NEWS RELEASE

Date: November 29, 2007
Contact: Derek Danziger
619-533-7103 or
Tiffany Metti
619-533-7136
www.ccdc.com

CCDC News Digest

Regular Meeting of the
Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC)
Wednesday, November 29, 2007
Special Notes: CCDC’s regular meetings are held at City Hall in the City Council Chambers, 12th Floor, City Administration Building, 202 C St. This meeting was held in CCDC’s large conference room, 225 Broadway suite 1100. The next meeting will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2008.

The following summarizes Wednesday’s meeting:

BOARD AUTHORIZES LEASE AGREEMENTS FOR MOVE OF CCDC OFFICES AND THE DOWNTOWN INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) (General) The Board authorized staff to execute an office lease with the Irvine Company for a period of seven years consisting of 22,323 rentable square feet of office space located on the fourth floor at 401 B Street, Suite 400 (Wells Fargo Bank building); and to execute a lease with Westfield for a period of seven years consisting of approximately 3,486 square feet located at the Horton Plaza Retail Center for the DIC. The Corporation’s office lease on the 11th floor at 225 Broadway and the DIC on the ground floor expires November 30, 2009. In June the Corporation entered into a contract with the Irving Hughes Group to assist in locating and negotiating office space. Several potential sites were evaluated including the AT&T, Wells Fargo Bank, and First National Bank buildings. In addition, several sites were researched for the DIC. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the full staff report for item 5, click here.                                                                                                                                                 
BOARD RATIFIES CENTRE CITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CCAC) AND PROJECT AREA COMMITTEE (PAC) ELECTIONS (General)
The Board recommended that the City Council ratify the results of the PAC/CCAC election that was held November 5 and 6. The PAC/CCAC election was successful with 16 of the 17 vacant seats filled by qualified candidates who were voted in by either residents or business owners from downtown. The CCAC, is a group of 28 members who are elected for a two-year term to represent downtown residential homeowners and tenants, commercial property owners and business people, charitable, civic and cultural groups. Formation of the 25 members of the PAC was authorized by the City Council on September 11, 1990, to advise the City Council and Redevelopment Agency regarding adoption and implementation of the Centre City Redevelopment Project. On November 5, 2001, the City Council unanimously approved the proposed CCAC bylaws to provide the formation of the CCAC; the official downtown planning group that added three additional members for a total of 28 members. The CCAC and PAC were approved to function as concurrent operating committees. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To view the list of newly elected members and to read the full staff report for item 7, click here.

BOARD RECOMMENDS PROJECT APPROVAL FOR THE Q MIXED-USE PROJECT (Little Italy)
The Board approved the project design and recommended Planning Commission approval of Site/Planned Development Permits  for The Q,a mixed-use project located in Little Italy. The Q, owned by CLB Partners, LTD, and under Developer Jonathan Segal, is a four- to six-story (77-foot high) mixed-use development with one level of below-grade parking located on a 9,980 square-foot lot along the north side of West Fir Street between India Street and Kettner Boulevard. The project includes 37,153 square feet of office space, and over 12,648 square feet of retail and commercial space. The site currently includes a Local Historical Resource, the A.W. Pray Rental House. The Board recommended that this resource be relocated to a site that will be approved by the Historical Resources Board and/or Planning Commission. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the full staff report for item 8, click here.

BOARD RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO GENERAL PLAN (Areawide)
The City of San Diego is currently updating its General Plan. City staff have completed a Draft General Plan along with a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A study of the new plan was conducted to assure consistency and timely implementation. The Board agreed that the draft proposed General Plan can be made more consistent with the Downtown Community Plan if recommendations are accepted and integrated. The Board recommended that the City Council implement changes prepared by Dyett & Bhatia, Planning Consultants, to the proposed City of San Diego General Plan. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the recommendations and full staff report for item 9, click here.

BOARD RECOMMENDS VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA (VOA) BUILDING REHABILITATON LOAN (East Village)
The Board recommended that the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego approve a loan agreement with VOA to rehabilitate a building located at 633 16th Street, in an amount not to exceed $150,000 (the building portion to be rehabilitated fronts along 17th Street.) City Council District 2 Office and the VOA requested assistance in their efforts to rehabilitate the building to allow for the relocation of VOA’s Inebriate Reception Center. VOA, under a loan agreement, will be responsible for designing the improvements and rehabilitating the building for its occupancy. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the full staff report for item 10, click here.

BOARD CONSIDERS CEQA CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS ON NAVY BROADWAY COMPLEX (Marina and Columbia)
The Board adopted The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 21166 evaluation for the Navy Broadway Complex Project issued by the City of San Diego Development Services Department. This evaluation concluded that no further environmental review is required for the project. The Board also affirmed CCDC’s Consistency Determinations for the Superseding Master Plan and Phase I Buildings of the Navy Broadway Complex previously adopted by the Board on July 25. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the full staff report for item 11, click here.

BOARD DEFERS RECOMMENDATION FOR NOTICE OF DEFAULT FOR THE GASLAMP RENAISSANCE HOTEL (Gaslamp)
The Board deferred for thirty days a recommendation that the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego find GRH, LLC (Project Developer) in default of the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) to provide an opportunity for the parties to resolve the causes of default. The Agency entered into the DDA with the Developer on April 12, 2004, for the development and construction of a 334-room, full-service Marriott Renaissance Hotel located on the southwest corner of the block bounded by Fifth, Sixth and Island avenues and J street in the Gaslamp Quarter District. (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused)To read the full staff report for item 12, click here.

BOARD RECEIVES ORAL UPDATE ON NEVP (Columbia)
The Board received an oral update on the status of the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan (NEVP) Design Charrette and Broadway Pier Cruise Terminal Building Design. The next meeting of the NEVP Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board Meeting is December 13 at 2pm at the Port Administration Building.

BOARD RECIEVES ORAL UPDATE ON BALBOA THEATRE OPENING EVENT (Horton Plaza)
The Board received an oral update describing the status of plans for the January 31, 2008 Balboa Theatre grand opening fundraising gala and public tours which will be held on January 11, 12, 13. The historic Balboa Theatre is just a few months away from a grand reopening. The vaudeville-era 1,300-seat live performance theater in the heart of downtown San Diego is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After numerous unsuccessful efforts over the past 18 years to renovate and reopen the Balboa Theatre CCDC is nearing completion of the $26.5 million restoration project to return the venue to its original glory. The restoration is being completed in collaboration with the award-winning architectural firm of Westlake Reed Leskosky of Phoenix, Arizona. The grand opening festivities will include a Roaring Twenties-themed gala fundraiser, public tours and more. Following the opening, the theater will be under the management of San Diego Theatres Inc. For more information about the historic Balboa Theatre, please visit www.ccdc.com and click on the Balboa Theatre link.

BOARD APPROVES 2008 MEETING DATES (General) The Board approved the following meeting dates for 2008: January 30, February 27, March 26, April 23, May 28, June 25, July 30, August – No Meetings, September 24, October 22, November 19, December – No Meetings (Vote: 4–0 with Directors Teddy Cruz and Janice Brown excused) To read the full staff report for item 4, click here.

To read the entire President’s Report from the November 28 Board Meeting please click here or visit www.ccdc.com in the Meetings and Events section, November 28 Board Meeting.
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About CCDC
Centre City Development Corporation is a public, nonprofit corporation established in 1975 by the City of San Diego to plan and facilitate the redevelopment of downtown’s 1,500 acres. To learn more, visit www.ccdc.com