$300K check could boost Civic Center development
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San Diego has struggled to redevelop its Civic Center, and now the county's largest private foundation has stepped in with a $300,000 check in hopes of turning its fate, the Union-Tribune reported.
Why it matters: The money could lead to a revitalization plan that piques interest from developers, who last year mostly ignored the city's solicitation for project ideas.
- The only response the city received initially was to retrofit the scandal-plagued 101 Ash Street high-rise into affordable housing, but that proposal is still up in the air.
How it works: The Downtown San Diego Partnership, an interest group for economic development downtown, will oversee the design work by Philadelphia-based U3 Advisors, and the Prebys Foundation will pay the tab.
- The foundation, a major arts benefactor, got involved to secure the fate of the Civic Theatre, which is in the six-block project area, the U-T reported.
Friction point: City officials will not be required to follow the new blueprint, since it will be funded, managed and created by three separate private groups, Fox 5 reported.
- The hope is that it will spark interest from the development community, and lean on recommendations from a committee of influential figures convened by Mayor Todd Gloria in 2022.
What they're saying: Jay Goldstone, a special advisor to the mayor on the project, told Axios last year the project suffered from nationwide economic headwinds facing big downtown projects.
- "The initiative reflects a strategic response to the challenges faced by downtown areas nationwide, offering a visionary model for urban renewal," Prebys Foundation CEO Grant Oliphant said in a news release.
The intrigue: When few developers responded to the city's solicitation last year, the project fell under a state requirement that any proposal reserve 25% of units for affordable housing.
- Yes, but: Now, the city has satisfied that requirement, so any response will instead need to reserve only 15% of units for affordable housing. City officials hope that will increase developer interest.