Go Green…Go Downtown San Diego! I know that residents, CCDC, the Port of San Diego, small and big businesses are all thinking about our environment. As a Downtown San Diego condo home owner…I have noticed that going green is something that really has been a big subject the last couple of years in our community. 5 years ago the Port of San Diego’s environmental fund was created and their list was long. The Board of Port Commissioners has approved 62 projects and 42 of them has already been completed. The fund has programs that include but are not limited to recovering habitat, restoring the condition of the bay bottom, preventing future erosion or contamination, or reclaiming natural resource conditions along the San Diego Bay and surroundings. The video above give you more interesting info on what has been completed and what is yet to come. Check it out!
Downtown San Diego – Paradise in Progress
Downtown San Diego really is a city in full growth…as they call it “Paradise in Progress“…I do not object! Having the luxury of being a Downtown San Diego Condo home owner definitely has its pluses. The last couple of year has really made Downtown a very dynamic and growing city. The planning it takes for this high-volume redevelopment is a very complex process. It requires team work and participation of hundreds of individuals and organizations to make sure our day to day activity is interrupted to a minimum.
Sometimes more than one project is taking place at the same time, creating noise, dust, street and sidewalk closures and sometimes also limited access to parking spaces. Not to mention, special events and activities that is taking place in the different neighborhoods of Downtown such as the Festivals in the Gaslamp District, Farmers Market in the Little Italy District and games at Petco Park in the East Village/Ballpark District. There are often street closures and other inconveniences which must be communicated to the public.
Paradise in Progress is a management and information program that was created in 1999 as a result of that the numbers of redevelopment projects first topped 100. CCDC including twelve other public and private organizations came together to analyze, track and provide information about changes in traffic patterns and best travel routes. This program is now one of the most successful and innovative programs of its kind in the United States.
Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge Wins Awards
As a Downtown San Diego Condo home owner in the East Village…I have been following the plans and construction of the bridge and I think its just awesome that the bridge actually have received national, regional and local awareness. Before the bridge was completed, we all had to walk around over to the Gaslamp District to be able to get access to the San Diego Convention Center and the water front…the bridge has definitely opened up easy access to this great area of Downtown San Diego.
One of the world’s longest self-anchored pedestrian bridges the “Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge” located right next to Petco Park in the East Village/Ballpark District has been honored and received three awards.
- It took second place in the Bridge Category by American Road & Transportation Association for using material appropriate for San Diego’s Marine environment, mitigation of potential hazards for pedestrian crossing railroad tracks and train operations and Harbor Drive and community involvement during the planning stages.
- Project of the Year in the Transportation Category by the American Public Works Association (APWA) and The Award of Excellence by Urban Land Institute because it enhances walkability and provides safe passage over train and trolley tracks for pedestrians between the waterfront and the East Village. The award also acknowledged efforts to minimize schedule conflicts with freight trains and trolleys along with the public outreach process prior to the design phase.
- The ULI Awards of Excellence identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The awards recognize the full development process of a project – construction, economic viability, marketing and management, as well as design.
For more information on the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, please visit CCDC and to read 92101 Urban Living’s former blogs about the bridge click on Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge in Downtown San Diego – Now Open, The New Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge in the East Village/Ballpark District is a Few Steps Closer to Being Complete!, Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge – A Year Behind Schedule, Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge Breaks Ground, Downtown San Diego Harbor Drives View is Now Forever Changed and The Development of the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge Continues in the East Village District!
Shake it up and make a splash…
Doesn’t this look like an awesome idea on how to spend the weekend in Downtown San Diego? It’s actually happening right now…so grab your buddie, your other half and perhaps a neighbor or two and go down to the new Broadway Pier in the Columbia District. Shake it up with cocktail competitions, grand tastings, VIP parties and other surprises. Of course there will be music….check these bands out;
•Kevin Martin, performing Saturday and Sunday
•Skyler Stonestreet, performing Saturday
•The Darrows, performing Saturday
•Josh Damigo, performing Saturday
•Dominic Balli, performing Sunday
Tickets are on sale now…visit San Diego Spirits Festival!
Smashburger has taken the East Village by storm…
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With the lines out the door, killer menu, and superb Downtown San Diego location…Smashburger has taken the ordinary American burger and put a modern twist on it. They start with 100% never frozen Angus beef, each burger is cooked to order, then they “smash”, sear, and season it on the grill. Place the freshly cooked patty on a butter-toasted bun, then topped with the highest quality cheeses, freshest produce, and condiments. The burger is then served fresh to you on a plate, not in a bag. If a Angus beef burger doesn’t sound great for lunch or dinner you can choose between Chicken sandwiches, fresh salads, veggie burgers, and hot dogs the same way as they serve the beef burgers. Located in the first floor of The Mark in the East Village/Ballpark District, Smashburger is the perfect choice for lunch or dinner for all Downtown San Diego Condo & Loft home owners, residents and visitors. Come check it out!
East Village Green Surface Parking Lot
As a Downtown San Diego Condo home owner…I have the luxury of having my own personal parking space. For others who might not be so lucky…parking can be quite difficult especially in the East Village when there is a game going on at Petco Park or if there are some other activities going on. CCDC is all aware of the importance of parking to a successful urban environment in Downtown San Diego. There are currently 63,000 spots in a mixture of private and public structures including street parking.
Well…we might get a new designated parking lot as the CCDC has completed an application to allow a new parking lot containing 156 spots on the block bounded by 13th, 14th, F & G streets in the East Village District. There will be a public hearing held on June 30th at 3pm at the board room on 401 B Street #400 if you would like to attend.
