VivaCity.com has a very informational site, not only of all things and events Downtown, but more specifically events planned this month at the Central Library, 820 E St. Events range from art exhibits and author talks to concerts and movies. Check out this months happenings at this months VivaCity site.

Downtown San Diego’s Annual Boat Show will be held in the Downtown San Diego Convention Center January 8th through the 11th.

Everything from cruisers to ski boats, sailboats to fishing watercraft and speedboats to mega yachts will be featured.  Just about every boat accessory one can think of will also be on display.   Climb aboard boats inside the convention center as well as those docked out back for this special event.

The San Diego Convention Center is located directly across from one of downtown’s most exclusive neighborhoods ~ the Marina District.  While you are thinking about shopping for your next home-away-from-home pleasurecraft on the water, consider taking a look at what condos are for sale in the Marina District, Columbia District, Gaslamp District, East Village/Ballpark District, Little Italy and Cortez Hill neighborhoods by visiting www.92101urbanliving.com.

San Diego Boat Show hours are:
* Thursday, January 8,   Noon - 8 pm
* Friday, January 9,    Noon - 8 pm
* Saturday, January 10,  10 am - 8 pm
* Sunday, January 11,  11 am - 6 pm

**In-Water display locations close at 6 pm Daily.

Purchase your general admission tickets here before January 8th and receive $2.00 off!

Ticket prices are as follows:
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Youth (ages 13 - 15)
FREE to Children 12 & younger when accompanied by an adult

Your ticket includes a one-year subscription to Yachting, Saltwater Sportsman, Cruising World, Motor Boating or Surf magazine.

More information can be found at http://www.sandiegoboatshow.com.

Downtown San Diego’s 2009 New Year’s Fireworks Show will be hosted by the Port Tenants Association in San Diego.  Fireworks will be launched at midnight on December 31st from several barges along San Diego Bay.

From the ground, best viewing spots will be on the Embarcadero of Marina Park and by Seaport Village.

From a hi-rise, best residential viewing spots overlooking the bay will be from Harbor Club, Horizons, Pinnacle, The Meridian, City Front Terrace, Park Place, Electra, and The Grande North and South.  More information about each of these residential communities in the Marina District and the Columbia District as well as what is for sale in them can be found at http://www.92101urbanliving.com/.

For more information about this fireworks event sponsored by the Port, contact the information desk at (619)686-6463.

What do you think of downtown San Diego’s “School-In Library” Concept in the East Village?

It’s no secret that San Diego has been trying for more than a decade to replace its current antiquated downtown library on E Street between 8th and 9th Ave.  Currently, the plan is to build a $185 million facility on 11th Ave between J and K St. with nine floors, a 350-seat public auditorium and 250 underground parking spaces.

From a residential perspective, the new Main Library would be situated in the East Village, east of the 327 residential condo community ICON completed in 2006 and south of Metrome, a mid-rise residential condo community completed in 2005.  The new Main Library would be just one block east of Petco Park, two blocks south of the new Thomas Jefferon School of Law (currently under construction) and two blocks north of the new Pedestrian Street Bridge that 92101 Urban Living Broker/Owner Mike Ciampa previously blogged on which will connect the new Hilton, Convention Center and Embarcadero Bay park areas to the East Village.  A rendering of the proposed Main Library is pictured here as well on the architectural firm website of Tucker Sadler.

The $185 million was initially proposed to come from three sources:

• $80 million from downtown redevelopment funds
• $20 million from a state grant
• $85 million from private donations

In a November 23rd UT article “Backers of new main library face deadline to keep grant”, the library foundation reported that “pledges of at least $30 million, including $1 million from the Hervey Family Foundation and $2 million from David Copley, chairman and CEO of The Copley Press Inc. and publisher of The San Diego Union-Tribune.  The group needs to raise $50 million before construction can begin, and $35 million over the next few years after that.”

In a December 20th UT article “State official favors school-in-library idea”, State Librarian Susan Hildreth indicated she was in favor of what was described as “a 300-child “niche” high school with separate entrance and elevator that might be a model statewide. The school would occupy two floors of the nine-story library project…”

While the Main Library project is up against a Dec. 31 deadline to show progress for the state grant, the state librarian can grant the city a multi-year extension of this grant.

State Librarian Susan Hildreth called the school plan a “super idea in concept” but said she needs to consider whether a revised project would be viable given that the school’s involvement could increase construction costs because of stricter guidelines for education buildings.

The article also indicates that many downtown parents are questioning where downtown’s growing crop of young children will go. A recent survey was cited in this article which shows that half of the children living downtown are younger than six years of age.  Downtown resident Fran Pillersdorf was quoted saying “In many of the discussions I’ve been a part of, it’s really been clearly represented that we need K-to-eight downtown.”

 We’d like to hear from YOU!  Send us your educated thoughts on this subject.  Please hit the Comment link below and copy me on your thoughts by emailing me at pete@92101urbanliving.com.  We would be happy to post them!  Note to all snipers with a “quit hit” or sarcastic comment in mind: PLEASE hold your fire and back away from the edge of your rooftop!  We’re looking for QUALITY community oriented thoughtfulness here ~ not personal agendas or witty jabs.  Send us your best stuff ~ pro or con.  We look forward to hearing from you!  –Pete Thistle, Realtor/Broker, 92101 Urban Living

An interesting article pertaining to the cleaner, brighter future of Balboa Park was posted online today on SignOnSanDiego.com. The question is whom should take control over the decisions made to upgrade, clean up and overall restore Balboa Park? The Park is a fixture in Downtown San Diego and while we love what it has to offer now, I’m sure we’d all like to see some restoration in needed areas so that we can continue to enjoy the park, unique to our city, well into the future.

