The next ambitious step in expanding the Mecca for arts and culture at the former Naval Training Center (NTC) — now known as Liberty Station — will take place this summer. The plan involves renovating eight of the historic 1920s-era buildings in the heart of the center that makes up the 28-acre, 27-building NTC Promenade. When complete early next year, the renovation will provide new opportunities for San Diego’s creative community, as well as for nonprofit groups and unique retailers, said Alan Ziter, executive director of the NTC Foundation. Ziter addressed the Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) on May 19. Seven of the buildings to be renovated are former barracks — four on Historic Decatur Road and three on Truxtun Road. The other is Officer’s Quarters D on Rosecrans Street which, like the other three officer’s quarters, are the only buildings on the campus that were built to face the neighborhood instead of the base, Ziter said. The project will add some 52,500 square feet of usable space to the promenade and bring to 15 the total number of buildings renovated. The foundation hopes to secure the necessary $20 million in funding this month, Ziter said. Among the tenants confirmed when the project is complete are: Women’s Museum of California; San Diego River Park Foundation; Yellow Book Road, a children’s bookstore; and Scout, a home furnishing and fixtures retailer that will use the officers quarters and their one-acre garden. Negotiations are ongoing with other interested parties, Ziter said. “For 75 years, NTC was the cradle for the Navy in San Diego,” Ziter said. “We want to become a destination for children and families and create a historic showcase for the legacy of NTC and those who served in the buildings.” The NTC Foundation was created in 2000 by the San Diego City Council to secure the estimated $100 million in funding to renovate the buildings and operate the promenade. One of the best-known previously renovated structures is Building 175, which now houses Dance Place San Diego. It’s the home for three of the city’s top dance companies and has seven studios available for community use, Ziter said. Still on the drawing board is the renovation of the historic Luce Auditorium, one of the most beloved and asked-about buildings. The latest proposal calls for transforming the 1,800-seat facility into two, 200-seat cinemas and one 450-seat cinema that would also be available for dance, Ziter said. In other PCPB news: • The PCPB has gone paperless at its monthly board meetings. Instead of handing out printed copies, the agenda is now projected on a screen from a laptop. Agendas and other documents are also available at www.pcpb.net. • It’s a frustrating fact of life for motorists heading east on Highway 8. Even though it intersects with Highway 5, there’s no northbound ramp. This curious condition remains unchanged in the draft 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, a document that projects needs for transit, highways, local streets, bicycling, and walking over the next four decades. Even with an estimated $196 billion in revenues available for the plan, the connector did not qualify for funding, said Stephan Vance, senior regional planner, in response to a question. The PCPB may take a position on the plan at its June 16 meeting, said Chairman Suhail Khalil said. The plan is available at www.sandag.org. • There may be a weird odor, but there won’t be any jackhammers when a contractor renovates sewer lines this fall along Gage Drive, Loma Valley Place, Loma Valley Road, Inez Street and Jennings Street. It’s an innovative process called trenchless technology, said Maryam Liaghat, associate civil engineer for the city. Instead of digging a trench, crews enter through manholes and cleanouts and apply a resin coating to the inside of the pipes. The process is also faster and more inexpensive than traditional trenching, Liaghat said. More information on the project, known as Sewer Pipeline Rehabilitation O-1, is available at www.sandiego.gov/engineering-cip.