Bar-hopping in the Gaslamp Quarter is the wrong answer for anyone looking for a last-minute idea for this, the biggest New Year’s Eve ever. That's because, most, if not all, the restaurants and bars expect to be sold out before Dec. 31 arrives. Reserve now or forever remember the arrival of 2000 at home. After some internal debate, Gaslamp merchants and police decided there will be no streets closed for outdoor parties. (That's the official line. Unofficially, police reportedly will decide on New Year’s Eve if and when to close streets to vehicles. If not then, when?)
    The good news is a few good Gaslamp establishments still have open spots. For a lineup of what’s available, call the Gaslamp Quarter Association at (619) 233-5227.
    The biggest community New Year’s event will be the Millennium Bash in Balboa Park. Prices start at $30 per person. Check out www.balboaparkexpo.com for more.
    The first five people who fax their name, phone number and place of employment to the San Diego Metropolitan will each receive two tickets to the Millennium Bash.
    And the first five people who e-mail their name, phone number and place of employment to info@sandiegometro.com also each will receive two tickets to the Bash.
    Seaport Village and Embarcadero Marina Park will offer First Night family fireworks at midnight.
    Also consider La Jolla, where Promote La Jolla is sponsoring a block party at La Jolla Cove that will culminate with midnight fireworks.

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    Johnson & Jennings General Contracting has wrapped up a 19,849-square-foot tenant improvement project for the U.S. Attorney's offices Downtown. The project included new carpet, paint and bullet-proof walls.

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    The newest board members being installed this month at the San Diego County Bar Assn. are Mary A. Lehman, Anita J. Margoilis, Christopher W. Todd, Lisa S. Weinreb and William R. Fletcher.

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    Silicon Valley Bank has doubled the size of its regional office, moving to 9645 Scranton Road, Suite 110. The bank opened a loan production office here with two employees in 1995. It now is a full-service commercial lender with 17 employees and more than 200 clients. Linda S. Le Beau is senior v.p. and manager of its San Diego regional office and life science practice. Jeffrey. M. Huhn is senior v.p. in charge of the San Diego technology practice.

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    U.S. Bank has folded in the nine branches of Bank of Commerce, naming Ernest Ewin as senior v.p. and San Diego regional sales and service manager. Dave Bartram remains as head of the SBA division. Next up, digesting the 11 branches of Peninsula Bank.

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    San Diego National Bank is moving its Lake San Marcos branch to a larger space in the 1600 block of San Marcos Boulevard.

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    Filing for the San Diego mayor and City Council races ends Dec. 9. Candidates for City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 as well as for mayor and city attorney will be taking out nomination papers. Since only City Attorney Casey Gwinn is eligible to run for a second term, this will be the most wide-open local election in recent history.

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    To cultivate and manage private gifts, SDSU has created the Campanile Foundation. Directors include Malin Burnham, chair of Burnham Real Estate Services; Timothy Considine, president of Considine and Considine; Ron Fowler, president and CEO of Liquid Investments Inc.; Jack Goodall, chair of Jack in the Box Inc.; Betty Hubbard, chair of L.R. Hubbard Construction Co.; Maurice Kaplan, arts philanthropist and investment analyst; Bernard Lipinsky, president of North Park Mortgage/Harris Investment; Theresa M. Mendoza, v.p. of University Advancement at SDSU; John Moores, owner of the Padres; Leon Parma, chair of La Jolla Capital Inc.; Robert Payne, president and CEO of Multi-Ventures Inc.; Ralph Rubio, president and CEO of Rubio's Restaurants Inc.; James Sinegal, president and CEO of Costco; Celinda Vasquez, a student representative at SDSU; and Stephen Weber, president of SDSU. Weber wants to more than double the $32.3 million raised this year to $80.8 million in 2003-4. The foundation will be headed by Mendoza as CEO.

