I remember when I moved to San Diego, as a newcomer trying to establish myself as a business owner and a real estate specialist, I was standing on a big dirt pile right outside the Gaslamp telling myself that this will soon be a park, a sports arena and one day my office. Development took off and Petco Parkarose along with condo and loft complexes Icon, The Legend, M2i, Park Terrace and a couple other ones. This was a big deal for Downtown San Diego as the new neighborhood East Village/Ballpark District came to life.
Well, on the plan for the future and what people are talking about today is the new Upper East Village. I am sure you all heard or been to Jerome’s furniture in Downtown. Their chairman, Jerry Navarra, has gathered a team including Rob Lankford of Lankford & Associates to create the vision of what can be the biggest project since Petco Park.
About 2.9 million square feet located in a square of Broadway, F Street, 14th Street and 16th Street, South of San Diego City College is where the Upper East Village has its plan to get established. The ideas that are on the agenda and that is currently being discussed include;
• An “education overlay”: City College, the NewSchool of Architecture, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, charter schools and student housing.
• Galleries, studios and artist’s live/work loft housing and an “artist’s alley” between 15th and 16th streets.
• An urban open space network: The planned East Village Green Park at 14th and F; an urban trail leading to Balboa Park; and an “urban alley” along 15th and F.
• 15th Street Experience: 3 blocks of live/work housing units and retail shops.
• 16th Street Gateway: A 3 block entrance to City College.
• Eurospace: An “urban alley” along F Street, bridging the blocks between Park and 15th.
Navarra, who has been a part of the East Village since 1954 is convinced that this team will be able to create this bold project that will improve the social, economic and cultural part of the East Village for generations to come.
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