While pensions and audits make headlines, expect questions to focus on how the city will avoid dropping the planning ball when Mayor Sanders addresses the Urban Land Institute at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in the University Club, 750 B St. Downtown. Look for this group of land-use smarties, who represent both sides of the border, to make clear to the newly strong mayor that pension and audit myopia will not make for a long-term legacy. Admission is $40 for ULI members, $60 for nonmembers and $35 for students. To register, call (800) 321-5011.
***
   Ruben Garcia
|
Ruben Garcia, the son of a Texas field laborer, is the new head of the SBA’s San Diego district office. He replaces George Chandler, who retired in September after 25 years on the job. Garcia, 58, moved with his family to Southern California from Texas when he was 5 and graduated years later as student body president of Belmont High School in South Central Los Angeles. After a year in college, he enlisted in the Army, graduated from the West Point Preparatory School and served in infantry and special weapons assignments. In 1999 he founded the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Garcia inherits an SBA district office that was ranked No. 1 among 70 offices nationwide in 2005. SBA guaranteed close to 1,400 small business loans with a value of more than $400 million the past year in San Diego and Imperial counties.
***
Hispanic Business magazine ranks San Diego as the nation’s 10th largest Spanish language designated market area for advertising spending, just behind Phoenix. Gross expenditures for Hispanic advertising in San Diego on Spanish television or radio stations or in Spanish-language print totaled $52.12 million. Los Angeles was the largest market at $584.34 million. Of the San Diego dollars, $28.02 million went for television, $19.01 million for radio and $5.09 million for print.
***
While San Diego may have the nation’s 10th largest Spanish advertising market, it barely registers in the anniversary issue of Latino Leaders. The magazine recognizes the top 101 Latino movers and shakers in the United States. Of those identified, the largest number (27 percent) are in California. Los Angeles has 18 people recognized, including its new mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. The sole San Diegan recognized is Arturo Moreno, owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and, the magazine says, a resident of La Jolla.
***
|
***
Final designs have been approved for “Tweet Street” Park, a $2 million linear park along the freeway edge between Cortez Hill and Interstate 5. Tweet Street (a working name only) will feature a bird-oriented theme with artistic birdhouses and planting that will encourage birds to take up residence.
***
Demolition of the interior of the Hotel San Diego at Broadway and State Street, the site of the Federal Courthouse expansion, has begun. In April the concrete structure gets imploded. The rubble will be recycled on-site to fill the basement hole and the site will then be paved over for use as a temporary surface parking lot until construction of the courthouse begins.
***
|
Avalon Doors is opening doors for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Encinitas-based custom residential door maker has donated 250 entry doors to Habitat for Humanity in its Katrina rebuilding. The donated doors are solid-core mahogany and alder wood in various styles and valued at about $2,500 apiece, says Avalon sales manager Grant Holly.
***
Housing Development Partners is seeking permission from CCDC to build Studio Fifteen, 275 affordable residential units and 2,420 square feet of commercial/retail space in a five-story building at the southwest corner of 15th Street and Imperial Avenue.
***
Harbor Island is getting a new 400- to 600-room, 26-story hotel, three new restaurants, retail space with structure and surface parking for up to 1,350 vehicles under a proposed $160 million development by Sunroad Enterprises. An environmental impact report is being prepared in conjunction with the Port of San Diego on the project, which would nearly double Sunroad’s existing leasehold of Sunroad Resort Marina and Island Prime Restaurant. Construction could begin as early as spring 2007 depending on financing and port, airport and Coastal Commission approval. The Sunroad development team includes Hilton and SD Malkin Properties.
***
 Sudberry Development and a Morgan Stanley Real Estate Advisor affiliate begin construction this month on the third phase of Ocean View Hills Corporate Center on Otay Mesa Road, This one-year leg includes six one-story tilt-up concrete buildings, designed by Smith Consulting Architects, ranging from 56,000 to 181,000 square feet. The site was purchased for $9.1 million from Pardee Homes. The entire center will offer 661,000 square feet of industrial space on a 36-acre campus.
|
***
Brett Farrow has received permits to build 10 two-story commercial condominiums at the southeast corner of Kettner Boulevard and Laurel Street in Little Italy.
