No resort yet, but SeaWorld’s 40-year plan lives on in updated blueprint
SeaWorld's long-planned resort hotel remains on the drawing board as San Diego officials consider updating the park's long-term master plan. The Planning Commission is reviewing a 2020 planning document that preserves a hotel concept first proposed in 1985, though no construction project is being approved. SeaWorld says it has "no specific details to share," and the California Coastal Commission says it is unaware of any active hotel proposal, underscoring that the review concerns long-range planning rather than imminent development.
Former Hillcrest Rite Aid heads to market, sparking debate over site’s future
The former Rite Aid property in the heart of Hillcrest is headed to market, prompting residents and community planners to debate what should replace it. While no redevelopment proposal has been submitted, planning group members urged the city to prioritize public space, neighborhood-serving amenities and thoughtful design over another large apartment complex as the prominent 55,000-square-foot site awaits a new owner.
A fault line halted plans for a 40-story tower. Years later, the site remains a ‘hole in the ground’
As older buildings come down across downtown San Diego, newly exposed ground is revealing seismic hazards long hidden beneath the city’s surface. Geologists say faults tied to the Rose Canyon Fault and other local systems run beneath parts of downtown, though many remain poorly mapped. Researchers warn that early and rapid urbanization buried evidence of these fault lines, making earthquake risks harder to identify before redevelopment begins. State regulations require geological studies near known fault zones, but experts say gaps in mapping still leave uncertainty beneath neighborhoods undergoing major redevelopment.
The eyesore tower atop AT&T building in Hillcrest is gone. What’s next at the century-old telecom site?
The long-standing AT&T microwave tower in Hillcrest has been removed after decades of serving outdated communications functions. The structure, once a key emergency communications hub, contained legacy infrastructure and now-obsolete equipment. Community leaders say the removal reflects years of pressure to modernize the site, which has also been viewed as a prime opportunity for redevelopment into housing or public space. While the building remains essential to network operations, residents and planners are weighing future uses that better fit neighborhood goals.
Historic Mission Bay restaurant could be forced out under city redevelopment plan
A 75-year-old Mission Bay restaurant, Sportsmen’s Seafood, faces uncertainty under the city’s redevelopment plan. Owner Joe Busalacchi says newly limited 15-year leases block long-planned upgrades that required a longer term to finance. With a competitive bidding process underway, he risks losing the family business despite decades of investment in the waterfront property.
New name, same vibe: Slater’s 50/50 gives way to The Mixer in Liberty Station
After more than a decade, Slater’s 50/50 has been replaced at Liberty Station by The Mixer, a rebranded, locally owned concept. Retaining much of the original staff, the new restaurant offers lower prices, faster service and a broader menu, reflecting a shift away from chain-style operations toward a more flexible, community-focused dining experience.