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    Burnham Real Estate Services has opened its fourth office in the county, this one in Chula Vista. "We continue to see growing demand for north-of-the-border warehouse/distribution facilities by firms with manufacturing operations in Mexico," says Mike Philbin, senior v.p. "Additionally, more than 60 percent of the future developable land in San Diego County is located south of Interstate 8, a significant amount of which is in border-close markets such as Otay Mesa and Chula Vista." Burnham expects more than 40,000 people to move to the area in the next five years. Staffing the 2252 Main St. office will be Charles "Charlie" Adolphe, Rudy Mendoza, Joe Smith and Chris Holder.

    With more than 100 projects planned or under construction, the Centre City Development Corp. has added a great new feature to its Web site that updates each of the projects and provides an interactive map with a current photo. Click on www.ccdc.com for more. And CCDC and the Downtown Partnership have just completed production of a video extolling the virtues of San Diego’s largest office market. First audience: The Commercial Assn. of Realtors, two-thirds of whose members represent suburban real estate. Peter Hall, Keith Fernandez and John Kratzer advised CAR of Downtown projects other than the ballpark, and Kratzer conceded he could not convince Peregrine Systems to wait to relocate until he could get an office out of the ground. "Peregrine is busting at the seams," he says.

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    Following a trend, and requests from employees, Stephen Meyer has moved his Alexander X Inc. from La Jolla to 20th floor offices Downtown at 225 Broadway. "Not only are Alexander's employees able to work in an interesting environment, many of those who don’t already live in the area are interested in buying or renting nearby so they can walk to work," says Meyers, company president. "Interesting work coupled with an interesting environment are more and more important to employees and employers alike." Meyer says he's also following in the footsteps of techs such as Cayenta.com, SimpleNet, U.S.West, Echolink Interactive, TeraGlobal Communications, Actcom.com and Pac Bell. His company provides IT services to clients such as Sempra Energy and the FAA. It also publishes a growing number of regional technology and biotech directories.

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    The kindergarten through 12th grade sales team at Bruce Geier's Technology Integration Group sold more than $88 million in Apple computer products for fiscal 1999, earning it the No. 1 ranking in the nation among Apple authorized education sales agents. Linda Hopkins led the 27-member TIG team that claimed the honor.

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    TIG purchased 25 copies of Geier's "Heart of San Diego" interview with Fred Lewis last month. New "Heart of San Diego" subjects airing in December include Jack Walsh, Ray Hoobler, Jerry Gross, Bob Watkins and Dr. Alice Hayes. The complete schedule appears on Page 39.

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    "San Diego, Perfecting Paradise," by Roger Showley, another recent "Heart of San Diego" interview, is finally in book stores, in time for the holidays, after you purchase your Metropolitan gift subscriptions. Heritage Media Corp. of Carlsbad published the history book with vanity company profiles. The book costs $49.95. A Metropolitan subscription costs $25.

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    SeatAdvisor.com has developed a new guard against nosebleed seats at sports events, concerts and plays. Using the San Diego company’s service, prospective ticket buyers can check out location, distance from the stage or field, angle, seat comfort, sound quality, obstructions and pricing. Chat groups, seat reviews from previous customers, custom e-mail notices, event products and links to ticket sellers, venues and event reviews also are found at the site, along with Seat Trader, a classified ad section allowing users to purchase, sell or trade tickets with others.
    SeatAdvisor.com profiles seats at more than 60 venues in San Diego, Orange and L.A. counties. Its employees claim to have sat in every seat in each of the locations. Beginning next month it will sell tickets both over the phone and Internet for smaller venues, such as Horton Grand Theatre, 4th & B, East County Performing Arts Center, Lamb's Players Theatre, Spreckels Theatre and Old Globe Theatre. The company was founded late in 1998 by Brent Miller, Steve Souza and Terry Christensen, three partners with backgrounds in computer science, Internet marketing, software engineering and commercial graphic design.

