Mayor releases results of Civic Center study Mayor Jerry Sanders has announced the results of a study conducted by Jones Lang LaSalle that analyzed the financial impacts of building a new Civic Center or “holding steady” in the current building, which was constructed in 1964. The consultants found that staying in the current building would cost $216 million over 10 years, while building a new Civic Center would cost $179 million to $231 million during the same time span. The study estimates a cost of $554 million to $600 million for a new building over 50 years, versus $790 million for the current facility. About 1,000 city employees work at the Civic Center now, and an additional 2,000 are in leased office space downtown. The city spends about $13 million on downtown office leases annually, according to representatives in the mayor’s office. The project will be on the ballot in November, when voters decide whether to move forward with the new construction. Council approves new central library On June 28, San Diego City Council voted 6-2 to break ground on construction for a new central library at Park Boulevard and J Street in East Village. The project had come under fire from opponents, who said that it would be financially irresponsible to fund the library at a time when the city has made cutbacks to other services like fire and police personnel. The majority of the $185 million project will be funded through city redevelopment funds, San Diego Unified School District and a state grant, but the city is relying on an additional $32.5 million in private donations to complete the second phase of the project, which is scheduled to begin January 2012. The library is slated to open in July 2013. Little Italy wins two awards The Little Italy neighborhood has received two awards for its commitment to social responsibility and community improvements: the American Planning Association’s Community Development award, which recognized the area’s walk-ability and strong planning principles, and the Urban Landscape Institute’s Smart Growth of the Decade award for its “eclectic blend of architecture and street life that builds on a rich history of community and ethnic heritage …” according to ULI representatives. Group studies economic impact of Gaslamp Quarter The Gaslamp Quarter Association (GQA) has released an economic impact report that indicates that the Gaslamp Quarter contributed $86 million in tax revenue to the city and the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) between fiscal years 1998 and 2008. Researchers included combined revenue from property tax, sales tax, transient occupancy tax (TOT) and tourism marketing district fees in their calculations. The study was conducted by the GQA and an MBA student consulting team from San Diego State University. News digest • Fifth Avenue Partners, owner of the luxury hotel Se San Diego at 1047 Fifth Ave., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The hotel, which has 184 rooms and 23 unsold condos, opened in December 2008. • The Little Italy Association (LIA) held a dedication ceremony at the corner of Date and India streets on June 25 to celebrate the implementation of a new recycling program in Little Italy. The California State Department of Conservation and San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts collectively provided the LIA with $115,000 grant funding the purchase of 123 distinct, recycling bins that will be placed next to existing trash receptacles in Little Italy. The bins are blue, but the tops showcase a colorful work of art created by San Diego artist Grant Pecoff. • The Downtown Information Center is looking for volunteer ambassadors who will interact with local, national and international visitors at the group’s kiosk in Horton Plaza. Contact (619) 533-7145 for more information. • The East Village Association will hold its monthly meeting Thursday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Hotel Indigo, 509 Ninth Ave. Representatives from the Port of San Diego and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law will make presentations. For more information, or to see the roster for the group’s recently-elected board of directors, visit www.eastvillagesandiego.com. • The San Diego chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will present Interior Experience, a self-guided home tour, on July 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will give attendees the chance to experience design, art, fashion and cuisine together inside of five unique homes. The homes have been designed to reflect the personalities of the occupants. One downtown home featured is that of Michael Mack, the CEO of Garden Fresh Restaurant Corporation/Souplantation. Robert Wright of Bast/Wright Interiors designed the home to complement Mack’s active lifestyle. The downtown condo features brick walls and vintage warehouse windows. For ticket information visit www.asidsandiego.org. • The San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB) will host a business-to-business networking mixer from 4 to 6 p.m., on Thursday, July 8, at the US Grant Hotel, 326 Broadway. The public is invited to attend. Admission is $10 per person. For event information, visit www.sandiego.bbb.org and click “News Center” and “Events,” or contact Andrea McNelis at the BBB offices, (858) 637-6199. Program underwriters for the BBB’s 2010 mixers are Gaslamp Insurance of San Diego and AFLAC Insurance. • Mayor Jerry Sanders has appointed Stephen P. Cushman as a special assistant to the mayor for the proposed 200,000-square-foot Convention Center expansion. Cushman will provide the mayor with guidance on all aspects of the project, including financing, negotiations and the approvals process, according to representatives from the mayor’s office. Cushman, a fourth-generation San Diegan, has been Port Commissioner since 1999 and has served on more than 60 boards and commissions. He was also co-chair of the Citizen’s Task Force that studied the expansion.