***
Carlsbad-based Ashbrook Communities has named veteran home building industry executive John Hagan as president of its new Temecula-based Inland Empire division. Hagan begins with two new-home neighborhoods in Winchester Ranch. With a combined total of 178 homes, those neighborhoods are set to debut this quarter. Before joining Ashbrook, he was president of home building operations for Stratham Homes. “John Hagan has the proven executive management ability that will ensure our success as we enter a highly competitive market,” says Tim McGowan, Ashbrook’s CEO. “His expertise, backed by the strong corporate management team that we have built at Ashbrook, will enable us to achieve our goal of 500 annual closings in the Inland Empire within five years.”
***
Stephen Schreiner, partner in Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, has been appointed by the Alumni Associations of the University of California to a two-year term on the 26-member UC Board of Regents. Schreiner joins several other San Diegans on the board, including John Moores, Padres chair; Thomas Sayles, v.p. of Sempra Energy; Peter Preuss, president of The Preuss Foundation; Gerald Parsky, chair of Aurora Capital Group; and Eric Juline, retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was a nonvoting member of the board last year by virtue of his service as treasurer of the Alumni Associations. He will become v.p. of the Alumni Associations on July 1.
***
 The sales center for the Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego, has opened at 345 Sixth Ave. in the Gaslamp Quarter. Graham Downes Architecture was retained by hotel developer 5th Rock LLC to design the center. Wheelihan Construction was general contractor. The condo hotel will encompass two 12-story towers with 420 guest rooms. Completion is expected this summer. The sales office (619-578-2600) is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
|
***
Christopher R. Scott believes he has the groove to sprout an improved green standard in lumber. The La Jolla resident’s company, Profile Lumber, machines a groove in conventional lumber at the mill to make a better, cheaper house frame than conventional lumber, he says. “The strength-to-weight ratio is greater and all of the wood interlocks when it ships, so you can get 30 percent more in truck capacity and 30 percent less space needed for stocking,” Scott says. The tongue and groove effect also means the lumber can pack 60 percent more insulation into a building, he adds. The milled material is used for pulp. Profile Lumber was featured in the December issue of Automated Builder.
***
An open house to describe USD’s Nonprofit Leadership & Management Program is planned Feb. 1 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the school’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. Faculty, alumni, students will participate and those attending will learn how to obtain discounted tuition for 501(c) (3) practitioners. Deadline to apply to the program for Fall 2006 is April 3. Call John Mosby, director of outreach and recruitment, at (619) 260-7988 for more information.
***
Women in Technology International will present a Venture Connections conference Feb. 13 to bring entrepreneurs and potential investors together. The event, at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel, is sponsored by Fish & Richardson PC and Tech Coast Angels and is specifically aimed at emerging technology and life sciences companies. Margaret Heffernan, president and CEO of iCAST and author of “The Naked Truth,” and Carol Ammon, chairwoman of the board and founder of Endo Pharmaceuticals, are keynote speakers.
Investors will be able to meet one-on-one with companies they pick for the “Meet Your Match” portion. Both women and men entrepreneurs will be selected to participate. Applicants must submit an executive summary for consideration by Jan. 15. High- tech and life sciences companies and capital providers interested in participating should contact Jennifer Beckey at (858) 344-3825.
***
Work to connect Balboa Park with San Diego Bay down Park Boulevard moves ahead. In a joint venture with Sandag, CCDC has signed on to provide $2 million for the second phase that will upgrade and enhance the public right-of-way and the operation of the trolley, create street amenities to encourage pedestrians, and complement existing and planned development from C to G streets.
***
Michael Sabourin is seeking a permit to build 62 residential units and 1,140 square feet of commercial retail space in a 15-story building on the north side of Cedar Street, between Union and Front streets.
***
 The USS Freedom, the first littoral combat ship to be built for the Navy, will be delivered in December 2006 and homeported at Naval Station San Diego. It will arrive in town in early 2007. Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics are the major contractors. Freedom-class ships are designed to counter shallow water threats such as mines, diesel submarines and fast surface craft.
|
***
The Jewish Women’s Foundation and Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego will host a two-part seminar on Women & Money Feb. 2 and March 29 designed to educate women in financial decisions and estate planning. The half-day events will be held at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center at the Jacobs Family campus in La Jolla. The first session, “Taking Charge of Your Financial Future,” will be a panel discussion led by Roberta Robinson, a lawyer, and Sheryl Rowling, a CPA. The second, “Women, Money and Values,” will feature Stephen Goldbart and Joan DiFuria of the Money, Meaning and Choices Institute. The breakfast programs cost $36 for one event or $60 for both. To reserve, call (858) 279-2740.
