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When discussing the state of infrastructure and real estate development in Downtown San Diego, it is impossible not to mention the CCDC (Centre City Development Corporation). The CCDC acts as the redevelopment agency overseeing all the development of residential, commercial, and infrastructure in Downtown San Diego since 1976. The successes of Urban Redevelopment in the city core are due largely in part to the CCDCs equal commitment to the Big Three development areas just mentioned. The seven board members of the CCDC are appointed by the Mayor and City Council of San Diego to serve a three year term.
In an effort to promote public support and public interaction with the appointed board members, the CCAC (Center City Advisory Committee) was established to provide the communication link. The CCAC exists in order to provide local interests living and working in Downtown San Diego a foundation of support, suggestions, and review of CCDC projects and initiatives. The organization acts very much like a Community Planning Committee for Downtown growth and redevelopment. The CCAC is made up of 28 elected members representing residential homeowners, tenants, commercial property owners, commercial and retail business owners, and leaders of civic and cultural groups representing all 7 core neighborhoods. As defined by the CCDC guidelines, the Advisory committees responsibilities are defined accordingly: Once a month the CCAC meets to review development and design proposals, redevelopment plans and programs, development and loan agreements and other downtown development policies and programs. Affordable housing, parking, transportation needs, street lighting, homelessness and social issues are some of the subjects discussed and studied.
It is important to know about the CCAC in the next couple of days, because it is election time. If you live, work, or rent Downtown.you may be eligible to vote for your neighborhood representative. All of the pertinent information including candidate requirements, available seats, voter requirements, and all election specifics (Including specific neighborhood voting locations) can be found in the following Election Information Document.
Running for the East Village Residential Owner Representative is friend of 92101 Urban Living Bill Sauls. Bill is a friend, business associate, and friendly neighbor. Bill is a current member of the CCAC running for a second term. He wants to continue his contributions to the development of the East Village Business District, East Village Dog Park, and continued East Village neighborhood business and infrastructure growth. Bill is a homeowner at the Downtown San Diego Loft complex M2i, and currently owns his own law practice specializing in business law and estate planning. In addition to participation on the CCAC, Bill Sauls has a long and distinguished commitment of service to his community serving as a member of: The Downtown San Diego Executive Committee Board of Directors, and a member of the Property Based Improvement District (PIBD) Advisory Committee. Voting for the East Village representatives will occur Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th at the following locations:
1. Monday, October 27th at the new Downtown Information Center in Horton Plaza (above Longs Drugs) from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
2. Tuesday, October 28th at the

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In all cases, growth of infrastructure in an urban area contributes to the overall value of both the commercial and residential Real Estate. In Downtown San Diego Real Estate this concept holds true. The value of Downtown San Diego Condos and Downtown San Diego Lofts is directly tied to this infrastructure growth labeled Location! Location! Location! The following article is pertinent to Downtown San Diego Real Estate because it represents the continuing debate over whether development of the 10th Avenue Terminal Deck would be beneficial or not to the San Diego community. We have referenced this debate in several past blogs: National City rejects Downtown San Diegos proposed 10th Avenue deck , Thoughts From Both Sides on the possibility of the Football Stadium in Downtown.

In this month’s issue of The San Diego Metropolitan these issues were referenced in the article entitled: Saving the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal.

Ray Carpenter, owner of R.E. Staile Engineering, Inc. and Harbor Tug and Barge Co., believes the impact of Proposition B (the initiative to double deck the 10th Ave. Terminal) will result in economic disaster.

Coinciding with this belief is the idea that Prop B will disrupt the current $1.75 billion dollar economic contribution that the two marine terminals make to San Diegos economy, which, for perspective sake, exceed the economic contribution of Downtowns Convention Center. In addition, there are 19,298 jobs associated with the terminals which move 6.5 million tons of cargo per year at a value of $25 billion.

In Richard Chases proposed development, even if the decks concept was feasible, there would be quite a loss to operating space. Handling cargo would become more difficult and more costly. Additionally, it would mean loss of irreplaceable commercial terminal facilities and a compromise in San Diegos ability to support the Navy and National defense.

Overall, this article states that Prop B will cause business to go elsewhere resulting in loss of commerce and well-paying jobs.

