By DAVE SCHWAB |\u00a0Mission Times Courier<\/p>\n
Stakeholders weighed in on SDSU\u2019s proposed redevelopment plan for Mission Valley\u2019s Qualcomm site at a May 23 dialogue sponsored by Citizens Coordinate For Century 3 (C-3).<\/p>\n
The initial plan envisions housing, offices, retail, parks and a new stadium.<\/p>\n
The Balboa Park breakfast meeting featured three guest speakers: Rachel Gregg, SDSU director of government & community relations; Mission Valley Community Planning Group chair Jonathon Frankel; and NewSchool of Architecture professor Mike Stepner.<\/p>\n
The SDSU West proposal won out over a competing proposal, SoccerCity, in last November\u2019s general election. Voters nixed, by a 69.6% margin, the SoccerCity proposal, while favoring the SDSU West plan by a 54% majority.<\/p>\n
The speakers all gave brief presentations before a small-group workshop session.<\/p>\n
Cary Lowe, board member for C-3, which is dedicated to preserving the region\u2019s built and natural environment, in introducing Gregg noted she would discuss \u201cthe relationship of the university as a whole to the surrounding community.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re very excited about this project and the outreach with different stakeholders: This is your backyard,\u201d enthused Gregg. \u201cThe university is totally interested in developing this project to its highest and best use. We really want folks to understand what our initial plan is, give them the tools they need to be part of the [planning] process and have a voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, this is very important to us as community members living across the street from the stadium site,\u201d said Frankel of MVPG, which is completing its community plan update. \u201cIt\u2019s really exciting for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we create a walkable, livable, transit-friendly space in Mission Valley?\u201d asked Frankel.<\/p>\n
Characterizing the stadium\u2019s existing trolley station as \u201cone of the most underutilized in the entire network,\u201d Frankel added, \u201cThis is a great opportunity to implement the vision of our [new] community plan and really make it a model for urban design and sustainable development, as we look ahead to the next 20, 30 years in Mission Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stepner, a former city planner, gave a brief history of Mission Valley, noting it started out as a dairy and agricultural center. \u201cSomewhere along the line we lost that vision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The architect described Mission Valley\u2019s subsequent development as \u201ca fragmented and uninspiring image, an uncompleted jigsaw puzzle near impossible to walk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Added Stepner, \u201cWith a strong vision, this can be not just another development in the valley. This needs to be done with the highest possible architectural and landscape standards to rebuild Mission Valley. We want Mission Valley to be the model for how we do things better.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room then broke into small groups to discuss access and mobility, open and public spaces and design principles and concepts for integrating the Qualcomm site into Mission Valley.<\/p>\n
One small group included: Mark Carpenter, principal planner of KTUA planning and landscape architectural services firm; Jeff Marston, past president of The California State University Alumni Council; Cary Lowe of C-3; Eduard Schmiege, longtime Tierrasanta resident; and Denise Friedman of Pacific Beach Town Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s talk about connecting this site to the city as a whole,\u201d said group leader Lowe. \u201cAny thoughts about the need to improve connectivity?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not always easy doing public transportation if you\u2019re older or disabled,\u201d answered Friedman. \u201cNot everybody is a millennial.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not been a lot of thought put into what else you could do to direct traffic,\u201d noted Schmiege.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s difficult,\u201d replied Lowe. \u201cFriars Road runs for miles. It\u2019s like a mini freeway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowe noted another redevelopment challenge is creating a river park through the project site that he said, \u201cCan\u2019t be seen and really doesn\u2019t connect to the river in some way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is checking the box for open space and adding recreational amenities,\u201d agreed KTUA architect Carpenter who asked, \u201cBut is that a proper balance between public versus programming space?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would rather park farther away and walk,\u201d said Marston about proposed underground parking. \u201cWhat is being looked at is the role of public transit in this. The hope is there\u2019s enough people out there who would take transit so the 4,000 to 5,000 dedicated parking spaces for a particular event is enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Concerning design, Friedman said, \u201cI like tying it in with the architectural style that exists on [the SDSU] campus and making that connection. It looks like this is very dense with buildings, and not much green space and ways to get around. It doesn\u2019t look pedestrian-friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowe discussed the redevelopment project\u2019s timetable.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst the university has to acquire the property; they\u2019re in negotiations now,\u201d he said. \u201cThey hope to have the environmental impact report certified and the deal done by the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anticipating litigation, which Lowe said will like take \u201cat least a few months to resolve,\u201d he added the plan is to demolish the old stadium and start on the new one \u201cby early next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you have the river park, which has to be in within two years after they break ground on the stadium,\u201d added Lowe. \u201cThen you\u2019ve got the housing. Those [units] would be phased in with demand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the C-3 breakfast dialogue, both Marston and Schmiege gave their impressions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere weren’t any real surprises for me,\u201d said Marston. \u201cPeople had a bunch of ideas \u2026These included the bridge over the river, bike path down from Normal Heights and adequate parking. \u2026There was also a little grumbling about keeping the stadium and rebuilding it, which actually messes up the whole site plan. That train has left the station. \u2026 It was also disappointing to hear that the meetings in council districts, sponsored by council members, are not being well attended.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI inspected certain parts of the site [SW and SE corners] and also the south bank,\u201d said Schmiege. \u201cThe noise from [Interstate] 8 traffic is extremely high \u2026This section of the freeway is in need of sound protection walls. \u2026 Construction of building, homes, offices, stadiums and mobility planning are co-dependent like chicken and egg. We really need to learn, and practice, a holistic and sustainable approach to our precious infrastructure-advancement projects. The plan as presented by SDSU and Mission Valley planning representatives, even at this early state, is meager and lacks bare necessities.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is planning a potential 2020 ballot measure that could impact the SDSU West Plan. Contemplated is a new purple line, a 23-mile trolley extension from South Bay to Kearny Mesa through the 805 and 15 interstates, that could have one or more trolley stops at the Qualcomm site.<\/p>\n