***
San Diego Opera celebrates the 10th anniversary of “Life Sciences Live at the Opera” Feb. 8 with an evening of opera and networking with executives from the life sciences industry in Civic Theatre’s Golden Hall. Hosting the evening will be Drew Senyei, opera board president; Harry Hixson Jr., chair and CEO of Braincells Inc.; and Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom. The opera is Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” A reception will be at 5:15 p.m. in the lobby. The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and will include an intermission reception in the Bravissimo patron tent adjacent to the theater. Tickets range from $132 to $207 for both receptions and opera, and from $67 to $142 for opera and intermission reception only. Call (619) 533-7049 or visit sdopera.com/live for more information.
***
Rick Engineering Co. won an engineering excellence award from the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California for its Goat Canyon Restoration Project in South County. It will be presented Jan. 30 in Sacramento. Rick Engineering was cited for the design, permitting and construction work on the project to prevent future damage to the downstream estuary. Goat Canyon is home to sensitive wildlife wetland habitat and a diverse population of threatened and endangered species. The project was spearheaded by Dennis Bowling, who was nominated for the American Council of Engineering Cos.’ national Engineering Excellence Awards competition. Winners will be announced in April in Washington, D.C.
***
Walter J. Zable, founder, chair, president and CEO of Cubic Corp., will be honored for his technological innovations at the second annual Entrepreneur Hall of Fame luncheon Feb. 22 sponsored by Connect. It will be held at 11 a.m. at Estancia Hotel La Jolla, 9700 N. Torrey Pines Road. Connect members are $120, nonmembers $140. Register at connect.kintera.org/halloffamereg.
***
 San Diego Water Authority Chair James Bond rides a bulldozer to break ground for the new Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant north of San Marcos, the first such plant to be owned by the agency. The plant will deliver 100 million gallons a day of treated water to the county. CH2M Hill Constructors Inc. will design and construct the plant beginning early this year. Completion is scheduled for spring 2008.
|
***
SDSU Alumni Association will present its 34th annual Monty Awards March 25 to graduates who’ve made significant contributions to the school or community. The honorees and their colleges are Clare Crane, arts and letters; Art L. Flaming, business administration; Rhonda Welch-Scalco, education; Douglas Fronius, engineering; Sheila Lipinsky, health and human services; Jack L. Williams, professional studies and fine arts; Tim Day, sciences; Gregory D. Bear, library and information access; and Ron and Alexis Fowler, distinguished alumni service. SDSU President Stephen Weber and wife Susan Weber will receive the Distinguished University Service award. The program will run from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Cox Arena and will be followed by an after-hours lounge. This year’s event is co-chaired by former Monty Award winners Elizabeth “Jinx” Ecke and Judith Gumbiner. Tickets are $145 per person before March 10; $155 thereafter. For information, visit sdsualumni.org or call (619) 594-2586.
***
San Diego County captured two of the dozen technology and innovation awards handed out by the Center for Digital Government at its 2005 Best of California awards program. Walt Ekard, the county’s CAO, was presented an award for demonstrated excellence in project executive sponsorship while Michael L. Moores, the county’s chief information officer, was honored for demonstrated leadership in management of information technology
***
This year’s 22nd annual ArtWalk in Little Italy on April 29-30 will feature more than 300 artists exhibiting works in painting, sculpture, glass, photography, music, drama and dance. The walk will stretch from Beech Street to Fir Street. A mural created by local artists is part of a worldwide initiative to complete a 12-mile long mural by 2010. Visitors can browse through the art works or take a two-hour tour by golf cart, including lunch and personalized introductions to artists. Call (619) 615-1090 or visit artwalkinfo.com to sign up. The free ArtWalk events take place between noon and 6 p.m. each day.
***
The American Cancer Society starts taking orders Jan. 9 for its 23rd annual Daffodil Days Campaign. Orders for the bright yellow flowers are due by Feb. 24 with deliveries scheduled March 13-17. Prices start at $10. A tax-deductible Gift of Hope minimum donation of $25 will help deliver bouquets of daffodils to cancer patients undergoing treatment in local medical facilities. These bouquets can be purchased in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who has lost the fight against cancer. The flowers are delivered anonymously by trained cancer society volunteers. Call (619) 682-7447 for more information.
No comments on record for this story.
This is a public form for the free exchange of comments. Foul language, threats and anything overtly mean or nasty will be removed.