    After a year in his computer networking business, Connex System Integration, Ryan Rogers got frustrated dealing with clients that used breakdown-prone computers built with cheap parts. So his company is launching Ibryo, its own line of branded custom-built computers. Sold only to businesses, the computers contain name-brand parts and are guaranteed for three years, with Rogers sending an employee to the business for any problems in the first year. The company already has sold more than 25 of the systems.

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    Think of Downtown and you think of finance, commerce, government, tourism and ... functional eggs, right? Right. From Harbor Drive offices beneath the Coronado Bridge, Kelco plays a major role in the production of the eggs, which are part of a growing industry of functional foods, those enriched with key natural nutrients for added health benefits. At its factory, Kelco cultivates microalgae from the sea, dries it into powder and makes it available to be fed to chickens, including those raised at the Gold Circle Farms in Escondido. The DHA Omega-3 enriched eggs have started arriving on the shelves of local markets such as Vons, Henry's, Whole Foods and Jimbo's Naturally. Analysts predict sales of functional foods will reach $17.6 billion in 2001, up from $15.2 billion in 1998.

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    In the last two years, the I-15 Diamond Gateway Chamber of Commerce has more than doubled its size, a feat that allows it to claim its place as the fastest growing chamber in the inland North County. The Chamber's service area covers Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos and Sabre Springs. Frank Mihalovich is chairman, Vesna Clark is president/CEO, and Harriet Dubrule, membership director. Check out the Web site at www.I15Diamond.com. Or don’t.

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    Among the newest entrants to the e-commerce game in San Diego is Amdax.com, which offers an auction system where suppliers bid on end-user accounts.

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    Joining the board of webinc, a new Internet incubator in San Diego, are Ken King, the chair and acting CFO who operates Signal Consulting Group; Joe Raguso, president of the San Diego Regional Technology Alliance; and Tyler Orion, director of Orion Enterprise Development. The founder of webinc is Stephen Dirks, who has more than 15 years experience in investment banking and last was a senior v.p. with Kemper Securities.

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    Geoff Gardener, the foreman for mechanical contractor Jackson & Blanc, volunteered for 12 weekends with the Mexican Medical Ministries, helping with the installation of air conditioning systems at clinics. With part-time assistance from four Jackson & Blanc employees, he finished an already-started installation in a San Felipe clinic and then designed and built a new system for a clinic on the outskirts of Mexicali.
Above the border, Gardener oversees projects like the $1.2 million upgrade to the cooling and laundry systems at the Westgate Hotel. He's the superintendent; Eric Morehead, the project manager. The Westgate work wraps up next month.

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    The 22nd annual Culligan Holiday Bowl kicks off Dec. 29, 5 p.m., at Qualcomm Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN; each team that plays is guaranteed a minimum payout of $1.85 million. For ticket info, call (619) 283-5808, or click on www.holidaybowl.com.

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    The special operations group at Ninteman Construction Co. has completed $3.8 million in design-build construction at the 300-acre masterplanned Meadows Del Mar project. The star at Meadows is an 18-hole golf course that opened in August. The company built five buildings: a 12,000-square-foot golf clubhouse, a 7,500-square-foot maintenance building, two remote restrooms and a 500-square-foot driving range building.

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    Bolstering its position as the largest supplier of plants to the county's commercial landscapers, Miramar Wholesale Nurseries has acquired Sea Tree Nurseries Inc. in Irvine for an undisclosed price. It’s the company’s third acquisition in little more than a year and its second in Orange County. Miramar Wholesale is a subsidiary of LandCare USA, which when it bought Miramar Wholesale in October 1998 was the nation's largest commercial landscape and tree service. In February, LandCare merged with TruGreen-ChemLawn in a stock-swap deal that created the largest landscaping firm in the country with annual revenue approaching $600 million.