During its 45-year history, the Port of San Diego has taken the lead in a variety of initiatives to enhance the environmental quality of San Diego Bay and its surrounding tidelands.

In an effort to revitalize the waters surrounding our city, 350 artificial reef structures have begun to be installed off the shoreline of Bayside Park in Chula Vista.  The reef structures will provide additional habitat for fish and other sea life in the bay, resulting in increased populations of many marine species.

There are so many elements of San Diego to enjoy; not only the night and city life, but the nature that surrounds us. We hope those of you who currently reside in San Diego have the opportunity to appreciate all we’re offered. In addition, we hope to offer new residents something unique to Downtown San Diego… the water, the mountains, and an urban city lifestyle.

In this December 10th article, San Diego County Apartment Rentals are Slow, Steady, Staff Writer Emmet Pierce reports the local rental market is “sluggish, but stable.” This, due to minor drops in vacancies and monthly rental rates. As always, this can be interpreted in a few ways depending on the position you find yourself in: The Renter or The Landlord. Renters are obviously finding what they’re looking for if vacancies are lower than had been previously. In addition, prices are declining which makes Renters pocket books happy. Landlords, surely, are happy that units are being filled but most definitely not all to excited at the idea of dropping prices equaling less income than expected.

The article goes on to note average rents and vacancy rates as compared to last years numbers. At 92101 Urban Living we find ourselves receiving more and more phone calls regarding rentals in the Downtown area and we’re happy to assist those who are looking. These renters will be happy to hear that the average rental rate at the moment is about $1,188 down from springs $1,201.

If you do find yourself in the rental market, we encourage you to check out this article as some research on the area. It’s a good time to rent or buy in Downtown San Diego!

The following graph represents a breakdown of 2008 sales in the Downtown San Diego East Village Neighborhood separated out by specific complex. This blog is a series of analytical statistics that will sum up the Downtown San Diego Real Estate Market in 2008. As Downtown San Diego Specialists, we know how important this analysis can be to homeowners and future buyers of a Downtown San Diego condo or loft. Thru November, there have been 247 sales in the East Village neighborhood. 74 or roughly 30% Resale, 48 or 19% REO/Distressed, and 125 or 50% sold direct from the developer sales office. When developer sales go “Head to Head” with the true Resale Market, often times the developer can make the best financial deal. A developer is dealing with a bottom line, while a homeowner is dealing with a “Break Even” Point. Often times it is easier for a developer to “sweeten” up a deal by providing cash incentives (HOA buy down, upgrades, Closing Costs, ETC.)
It is very interesting that ICON and ALTA are the big winners. It could be just the timing of delivery to the market, but is most likely due to moderate price point and moderate HOA fees. Both complexes represent the link between full service luxury amenities and low amenity complexes. There were 0 Distressed or REO sales in the true luxury buildings of the East Village: The Mark, Metropolitan, and The Legend. In fact, most of the distressed sales occurred in Midrise buildings. High-Rise buildings accounted for less than 10% of all distressed sales.

Denny Oh’s got some knowledge on Electra, the tallest residential  condo and loft tower ever built in Downtown San Diego. Check out this insider information if you’re interested in the highly sought after “F” Plan.

At the north end of India Street in Downtown San Diego’s Little Italy is a revolution in the making.  A  mixed use office/retail/residential space is being built by architect and developer Jonathan Segal.   Winner of 6 national AIA Honor Awards, Jonathan Segal FAIA & Development Company is about to do something extraordinary ~ again.

Check out “The Q.”  Pictures can be found here.

The Q will be nestled in between India and Kettner at the crossroad of Fir across the street from Doma, one of Little Italy’s most unique and successful 92101 residential condos in terms of sustaining value in a down market.

The downtown entrepreneur or small firm will soon have another work environment alternative.

The India St. restaurant patron will soon have a retail store to browse through after dinner at The Q.

And who will live at The Q.  The top floor is being designed for Jonathan Segal’s family residence and architecture office.  His wife, Wendy, intends to open a wine bar in one of the shop spaces.

“The Q” ~ listed on the architect’s website (tabbed under Projects, In Progress) ~ has very little written about it.  Center City Development Corporation’s tabbed page describes The Q as “a four- to six-story (86-foot high) mixed-use development with two levels of below-grade parking…includes 37,000 sf of office space and 12,000 sf of retail and commercial space…includes relocation and rehabilitation of the historic A.W. Pray Rental House, the oldest house in Little Italy.”

That A.W. Pray House ~ a rare example of Victorian Gothic architecture built in 1889 and designated as a San Diego historical resource ~ was once considered to be a problem for the developer according to an article written in the Union Tribune entitled “Little house in Little Italy big problem for big plan.”  At one time, Jonathan Segal had proposed to move the house to a property he was buying in Sherman Heights.  Today, it sits intact facing India St. in the north and east corner of the project.  It is the oldest house in that historic neighborhood. 

On another website related to Jonathan Segal’s work entitled Architect as Developer, The Q is described as a project built in San Diego ~ a city with “total disregard to historical heritage.”  The site goes on to describe The Q as a project that “will become the new benchmark for green, sustainable office development in Downtown San Diego (with) photovoltaic panels, abundance of glazing and cross ventilation…”

We’re curious: What do you think of this addition to the fabric of Little Italy? Let us know by clicking on the “Comments” link below or emailing me at pete@92101urbanliving.com.