Overview

The North Embarcadero Visionary Plan (NEVP) comprises a set of public infrastructure improvements for the area bordered by Market Street on the south, Laurel Street to the north, the railroad right of way to the east and the San Diego Bulkhead line (the bayward edge of land) to the west, in downtown San Diego. The NEVP will shape the future of San Diego by joining downtown and the bay. The plan will benefit the entire region, enhancing the bay’s appeal as a hub of activity. Highlights of the plan include:

• A grand entrance along Broadway, from the Santa Fe Depot west to the water.
• A 1.2-mile esplanade that will stretch along the waterfront with trails for walking and jogging.
• A pier at Grape Street and North Harbor Drive.
• The revitalization of the Broadway Pier.
• A wharf for civic events.
• The addition of 1,770 trees.
• An outdoor dining terrace, new retailbusinesses and lighting along the wharf and piers.

The creation of a new Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the Port, CCDC, and the City of San Diego is forthcoming. This JPA would provide for the development of a phasing and financing plan and the completion of the design and construction for the project. The Port and CCDC will share all costs of the JPA to implement the plan. The Port and CCDC will continue working together to identify potential funding sources for the project.

History

In 1997, the Centre City Development Corporation, City of San Diego, Port, San Diego County and the U.S. Navy began meeting to plan the development of the North Embarcadero. Organized into the North Embarcadero Alliance, the five entities endorsed the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan (NEVP) in December 1998.

The Board of Port Commissioners certified the final NEVP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on April 25, 2000. Following endorsement of the proposed improvements and the certification of the EIR, the City of San Diego incorporated the proposed NEVP into its Local Coastal Program. The NEVP was also included in the Port of San Diego’s master plan, approved by the California Coastal Commission in March 2001.

To review any of the above-mentioned documents or any in this article, please contact the District Clerk's office at (619) 686-6574.

In August, 2003, a Joint Powers Authority was created by the San Diego Unified Port District and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego, acting through Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), to bring the schematic design phase and development of the financing/phasing plan for the NEVP project to a successful conclusion.

In July 2003, an agreement was signed between the City of San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency (acting through the CCDC) and the Port of San Diego calling for a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to implement the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan. The schematic design for the NEVP won the unanimous support of both the Board of Port Commissioners and the Centre City Development Corporation’s Board of Directors at a special joint meeting held Oct. 11, 2005. Both Boards adopted a resolution to approve the recommended first phase of the project.