The Wesley Palms retirement facility, the largest non-government landowner in Pacific Beach, formally presented its proposal to redevelop the current 35-acre facility on Loring Street during the most recent Pacific Beach Planning Group (PBPG) meeting on April 26. The redevelopment plan calls for modernizing the facilities, which were built in 1962, and expansion of the number of units from 283 to 450. The construction would be done in phases in as many as 10 years, rather than continuously, to continue serving the needs of Pacific Beach area while the facility is modernized. According to Bill Jennings of Front Porch, the company that owns Wesley Palms, the current facilities have fallen out of favor with today’s retiring residents, and that long-term redevelopment is necessary to remain competitive with other the local retirement facilities. “The campus was built in the early 1960s and built with cinder-block construction in a modern style with very small units that have been expanded over the years,” said Jennings. “But there has been a tremendous amount of wood rot and the block construction has been crumbling in many areas.” Jennings said the demographics of today’s retirees are now older, “more frail” and will be in greater numbers with the larger “Baby Boomer” population, which also creates the need for Wesley Palms to increase its assisted-living resources. “In general we are trying to replace and renovate what we have for the next 50 years,” Jennings said. Among the concerns for the residential areas that border Wesley Palms are traffic, parking and how the long period of construction will affect the quality of life for the homes on streets around the perimeter, which include Romney Road to the north, San Acquario, Pacifica to the east and Pendleton to the west. “Wesley Palms’ presentation was very well done and it was clear that it had taken into account some of the neighbors’ concerns,” said one resident, whose home borders the Wesley Palms property. “However, all of us are still concerned about increased traffic and the 10-year span of construction going on in our area,” he said. Another issue for residents is the possible impact of the panoramic view for the homes along the perimeter if the Wesley Palms reconstruction increases the height of its buildings. “It is difficult to discern how it will affect the view at this time and, as a result, we hope Wesley Palms will follow through with a planning meeting to see how we will be impacted prior to approval of the plans,” said the neighbor.