Posted On : 7/18/2007 by Brian Wennersten
Recently, there have been two prominent development projects that been splashed all over San Diego newspapers. The Manchester Broadway Project and the Chula Vista Port Project are two of the most highly regarded pieces of land in San Diego.
Recently, the developer who had planned to build a convention center and hotel valued at $1 billion along Chula Vista's bayfront pulled out of the project. Negotiations fell apart over a debate about local construction unions limiting competition and raising construction costs. Some say there were many factors involved and that labor was not the sole issue. Either way, Chula Vista now has to start working over again on its Bayfront Master Plan.
The other huge project is being developed by Doug Manchester's Manchester Financial Group along the bayfront of downtown San Diego. Redevelopment of the Navy Broadway Complex, now named the "Pacific Gateway", should begin in the near future. The front end of Phase 1 of 3 of the huge projected is hoped to begin in early 2008, beginning with the demolition of the outdated Navy buildings currently in place.
The project will include world class architecture and is considered one of the most significant urban developments in the country. However, this momentous project is not moving forward without being under a microscope of the public eye. Some believe that the complex should either be a 14-acre park, or should be reevaluated under an updated development agreement.
Land use in our county is a much-debated issue. There seem to be two general results to academic dialogue on land use. While it is important that the growth of our city must be something of which we can all be proud, rethinking the downtown waterfront project will most likely only lead to nothing getting done at all, which was exemplified in the Chula Vista Port Project. For more information, contact San Diego real estate expert, Brian Wennersten.