruction in its wake. There are four performances all in February scheduled:
Saturday 18 7pm
Tuesday 21 7pm
Friday 24 8pm
Sunday 26 2pm
Train Horn Blowing To Be Significantly Reduced
The quiet zone is on schedule for completion in February 2012 after which there will be a 21 day test and inspection period before it goes into effect during March. Thus far most of the construction has been able to stay close to schedule. For more information www.ccdc.com.
Port Approves Funds For Convention Center Expansion
The San Diego Unified Port has given conditional approval to help fund the $550 million estimated cost for the proposed San Diego Convention Center expansion. The action was taken at a special meeting of the Port Commissioners on Tuesday 29 November and calls for the Port to contribute up to $3 million a year for up to 20 years. The Board of Port Commissioners unanimously agreed to support the funding request with some conditions. The Port Commissioners also directed the Port staff to begin negotiations with the city on the terms and conditions of the support agreements. Details on numerous issues, such as when the Port will begin making its financial contributions, will be worked out in future negotiations between the Port and city. The unified port includes five member cities:
The Port’s action is in response to a request that San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders made before the Port Board on 8 November. He suggested a contribution of $3 million a year, or $60 million over a 20-year period. The mayor returned to the Board at the 29 November meeting and once again asked for the Port’s financial commitment. "The Port will share in the $698 million in economic benefit to the region," Sanders said. Even before the mayor made his request, the Port District staff was analyzing the revenue expected to be generated from the proposed expansion along with a proposed 500-room expansion of the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. Based on the financial projections, the staff concluded that the positive economic impact to the region, the increase in the sustainability of revenues to the Port, and the opportunity to develop 500 new hotel rooms to support the Convention Center is a good investment and is likely to result in increased revenues to the Port. Studies by consultants indicate that the Port could derive revenues ranging from a low of $3.5 million a year to a high of $6.2 million a year, depending on whether the Convention Center expansion and the Hilton addition are developed at the same time. Beyond the economic benefits, the Port staff said the Convention Center expansion will add more public spaces, including a rooftop park on the expansion. It also will improve the sustainability of the Convention Center by using brackish water to irrigate landscaping. Aside from the Port's proposed contribution, the city is proposing funding sources for the expansion that include $33 million a year in tax revenues from a proposed Convention Center Facilities District. The facilities district would levy taxes on hotels in the city, and produce revenue that would cover up to 75% of the expansion cost, according to the city. Revenue also would be generated through the city's transient occupancy tax (TOT) on hotel rooms. The expansion project is currently in the environmental review phase. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is scheduled for completion in February 2012. Construction is anticipated to begin a year later. The city expects the expanded Convention Center to be completed in early 2016. For additional information www.portofsandiego.org.
Wi-Fi In Balboa Park
The Balboa Park Online Collaborative has installed more than 40 wireless access (Wi-Fi) points in the park. Free Wi-Fi access is now available at the following park locations among others:
When in the park and at one of these locations you can access it by going to your device settings and clicking on the network titled Balboa Park. The Online Collaborative network complements the Wi-Fi available at outdoor information kiosks that are maintained by the Friends of Balboa Park. With the Wi-Fi network, that the Online Collaborative is building, the park’s cultural institutions will be able to engage with park visitors via smartphone apps and mobile Websites; improve the visitor experience by offering instant, free Internet access to find out about attractions, events, and amenities; and host more robust and technologically-advanced park wide events. Work will continue in other areas of Balboa Park if additional project funds are obtained. Donors to the Wi-Fi project include:
For more information www.balboapark.org/bpoc.
Award To One Of Downtowns Best
Kris Michell, President of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, was the recent winner of the Special Mayor’s award from Women Who Mean Business. She was chosen from almost 150 women which is a significant accomplishment. For more information www.sdbj.com /www.downtownsandiego.org.