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    The San Diego Mediation Center has deemed March 24 as its first "Day of Dialogue," a countywide event that will culminate with the annual Peacemaker Awards dinner. "When parents can’t talk to their kids about drugs and violence; when nations fail repeatedly at effecting peace; when broken relationships result in lawsuits clogging the courts; when children amass arsenals in secret to murder their classmates; we shout, 'stop,'" says Liz O'Brien, president of the mediation center. Says Laura Walcher, chair of the Day of Dialogue and Peacemaker dinner, "Every potential for conflict that can exist in a community exists here. Finding solutions must involve everyone."

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    Ben Haddad is the city of San Diego’s newest representative on the San Diego County Water Authority's 34-member board. Haddad, a consultant and former president of the San Diego Chamber, replaces Christine Frahm, who resigned earlier this year.

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    HRG Inc., a local human resources consulting firm, has merged into the national accounting firm of RSM McGladrey Inc. The move is expected to boosts HRG's human resources consulting practice in San Diego. "Mid-sized businesses today are struggling with a variety of human resources issues," notes Pat Tabor, managing director of RSM's San Diego office. HRG will move its operations from Rancho Bernardo into RSM's Mission Valley office.

    Construction starts next month on the 7,000-square-foot clubhouse for the Pro Kids Golf Academy and Learning Center that is being built by BIA Cares for Kids.

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    The Braille Institute is offering local nonprofits free use of its Executive Drive meeting facilities, including its largest room featuring a sound system, large-screen television and seating for 200. Call Jay Hatfield - (858) 452-1111 - for more.

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    San Diego will be the focus of the wireless data world March 13-15 when several of the nation's largest companies converge to share their vision and show the latest in enterprise and personal wireless data solutions. Those companies will be here during BellSouth Wireless Data's Wireless Alliances and Vision Exchange 2000, an event participants are calling Wave 2000. Sponsors of the Town & Country event include Microsoft, Ericsson, Panasonic, Itronix and Melard Technologies.

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    Zigman Shields has begun construction on Purple Mountain Empire I, a two-story office building designed by Austin Design Group for a site at 4475 Executive Drive. CB Richard Ellis is handling leasing.

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    The South County Partnership, a consortium of five master planned community developers, says it will spend more than $160 million during the next two years on community facilities in Chula Vista. Partnership members include EastLake Co., the Corky McMillin Cos., the Otay Ranch Co., Pacific Bay Homes and Ayres Land Co.

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    Construction begins in March on Torrey View Corporate Center, a three-story, 75,000-square-foot office project in Del Mar Heights. The 4.2-acre property was sold last month by Westbrook Torrey Hills for $2.2 million to Torrey View Associates, a joint venture of San Diego Realty Advisors and Southland Property Group. The project architect is Brian Paul & Associates. Tom Mercer and Ron Jacobson of Colliers International are the exclusive leasing reps.

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    Jessie Knight Jr., president of the San Diego Chamber, has written his membership to encourage the purchase of Padres season tickets before the new ballpark opens. "Padres tickets will be a sought-after business commodity, and season tickets are the only way to ensure your seats from year to year," Knight writes. "As a season ticket holder your business will enjoy the ability to entertain clients and reward employees at one of the country's best sports venues."

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    For the first time, the Burnham House, designed by Irving Gill in 1907 for the Marston Family, will be open this month for public tours. Located at 3565 Seventh Ave., the house, home to Episcopal Community Services, has been decorated for the holidays by nine interior designers. Tours are $7. For more, call (619) 260-8100, Ext. 104.

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    Getting into the big-ticket millennium celebration act, the Sheraton Harbor Island has a $99,000 deal called "Sail Away With Me" that features two nights in the Presidential Suite, a bottle of Crystal champagne, in-room candlelight dinner, gourmet breakfasts and "the finest year-2000, 31-foot sailboat money can buy, the Hunter 310." You get to keep the boat. For those on a budget, the hotel has a two-night $1,200 Millennium Extravaganza package that includes a four-course meal, four drinks per person, a water-facing room and admission to two parties. Finally, for $500, there's Musical Madness, featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, a champagne toast, one-night stay and partying to the music of DJ Greg Rackley.