Twilight in the Park Balboa
Summers in downtown San Diego bring to mind sitting outside, late into the evening, with the warm sun and clear skies. People are carefree and lighthearted, it’s a good feeling being surrounded by this when you own a downtown San Diego loft or condo.
Twilight in the Park is a free summer concert series in Balboa Park at the Organ Pavilion. Talk about carefree and lighthearted sitting outside on a warm summer’s night! Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening at 6:15pm, from June 21st through August 25th, pack a picnic and venture up to Balboa to listen to live music with a bunch of other summer lovin’ folks.
What I love is the variety of music interests these concerts touch upon like Tropical Rock N Roll, Comtemporary Blues, Motown and Cajun/Zydeco to name just a few. You can view the Twilight in the Park schedule here. Get out this summer and indulge in live, FREE music not too far from home.
Loft Like home in M2i just around the corner from Petco Park – Available for rent
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This Downtown San Diego Condo in M2i located in the East Village/Ballpark District is a contemporary and elegant West facing loft like unit on the top floor and is renting for $2,750/month.
From the entrance of #717 you are struck by both the contemporary and simplistic design style of a Downtown San Diego Loft. Some of the best features of this urban home are the built out bedroom, the 14 foot high ceilings and the built out closets. Only in M2i can you accomplish the best of both worlds: design and style elements of a loft, with the floor plan of a fully functional one bedroom floor plan lay out. Step out on to the private patio space that is facing the inner court yard and relax. Your 2 garage tandem parking spaces are located on P1 only a few steps away from the elevator.
Home #717 is a contemporary and elegant West facing 1 bed/2 bath unit. Priceless amenities with urban living are: The best aspect of living in a Downtown loft is the personalization in design that comes when creating your urban space. Unit #717 will lend itself to this design personalization and upgrading nicely, as you have a totally clean canvas to work with. In a Downtown loft, a usable and functional outside area adds so much in terms of living space and overall enjoyment of the urban home. To the East are the new Jefferson Law School and San Diego mountains in the distance. To the West is the short four block path to the Gaslamp District with beautiful sunset views over Point Loma. One of the best features of M2i is location. In your front yard, you have the Ballpark, and the evolving 10th and J Street business corridors. In your backyard, the new San Diego Public Library is being built. New and exciting restaurants surround you giving you countless options for a relaxing afternoon or an exciting evening. Come and enjoy the vibrant lifestyle of the East Village/Ballpark neighborhood. Unit #717 is at the center of it all.
M2i is an upscale, urban, and contemporary mid-rise loft complex that was completed in late 2005 by Citymark Development, the complex features 230 total units. M2i offers some of the most unique architecture and quality loft units that Downtown has to offer. M2i amenities: secured underground parking, a rooftop entertainment deck with a fireplace and two BBQs, dramatic lobbies and entrances designed by Martinez and Cutri, and a fully equipped exercise facility. M2i building is concrete construction, and takes up a whole city block comprised of two buildings surrounding a landscaped interior courtyard: 1050 Island Ave, and 527 10th Ave.
M2i features contemporary modern loft units ranging in size of 600 plus square feet for a studio loft, all the way to 1900 plus square feet for a penthouse loft. There are both courtyard facing units and street facing units. Some of the floor plans have had the bedroom areas built out while some of the floor plans retain the open warehouse style. Features of the loft units include: deluxe stainless appliances, granite counter-tops, unique loft floor plans with 11 foot ceilings, low emission glass with dual glazing for sound insulation and sun protection, Cat 5 data wiring, RG6 Quad Shield cabling for high-speed internet, energy efficient air conditioning and forced air heating, and floor-to-ceiling windows. A fantastic building!
Security deposit $2,750. Pet deposit $300! 1 year lease! Unfurnished! Available August 1st, 2011. For more information contact Sofia at 92101 Urban Living at 619-992-5144 or e-mail at [email protected].
Conforming loans are on top in Downtown San Diego
Check out the graph above…this shows the total number of conforming/extended conforming/jumbo loans that was out there in the first quarter of 2011 in Downtown San Diego. The conforming loans totally lead the way with 111 loans out of a total of 135 condos & lofts sold during this time.
To read and compare other blogs about the Downtown San Diego real estate market click on Monthly sales prices for Condos & Lofts in Downtown San Diego, East Village in Downtown San Diego is a popular place to buy a condo or loft, Cash buyers are investing in Downtown San Diego Real Estate and Resales are coming back strong in Downtown San Diego.
Horton Plaza invites you to be apart of design concepts for new public space…
Is this cool or what? We Downtown San Diego Condo and Loft home owners, business owners and residents are given the opportunity to be apart of the design concepts for the new public open space at Horton Plaza. Come on down to the Gaslamp District and discuss the initial concepts at the open house on Tuesday June 21st from 6pm to 8pm at Horton Plaza.
The new space is presented by CCDC, that is working on behalf of the City of San Diegos Redevelopment Agency and Westfield Horton Plaza retail center. The corner of 4th Avenue and Broadway is being transformed into a world-class urban plaza comparable to Union Square in San Francisco or Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland. Horton Plaza will be almost the size of an entire city block and will host more than 200 civic events and community celebrations every year.
The former Robinsons-May building will be removed to make room for the new plaza…and this will also provide more public open spaces and creating a lively cultural center for where we can host a variety of community gatherings, civic celebrations, outdoor concerts and performances, movies and farmers markets. The existing historic Horton Plaza, including its iconic fountain, will also be rehabilitated as part of this project.
To read more about this project click on CCDC and to read 92101 Urban Living’s former blog click on Horton Plaza Park Expansion – Approved.