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Damn. The proverbial beer truck on it’s way to a futuristic NFL stadium built on prime waterfront property just lost another load.

On Wednesday, October 8th, yet another subset of the San Diego port community spoke out against the proposed 10th Avenue deck.

“National City rejects Downtown San Diego’s proposed 10th Avenue deck” was written by Ron Powell in the UT PolBlog. “It just makes no sense at all,” said National City Mayor Ron Morrison. National City joins the other Port District member cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, Coronado and Imperial Beach that oppose this idea.

If you haven’t already heard, the proposed 10th Avenue Deck is a proposal for a 96-acre deck over the Downtown San Diego 1oth Ave terminal that could house a football stadium – a proposition that may attract voters who see it as a way to keep the San Diego Chargers in town. deck is

In another UT article published on Tuesday, October 7th, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter’s letter to U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon indicated that “the proposal is incompatible with the facility’s use as a strategic military port.” He went on to say that “San Diego is our principal fleet concentration area on the West Coast. As such, we are heavily dependent on the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. Over 50 percent of West Coast military support for Operation Iraqi Freedom has passed through this vital hub, which is ideally suited for rapid load outs of heavy equipment for military units associated with contingency operations.” Winter also said the terminal is also critical because it is a delivery point for supplies to San Diego area shipyards, some of which service Navy vessels. Winter said “In short, the proposed development would have a significant impact on the terminal’s operational utility and other essential fleet activities in the area.”

A myriad of other archived UT articles written about the 10th Ave Deck can be found here.

For the love of Chad! Even the military is not for this deck. Am I personally disappointed that we can’t turn Downtown San Diego into another overcrowded Gotham City of sports venues? I say this tongue-in-cheek around the 92101 Urban Living office in response to the previous blogs posted by my fellow colleagues about this 10th Avenue deck. See 92101 Urban Living Chad Cavanaugh’s blog on this subject matter and broker/owner Mike Ciampa’s blog prior to that.

I resonated more with Gerry Braun’s opinion written in the UT on August 17th, 2008 entitled “Waterfront Proposal is taken to the next level.” I can’t help but share a few excerpts of his article here with you here for fear that you may never click on the above link to his also tongue-in-cheek article. Gerry writes:

“He (Richard Chase) wants to build a sprawling, 40-foot-high concrete deck above the warehouses, rail lines and fuel tanks of the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. It’s the sort of project that strikes a chord with every 10-year-old who owns a Lego set.

Beneath the deck, waterfront business would go on as usual.

Bananas, fertilizer and military equipment still would be unloaded from ships. The 250-foot crane might not work so well lying on its side, and the forklifts may bump a load-bearing column every six feet. But the longshoremen won’t worry about sunstroke. Whatever the weather, they would be in the shade.

Up on the roof, meantime, there’d be billions of dollars in real estate for Chase to develop, with sweeping views of Coronado, the bay and downtown.

It’s a developer’s dream, a blank slate. You could put anything up there on Dick’s Deck: a sports arena, an aquarium, a casino. The sky’s the limit.

Imagine a decktop hotel taller than the Coronado Bridge. His conceptual plan has one.

Imagine a decktop football stadium with decktop tailgate parties where fans eat double-decker hamburgers on double-decker buses.

Imagine the day the big earthquake comes and the only thing that survives is Dick’s Deck, its steel pilings sunk so deep that technically it’s not part of California.”

Rest assured, we can all sleep well at night knowing that the fate of the 10th Ave Deck project lies safely in the hands of the capable voters in the San Diego Unified Port District’s five member cities — San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and Coronado. Their collective vote on Prop. B will decide the outcome of this project on Nov. 4.

All politics and our elected politican’s opinions aside, vote with your heart ~ and of course your reverse baseball cap on if you will be wearing one at the polls. What ballot measure could be MORE important than THIS?

Read some of the linked articles above and check out the Project Renderings provided by The Union Tribune Documents. Tell us what you think about the proposed 10th Avenue Deck. Fill out the comments section below and let us know your thoughts. Keep ‘em clean and we’ll post your comment below this article!

-Pete Thistle, [email protected]