SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 3 - Page 10

Build_SD_Maxwell · #**181** Posted **Jul 16, 2026, 8:03 PM**

Found a new highrise in Bankers Hill thats under development

13 stories, 214 units at 5th and Ivy on the border of Bankers Hill and Hillcrest
ignore the sigh "hotel" in the render, its apartments

Edit:
Sorry for the confusion
Ivy Lane not Ivy Street, its by Walnut

SemperVigilans · #**182** Posted **Jul 17, 2026, 2:49 PM**

Wow! Very pleasing to see that much height in Bankers Hill, considering the flight path goes almost right down Hawthorn and Ivy. So I know our downtown height limit is 500 ft. Surely it's even less for Banker's Hill?

futuresooner · #**183** Posted **Jul 17, 2026, 3:57 PM**

I'd be a bit surprised if that doesn't get chopped down because it's removed from the centerline approach by less than 200 yards, if that, and right at about 1 mile from the edge of the runway. Then there's also the fact the immediate blocks nearby, the highest I've seen is 6 floors, maybe 7, but at that intersection there's 5 floors.

aekrid · #**184** Posted **Jul 17, 2026, 4:23 PM**

Now that's the Sunroad spirit!

Build_SD_Maxwell · #**185** Posted **Jul 17, 2026, 8:37 PM**

Quick correction, its at 5th and Ivy lane not ivy street, sorry for the confusion. I forgot there's an ivy street. The project goes by 5th and walnut despite being across the street from walnut, sorry yall

SDfan · #**186** Posted **Jul 19, 2026, 6:27 PM**

Finally!

Quote:

Prebys Foundation agrees to buy abandoned California Theatre building

The powerhouse philanthropic organization betting on — and, in part, bankrolling — the revival of downtown San Diego is using its financial heft to solve one of the city’s most vexing problems.

Friday, San Diego’s Prebys Foundation signed a purchase and sale agreement for the 99-year-old California Theatre building at 1122 Fourth Ave., committing to pay $6.3 million for the abandoned property and promising to spend undisclosed millions to tear it down, Grant Oliphant, the foundation’s CEO, told the Union-Tribune.

The transaction is scheduled to be finalized on July 31.

“The first task will be to clear the site and eliminate what has been a longstanding public nuisance,” Oliphant said. “We see this as very much connected to the momentum we’re trying to build around the Civic Center rejuvenation, and the revitalization along B Street that we are trying to be part of through 401 B St. The California Theatre happens to sit adjacent to both.”

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/202...y-abandoned-california-theatre-building/

SDfan · #**187** Posted **Jul 19, 2026, 6:27 PM**

What are the height limits in Banker's Hill, Hillcrest, and North Park?

superfishy · #**188** Posted **Jul 19, 2026, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDfan

Finally!

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/202...y-abandoned-california-theatre-building/

Is this the same lot that that Japanese equity firm are trying to sell after getting a highrise hotel approved? I wonder if the buyer intends to move forward with that origianl proposal or if they'll start from scratch.

aekrid · #**189** Posted **Jul 20, 2026, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by superfishy

Is this the same lot that that Japanese equity firm are trying to sell after getting a highrise hotel approved? I wonder if the buyer intends to move forward with that origianl proposal or if they'll start from scratch.

Different lot. This one was owned by Croyden for the 440~ condo tower before they went bankrupt. In theory Prebys could also scoop up the Office/Hotel lot and make a complete block.

SemperVigilans · #**190** Posted **Jul 20, 2026, 1:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDfan

Finally!

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/202...y-abandoned-california-theatre-building/

This is a surprise. From what I recall the bankrupt Australian company, Caydon, that owned it was required by the city to tear the building down by end of this year. Why not wait for it to be torn down first then buy the lot? I don't know how these things work... but I have been keeping a close eye on that building for a long time. It's a shame that it was too far gone to be rescued, but I look forward to what will be developed there.

Streamliner · #**191** Posted **Jul 20, 2026, 4:40 PM**

I took a trip to Melbourne a few weeks ago and seeing their Bourke Street was like seeing what C Street should have been. Their tram network is unmatched anywhere in the world, but still. Just look at the trees and storefronts. Hopefully this Prebys announcement is a catalyst for something, anything good.

Honestly, I'd love to see SD have just a fraction of what many Australian cities have. Skyline-wise, street-wise, and transit-wise.

Build_SD_Maxwell · #**192** Posted **Jul 20, 2026, 9:57 PM**

https://buildsd.org/legislation/sb79-smarcc

SB79 San Marcos is now up. This one took a while for a lot of reasons, including a public records request for the graphics from San Marcos.

FoldingBoxes · #**193** Posted **Jul 21, 2026, 5:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streamliner

Honestly, I'd love to see SD have just a fraction of what many Australian cities have. Skyline-wise, street-wise, and transit-wise.

The sycamore/London Plane trees in that photo are beautiful, but are deciduous, so they lose their leaves. It seems to be an ongoing debate through time in San Diego, whether to use them. Broadway is being lined with magnolias (I think) and they are nice and a little shade-providing. The sycamores grow faster, but drop a lot of stuff.

In any case, having shade on C street would be nice. Having a sidewalk-washing service also would be nice. Having walkable shops would be an excellent plus.

Build_SD_Maxwell · #**194** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 11:12 PM**

New crane up at SDSU, another 9 story dorm building I believe, can see it from the 8, neighboring the recently completed one. They're on a roll.

Streamliner · #**195** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

New crane up at SDSU, another 9 story dorm building I believe, can see it from the 8, neighboring the recently completed one. They're on a roll.

I'm glad to see SDSU taking a page from UCSD's book and building lots of housing on campus. But I kind of wish their new housing architecture style matched the rest of SDSU, the new one looks kind of like it was plucked from UCSD.

I do like the new STEM building (not sure what the name is), that's very visible from the freeway:

Source

Build_SD_Maxwell · #**196** Posted **Jul 25, 2026, 10:59 PM**

Some new BuildSD articles, in no particular order

Second and Fir, a 9 story building in permitting in Southern Bankers Hill
https://buildsd.org/projects/second-and-fir
No Renders yet, on the site of a former church (land was sold, not a YIGBY project)

Our first SDSU article, the SDSU Life Sciences building
https://buildsd.org/projects/sdsu-life-sciences-building

An affordable housing development on church land in Chula Vista, we helped advocate for this development to happen
https://buildsd.org/projects/park-hill

At UCSD the new Triton Center
https://buildsd.org/projects/triton-center

and our first La Mesa article from our new La Mesa / East San Diego writer, a recently completed affordable development at 8181 Allison
https://buildsd.org/projects/8181-allison

And some article updates too

https://buildsd.org/projects/columbia-a

https://buildsd.org/projects/park-summit

https://buildsd.org/projects/front-and-a