Serious construction activity in San Diego

[CTroyMathis]

So, just how much could you fathom is actually going on in sunny Sandy Eggo? Well, here's a comprehensive listing of just the center city alone:

http://www.ccdc.com/projects/interactive/map.htm

[CTroyMathis]

I have a magazine from a few years ago called 'San Diego Magazine.' In it was this visionary tower that never materialised. Still have the mag, but, I've also had the website version of the article bookmarked for years now. Damn, they're good at keeping archives, thankfully.

http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/issues/feb98/tower/images/Tower.jpg
http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/issues/feb98/tower/images/Dometop.JPG
http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/issues/feb98/tower/images/tower2.jpg
http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/issues/feb98/tower/images/Skywalk.JPG

...The Reunion Tower, lollipop-ized. ;)

[gc]

Yes, that is unbelievable.

[warlock55]

I was highly impressed with San Diego while I was out there for the ICMA conference. There are about 10 different skyscrapers (mostly condos) going up on the skyline right now. I went on a bus tour of the downtown redevelopment projects as part of the conference and it was stunning. Within a few years there will almost literally be no more surface parking in downtown. Almost all of the lots are going to have condos built on them. In the marina district down by the waterfront there is actually only one lone parcel left without some kind of redevelopment planned, and I'm sure it'll be going soon.

The downtown is an interesting mix of old buildings, new buildings, and some really run-down stuff. The Gaslamp quarter on the south side near the Padres' stadium is almost built out with condos, retail, and hotels. I liked it quite a bit. I walked through it several times every day going to and from the convention center and it seemed fairly busy. Unfortunately it was hard to get a good idea of the real patronage because due to some bizzare fluke, probably resulting from the convention being in town, the Sunday I was there was the first time it had rained in six months, and over the next few days it rained heavily off and on. There were three things about the quarter that really stood out to me. One was that they had the streetlights timed at intersections so that there was a four way stop and pedestrians could walk in any directions through the intersection (even diagonally!). Secondly, they had a full-size downtown supermarket. The guide from the downtown redevelopment authority said on the tour that they got really lucky that there was a spot with enough adjacent available parcels of land to do that. Also, they have a four story outside air mall that was pretty impressive. It had the usual mall stores like The Gap, etc. The only thing I didn't like about it was the giant signage and very fake-looking promotional decoration (giant fries for McDonald's and such) for the stores on the highest level. It really clashed with the architecture of the rest of the mall.

With all the new downtown residences, the new stadium and convention center, the fine mass transit system, and all kinds of other tourist attractions (the harbor and Balboa Park are both withing walking distance from downtown), I'd say San Diego really has a lot going for it right now...despite the whole city bankruptcy thing, hehheh. I was admittedly jealous.

The strangest thing I saw there: San Diego has the exact same statue that is in the Cancer Survivor Plaza in downtown Dallas! I saw it along the waterfront while on the bus from the airport. Unfortunately I didn't get close enough to see what their interpretation of it was.

[freewaytincan]

Alright, I'm sorry, but that tower thing? That's awful. I mean, Reunion Tower is unique, and while it's not the most gorgeous tower, it also doesn't look like an aquamarine nightmare.

[Lakewooder]

San Diego (the city government) is also having financial problems. USA Today story called it "Enron by the Sea".

[noelamador]

LW do you think you can post that article on here about SD?