City to Hold Elections for North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee

SAN DIEGO – On Wednesday, February 9, 2005, the 12-member North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee (PAC) will hold its annual election at the San Diego National Bank building, second floor, 3180 University Avenue from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..  A Candidate Forum will be held the evening before the election at the monthly PAC meeting, which is Tuesday, February 8, 2005 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  The location of the PAC meeting is the San Diego National Bank building, second floor.  Interested members of the community are urged to participate as voters and as candidates.

The PAC is the official community organization that provides community input and recommendations on proposed redevelopment projects in the North Park Area.  The PAC is structured to have representatives from local renters, home owners, businesses, property owners, and community organizations.

Candidates and voters must be at least 18 years of age and meet at least one of the four following requirements: live in the North Park Redevelopment Project Area, or own a business or property located in the Project Area, or be the designated representative for a Social Service Organization or a Civic/Cultural Organization serving within the Project Area.

Four seats are open for election: one residential owner-occupant, one residential tenant, one business/property owner and one community organization. 

To register as an eligible candidate, you must be 18 years of age, complete a Candidate Registration Form and submit it to the Redevelopment Agency (by mail, FAX, or in person) with proof of your eligibility to the City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency, 600 B Street, Fourth Floor, San Diego, CA 92101 or FAX 619-533-5250 by Friday, February 4, 2005 at 5 p.m.   To register as an eligible voter, come to the San Diego National Bank building, second floor on the day of the election with proof of your eligibility.   Registration and other election forms are available at the City’s website at http://www.sandiego.gov/redevelopment-agency/northpark.shtml.

The North Park Redevelopment Plan was approved by the San Diego City Council in March 1997, and encompasses almost 555 acres.  Under California Law, the Redevelopment Agency has the responsibility to eliminate blight, revitalize older neighborhoods and create attractive areas for additional investors.  Blight consists of the variety of social, physical environmental and economic conditions within an area that cause a reduction of, or lack of proper utilization of that area, which act as barriers to new investments by private enterprise.

As offices, industries, services and shops leave deteriorated areas, the jobs and dollars that would have been spent there are lost.  Through redevelopment, a project area receives focused attention and financial investment to reverse deteriorating trends, create jobs, revitalize the business climate, rehabilitate and add to the housing stock, as well as gain active participation and investment by residents.  The following are some projects currently underway in the North Park Redevelopment Project Area:

•     A seismic retrofit of the historic North Park Theatre has been completed.  Ongoing renovations will allow the theatre to reopen in the fall of 2005 as a venue for fine arts presentations.  In addition to the renovation of the theatre, the rehabilitated property will include 5,800 square feet of ground-level commercial/restaurant space and 6,700 square feet of office space.

•     A public parking facility will be constructed at the northwest corner of 30^th Street and North Park Way.  This development will provide 328 public parking spaces and 60 parking spaces serving the ground-level commercial space associated with the rehabilitation of the Theatre project.  The parking facility is anticipated to be complete Fiscal Year 2006.

•     The Renaissance at North Park project located at the northwest corner of 30^th Street and El Cajon Boulevard will provide 94 rental apartments for very low-income seniors and 14 for-sale moderate-income townhomes.  This project is expected to be completed in Fiscal Year 2006.

•     Western Pacific Housing will be constructing 224 residential condominium units located south of Lincoln Avenue between 30^th Street and Ohio Street.  This project will also include 15,600 square feet of ground-level commercial space.  Additionally, 45 of the residential units will be available for purchase by moderate-income households. 

•     In coordination with the City’s Library Department, the Agency administered a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for a 25,000 square feet urban library development within the Project Area.  This development is anticipated to incorporate housing and compatible commercial and office uses with a major branch library.  With the conclusion of the RFP process, a developer and site have been recommended and negotiations toward a development agreement initiated. 

For questions about the North Park Redevelopment Project Area please call the Redevelopment Agency at (619) 533-4233 or visit the City’s web site at www.sandiego.gov and type “North Park” as the search term.   For more information on the election, please contact either Kim Gerhard (619.533.5369 or kgerhard@sandiego.gov) or Tom Romstad (619.533.5284 or tromstad@sandiego).

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