Liberty Station, formerly the Naval Training Center, is filling out and up as residents and tenants move in. Point Loma People for Progress (P3) “” the Corky McMillin Companies’ answer to opposition group Save Our NTC “” hosted a community meeting on April 8 to discuss current progress and future developments.
Roughly 50 people gathered into the McMillin Event Center to hear from the NTC Foundation, District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer, the developer responsible for Liberty Station’s shopping center and McMillin’s spokesperson.
The historic building in which the meeting was held is the first to be opened from the arts and culture district, and once served as the Navy library. It’s lofty ceilings, exposed wooden beams, new coat of paint and empty, undecorated interior reflect the larger state of Liberty Station: a project on the verge of completion with a slightly vacant feel.
Currently occupied are the McMillin offices, the educational district’s six public schools, two of the seven office district buildings, and many of the residential area’s 349 homes. In various states of completion are the Marketplace, Sellers Plaza, NTC Promenade, hotel district, 46-acre NTC Park, nine-hole Sail Ho Golf Course and Shoreline Plaza with bay access. Liberty Station development began in 2001 and is expected to wrap up by 2008.
Alan Ziter, executive director of the NTC Foundation, welcomed the group to the NTC Promenade, which contains 26 historic buildings that will become home to civic, arts and cultural organizations.
“This is a place where people will make human contact and be sparked by creativity,” he said of the district. Ziter briefly referenced the opposition to Liberty Station by saying “a few people have a tendency to put a lot of obstacles in our way.”
The preservation of the historic district’s 60 buildings, balanced with the badly needed restoration of the deteriorating structures, has been a contentious subject among residents who see development as an affront to NTC’s legacy and character. From the color of the paint to the old latrines to the oddly shaped interiors, there has been a struggle to realize a cohesive vision at each turn.
“We take our stewardship very seriously as we renovate these buildings,” Ziter said of the NTC Promenade.
The transformation of 150,000 square feet within four historic buildings into shops and restaurants has also proven difficult. Craig Clark, president and CEO of C.W. Clark, provided updates on the tenant leases for the Marketplace, most recently used as the base mall. Construction is almost done, although it has been a challenge finding occupants for some of the spaces.
Clark’s company is charged with 22 projects, including the Chapel and historic buildings 27 to 30 within the Marketplace (adjacent to the big parking lot off Rosecrans Street). He pointed out that costs are up by 40 percent due to opposition of his project and the restrictions of working with historic buildings. Clark estimated that scrapping the buildings and recreating replicas would cost $100 per square foot, while his current efforts to refurbish and remodel the structures is costing between $120 and $140 per square foot. He promised to push forward with the Marketplace for the earliest opening date.
“Our goal is to get this finished and get this opened,” he said. “We’ve got to stop the hemorrhaging.”
Buildings 27 and 30 are the biggest issues at hand. The former has been turned down by Barnes & Noble and Borders because of its layout; Clark is currently seeking a high-end pet supply or house goods store to occupy the space with two other tenants. The latter’s zoning requires the tenant to incorporate an educational element with retail. Clark petitioned for Bed, Bath & Beyond and Home Depot to no avail. The structure lacks visibility and a loading dock.
Vons will take buildings 28 and 29, which cannot be connected or altered. Clark decided on installing wrought iron gates in between the structures after being told that permits for enclosing the space with glass would take up to one year at the Coastal Commission.
“There are a lot of things inside that you can’t touch and you can’t move,” he said of the interior. “[Vons] is struggling with their fixture plan.”
Other Marketplace occupants include Starbucks, a jeweler, postal annex, Sammy’s restaurant, an up-scale Italian restaurant, a healthy café, Cold Stone Creamery and Trader Joe’s.
The two grocery stores were of particular interest to the Point Loma residents, who will soon lose Albertsons on Catalina Boulevard and Vons on Rosecrans Street. Both tenants have signed 15 to 20-year leases and Clark assured the audience that the final results will look unlike any of their other locations.
Parking was another concern raised by the audience. According to Greg Block, McMillin community relations manager, all of Liberty Station shares one parking plan. The Walters Management Company is overseeing that plan, which will include permitted spaces for tenants and employees, three-hour free spots with subsequent metering, and free spaces for the public park.
Clark added that he has the option to build a second deck for parking above the large lot in front of the Marketplace, which he will consider if needed.
“Parking is the lifeblood of a shopping center,” he said.
According to Block, the northern half of the lot is 15 to 20 feet below grade from Rosecrans and a parking deck would not be visible from the street if added. Currently, the demand for such a structure has not been met and so there are no plans to build it.
Block also provided updates on the golf course, which will open in September; the first phase of NTC Park, including 18 acres of ball fields and basketball courts to be completed by the end of 2006; the final permitting of the west hotel district; and the USS Recruit, which will soon be painted and refurbished by volunteers. Ziter noted that Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) is currently working on a $1 million appropriation for the USS Recruit’s restoration.
High Tech High Media Arts is also undergoing renovations with the expansion of the third story to accommodate a large student body. According to Jed Wallace, High Tech High chief operating officer, the 11,000-square-foot addition was included in the original plans for building 83 and the project has been thoroughly vetted. Building 83 also houses two other High Tech schools. Both Wallace and architectural firm Carrier Johnson said that a public process was not required for the addition. Construction began several weeks ago and will continue throughout the summer.
For more information on Liberty Station projects, visit www.libertystation.com or call the Corky McMillin Companies at (619) 477-4117.