San Diego will alert a state list of affordable-housing developers availability of 48 acres currently hosting Pechanga Arena — but will include a request that any redevelopment include a sports-entertainment facility.
A previous redevelopment plan, reached after negotiations with multiple bidders, called for Brookfield+ASM Global Development–a partnership between Brookfield Properties and ASM Global, the current operator of Pechanga Arena–to build a new facility as part of the redevelopment of the site, which would also include 2,100 housing units, an entertainment district, retail space and more. That plan was rejected last year by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which held that it violated a state law, the Surplus Land Act, requiring that excess government-owned land be available for affordable housing.
So, to meet the requirements of the Surplus Land Act, the city will alert state-vetted developers about the availability of the lease, while also request the site include an arena and a requirement that 25 percent of proposed housing units are set aside for lower-income families. From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
At least three groups are preparing to respond. Brookfield has assembled a team that includes an affordable housing partner and is working on a new plan. And Toll Brothers, which also participated in the city’s previous solicitation process, is back with a rebranded vision that it plans to unveil at an event on Oct. 17. The group, now known as Midway Village+, has expanded to include affordable housing developer BRIDGE Housing and arena developer-operator Oak View Group. A third group led by The ConAm Group, an apartment builder and property management company, is also in the mix.
The new process, which includes extended negotiating periods mandated by the HCD, will string out the negotiations for the site — look for the issue to rise to the City Council level in spring 2022.
Rendering of previous arena effort courtesy San Diego.
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