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June 13, 2011

HORTON PLAZA: COMMUNITY INVITED TO VIEW INITIAL DESIGN CONCEPTS OF NEW PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

Second in a series of three public forums 

SAN DIEGO, CA –The community is invited to view and discuss initial design concepts for new public space at Horton Plaza at an open house on Tuesday, June 21. The meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the former Robinsons-May building (the old Planet Hollywood space) located at 97 Horton Plaza. A presentation by the design team of Walker Macy will be given at 6:15 p.m.

This is the second in a series of three public forums held by the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC). Attendees will have the opportunity to review concepts and provide the design team with their feedback. In April, more than 120 members of the public attended an open house and offered thoughts on how they “Picture the Plaza.” The design concepts being presented on June 21 incorporate those ideas and suggestions.

Public input is integral in the design of the new Horton Plaza. “We want to develop a vibrant and inviting public space that truly reflects the community’s needs and sensibilities,” said Frank J. Alessi, CCDC Executive Vice President and CFO. “Community involvement in the process is critical for the project’s success. We are encouraged by the thoughtful input we have received to date, and look forward to receiving feedback on the design options being proposed.”

About the new Horton Plaza

Through a unique partnership between CCDC, working on behalf of the City of San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency and Westfield Horton Plaza retail center, the corner of Fourth 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.

CCDC is expanding and reactivating Horton Plaza, a historically significant regional asset located adjacent to the Westfield Horton Plaza retail center. Horton Plaza will be approximately the size of an entire city block and will host more than 200 civic events and community celebrations each year. The Horton Plaza project will help implement the 2006 Downtown Community Plan, which guides the development of the urban parks, open spaces and historical resources in the downtown area.

To make way for the new plaza, the former Robinsons-May building will be demolished, providing more public open space and creating a lively cultural center for the region that can host a variety of community gatherings, civic celebrations, outdoor concerts and performances, movies, farmers’ markets and more. The existing historic Horton Plaza, including its iconic fountain, will also be rehabilitated as part of this project.

To find out more about the Horton Plaza project, visit www.ccdc.com and click on the “Projects” tab, or check out the Horton Plaza Facebook page.

About CCDC

CCDC is the public, nonprofit corporation created by the City of San Diego in 1975 to staff, plan and implement downtown’s redevelopment on behalf of the City’s Redevelopment Agency. CCDC offices are located at Wells Fargo Plaza, 401 B Street, Suite 400, in downtown San Diego. For more information, visit www.ccdc.com.

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