New ED At Children’s Museum
After a five-month national search process the Children’s Museum announced the appointment of Julianne Markow as their new Executive Director (ED) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The previous ED resigned recently. She had been ED at the museum since the opening of the new downtown facility in mid 2008. Markow has twenty years of experience in the non-profit field. She is formerly the CEO at The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Deputy Director, Operations and Finance at The San Diego Museum of Art. Markow holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, an MA in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University, and a BA from Harvard University. More information www.thinkplaycreate.org. The museum is located at 200 West Island Avenue between Front and Union Streets.
Law Firm Lease Renewals Strong In Downtown
Law firms in San Diego leased 424,000 square feet of office space by mid-year 2011, with 77% of that occurring in downtown. That is according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s annual Law Firm Office Perspective report. It said that this strong activity comes after a banner year in 2010, when law firms leased 731,000 square feet of office space in San Diego. Law firms play an important role in the overall health of the commercial real estate sector, occupying 17% of Class-A downtown office space nationwide, the report said. In San Diego, law firms occupy 13% of office space in the four major submarkets:
New York City boasts the most law firms leasing more than 50,000 square feet or more, 117, followed by Washington DC, 91, Chicago 54, Los Angeles 42 and Boston 33. San Diego has 15. For more information www.us.am.joneslanglasalle.com/unitedstates/en-us/pages/san-diego-research-publications.aspx.
Rep Receives Federal Grant
San Diego Repertory Theatre (SD REP) has received a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to produce the world premiere production of Tortilla Curtain by playwright Matthew Spangler. The grant will support a final workshop followed by a full rehearsal period and then the world premiere of the show. The production will be directed by Sam Woodhouse, the artistic director and co-founder of SD REP. Tortilla Curtain is based on T.C. Boyle’s popular novel by the same name which was first published in 1995 in the wake of California’s Proposition 187 (1994) which banned many public services, including education and non-emergency health care, for immigrants who were in the country illegally. Most provisions of the proposition were thrown out by a federal court and California governor Gray Davis would not allow appeals against the ruling. This was considered to be one of the reasons for his subsequent recall. Previews for the world premiere of the show will begin Saturday 17 March 2012 with the opening night Friday 23 March and the production is scheduled to run through Sunday 8 April on the Lyceum Stage. For ticket prices and additional information, visit sdrep.org
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 at 8:30am. For more information Chris Gomez 233-3898 / www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp.
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 (Gaslamp 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.
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.
Monthly For Sale Condo Tour
Free walking tour of downtown condominiums that are for sale. They are usually held on the first Sunday of each month by local real estate agents Margaret Irving and Ryan Johnstone. They cover information about the various downtown neighborhoods as well as the condominium developments. Reservations are required as space is limited to 10 participants. For reservations 246-8400 /citybythesea92101@gmail.com. There will be a tour on Sunday 4 September beginning at 1pm.
Coffee with CCDC
This bi-monthly event toggles between either the first Thursday evening (February, June & October) or the first Friday morning (April, August & December) each even numbered month. It is held at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center (DIC) 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
On the second Monday of most months, not to include the summer, the group usually meets in the Horizons' South Tower Lounge, 510 First Avenue, at 7:30pm to discus the current club book selection. All are welcome to attend and help create a lively discussion. Foradditional information or to find out what book is currently to be covered: 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 to begin. Additional information atwww.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 any additional information www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml.
Athenaeum Jacobs Mini-Concerts
Alternating Mondays, for most of the year, noon to 1pm at the Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, admission free. Food & beverages are allowed in the theatre during concerts. 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 information (858)-454-5872.
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 (DIC), 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.
All items in this publication are the opinion of the writer of the piece. Any item without a named author is the responsibility of the editor. Any submissions for inclusion in this publication should be submitted to the editor via email within the body of a message (not as an attachment). All telephone numbers are in the 619 area code unless otherwise noted. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this publication please email the editor, Stan Marder smarder1@alum.ups.edu. Publisher: San Diego Mesa Company (SDMC), 550 Front Street #2804, San Diego California 92101-7105
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