Central Embarcadero
The Port of San Diego is pursuing development of the Central Embarcadero. This is a prime site of approximately 70 acres of land and water situated between downtown San Diego and the San Diego Bayfront. This highly visible and desirable area includes Seaport Village, Santa Monica Seafood (formerly Chesapeake Fish), and surrounding areas between the Manchester Grand Hyatt and the USS Midway Museum. The Headquarters and The Fish Market Restaurant are within the boundary but excluded from the proposal process because there are long-term leases on those properties.
Redevelopment Status
This is a historic time for the Port's waterfront, one of our region’s most significant and precious assets. With many steps to go, including various future Board actions and approvals, Port staff is working very hard to facilitate the best possible development of the Central Embarcadero to shape it into a compelling destination for San Diegans as well as tourists.
In late 2016, the Board of Port Commissioners selected 1HWY1 and their Seaport San Diego redevelopment proposal. Since then, 1HWY1 has been refining its proposed project in response to Board and stakeholder feedback, due diligence findings and input from prospective partners, and has made progress while keeping consistent with their original proposal. More than 70 percent of the proposed project includes parks, open spaces and plazas, piers, walkways, beaches, nature trails, shared streets and public rooftops.
Project Timeline
The Port of San Diego has been pursuing redevelopment of the Central Embarcadero through an open, public and competitive process.
Board of Port Commissioners directs staff to move forward on a development strategy for the Central Embarcadero.
Board unanimously votes to direct staff to seek development proposals for this area.
Port issues Request for Proposals.
Due date for proposals. Eleven are received, and six proposals meet the criteria for consideration.
Port hosts an Open House, inviting the community to preview the six proposals and provide comments. More than 1,200 people attend.
Board directs staff to exclusively continue discussions with 1HWY1 to further evaluate their proposal, called Seaport San Diego, while not eliminating the other five proposals.
Board votes to select 1HWY1's proposal, while reserving certain rights on behalf of the agency.
Board directs staff to negotiate and enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) for a period of two years with Protea Waterfront Development, LLC (PWD), the managing member of 1HWY1, with a project description to be completed in one year.
1HWY1 presents proposed project changes to the Board to receive early feedback prior to finalizing their project description.
Port staff updates the Board and, responding to feedback from the March 2018 Board meeting, 1HWY1 presents additional changes to their proposal to receive early feedback.
Documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is this and how big is the site?
The Central Embarcadero comprises approximately 40 acres of land and 30 acres of water. It is bordered by the USS Midway Museum and Harbor Drive to the north, Manchester Grand Hyatt and Kettner Boulevard to the east, and San Diego Bay to the south and west. The site also includes Embarcadero Marina Park North, Ruocco Park and Tuna Harbor. The Headquarters and The Fish Market Restaurant are within the boundary but excluded from the plan due to long-term leases on those properties.
What is the Seaport San Diego proposal?
1HWY1 is proposing a mixed-use development program that includes approximately 2,000 hotel rooms of various service levels and price points; an event center; a “Blue Tech Innovation Center” block made up of an aquarium, blue-tech office space, an observation tower; fish processing plant; parks, restaurants, retail and more.
How did the Port choose a proposal?
A competitive process was used to select a proposal. The goal was to select a high-quality proposal for the site, potentially with the creation of a significant architectural feature or focal point to create a unique identity for the area and the bay. The proposals were required to build on the Integrated Planning Vision Statement and Guiding Principles that were accepted by the Board in 2014, and the Framework Report accepted by the Board in November 2015. Specifically, proposals for the site needed to consider:
- More public space on the water
- Extending streets to the water
- Preserving and enhancing view corridors
- Facilitating the enjoyment of the bay
What is the impact on businesses within Seaport Village? Will they be included in Seaport San Diego?
As the construction timeline becomes clearer on the 1HWY1 proposal, Protea, which manages and operates Seaport Village on the Port's behalf, will work with the Port, the businesses and the 1HWY1 team on a transition plan during construction. The transition plan may include businesses from the existing Seaport Village. The Seaport San Diego proposal includes retail and public market components that could provide future opportunities for these businesses. The 1HWY1 team has stated that discussions with the existing businesses have been ongoing and they are working toward developing a retention plan to be shared with the Port and the businesses at a later date.
In the meantime, the Port is investing in and revitalizing Seaport Village. The Port has filled 17 spaces since taking over ownership and operation of the popular San Diego Bay waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment center in 2018. With new stores and restaurants now open or coming soon, a variety of new and established entertainment, site enhancements, and operational improvements, Seaport Village is a vibrant and prosperous waterfront destination for residents, visitors and the businesses that operate within it. We encourage you to visit Seaport Village soon! See what's new and happening at seaportvillage.com.
How can I have input into this process?
The Port is committed to public input. The public can provide input at meetings of the Board of Port Commissioners, which are publicly noticed on the Port of San Diego website. In addition, the future project would undergo environmental review, which offers additional opportunities for public input.