In This Issue

• Calendar of Events
• March Details
• April Details
• May Details
• June Details
• Downtown News of the Day
• Recurring Events
• Free Downtown Tours
• Masthead

Volunteers Needed

The Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair is an exciting and

important San Diego community event that relies entirely on volunteers. The

fair will have more than 800 science projects on display along with the 800

plus 7-12th graders who produced them. Judging for the 2011 Fair will be

Wednesday morning 23 March at the Activities Center in Balboa Park. For

those who register, a detailed judging day agenda and directions to the

center will be sent to you a week or two prior to the Fair. Being a judge

is actually a lot more fun than it sounds. It mostly requires listening to

the enthusiastic people tell you what they did. For anyone new to judging,

there is a great deal of advice on the fair’s Internet site:

http://www.gsdsef.org/ regarding “how to judge” and “what kinds of questions

to ask”. Also, judging is done in teams, so there are typically

experienced judges to assist someone new, should that need arise. To be

fair to the student exhibitors, we will need about 60 teams of judges; that

will require about 400 volunteers. Early registration, if possible, helps

us in planning a quality experience for everyone. Judging volunteers can

register at the fair’s Internet site www.gsdsef.org/judges/judges.shtml or

contact Larry Nordell 469-9269 / larrynordell@cox.net. The fair would

also enthusiastically welcome non-judging volunteers. Info can be found on

the fair’s Internet site www.gsdsef.org.

Calendar of Events

* Indicates that this event is not covered in more detail in this publication.

March

11 Fri deadline to register for auction of defaulted properties on Friday 18 March, Tax Collector-Treasurer’s office, 531-4862 / sdtreastax.com, 5pm

11 Fri Kettner Nights, Kettner Blvd, Little Italy, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp / 358-9512, 6-9pm *

12 Sat Saint Patrick’s Day events, Balboa Park, www.stpatsparade.org, 9am-5pm

12 Sat Saint Baldrick’s charity head saving, Quality Social, 789 Sixth Avenue, www.stbaldricks.org, noon

13 Sun Mingei Museum cat exhibit opens, Balboa Park, www.mingei.org

14 Mon-29 Tue Clean & Safe Program annual meetings, DIC & Thomas Jefferson School of Law, 234-8900 / info@downtownsandiego.org (see schedule below)

14 Mon fundraiser for new downtown charter school, Corvette Diner, Liberty Station, 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net, 4-9pm

16 Wed Gaslamp Quarter Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start Gaslamp Museum, 410 Island Avenue, www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm

16 Wed Citizens Advisory Committee, North Embarcadero Port Master Plan revisions, Embarcadero Planning Center, www.portofsandiego.org, 6-8:30pm

17 Thu Sham Rock, Gaslamp Quarter, www.sandiegoshamrock.com, 4pm-midnight

17 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm

17 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm *

18 Fri Walk San Diego bi-monthly luncheon, DIC Horton Plaza, www.walksandiego.org, noon-1pm

18 Fri Art Show, Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Avenue, www.westgatehotel.com, 6-8pm

19 Sat Cherry Blossom Festival, Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park, www.niwa.org / 232-2721

19 Sat Friends of San Diego Architecture lecture, Designing San Diego: If We Started Over, What Would We Do Differently?, New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street, friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am

19 Sat-26 Sat Science Festival, Reuben H Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park (through Fri 24 with Sat 25 Family Day at Petco Park), sdsciencefestival.com

19 Sat conversation w/artists & curator, Women’s Museum of California, 2323 Broadway #107, 233-7963 / womensmuseumca.org, 2-4pm

19 Sat art opening, Ideal Hotel, 542 Third Avenue, www.redlotussociety.org, 9pm-midnight

20 Sun Purim Party, Horton Grand Hotel, 311 Island Avenue, 702-8518 / www.chabaddowntown.com, 5pm

21 Mon Horizons Downtown Book Club, 510 First Avenue, Heather Forward, hhumblef@aol.com / Pat Getzel pbgetzel@cox.net, 7:30pm

22 Tue Police Captain’s Community Outreach Meeting, Central Division Headquarters, 2501 Imperial Avenue,  www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml, 5:30pm

23 Wed & 30 Wed SDGE Basics of Sustainability, Reuben H Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park, www.sdge.com/training / (800)-613-8970

24 Thu new citizen swearing in, Golden Hall, Civic Center, Second Avenue and B Street, 10am

25 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm

28 Mon Women’s Day celebration, Women’s Museum of California, 2323 Broadway#107, 233-7963 / womensmuseumca.org, 6:30-7pm

April

 01 Fri Coffee w/CCDC, DIC, www.ccdc.com, 8am

03 Sun Thread Road Show, Horton Plaza, threadshow.com, 11am-6pm

05 Tue Little Italy Association BoD, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State St, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp, 8:30am-10am

05 Tue CCDC Lunch & Learn, monthly speaker and Q&A, DIC, Horton Plaza, www.ccdc.com, noon-1pm

05 Tue Padres home season opener, vs. San Francisco Giants, Petco Park, 795-5555 / www.padres.com, 3:35pm

11 Mon Horizons Downtown Book Club, 510 First Avenue, Heather Forward, hhumblef@aol.com / Pat Getzel pbgetzel@cox.net, 7:30pm

14 Thu fundraiser for Urban Discovery Academy, Chevys Mission Valley, 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net, noon-9pm

15 & 16 Fri & Sat Symphony’s Winter Pops The Temptations, 235-0804 / sandiegosymphony.com, 8pm

16 Sat Friends of San Diego Architecture lecture, Architecture for the Interior Frontier: The Neuroscience of Design, New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street, friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am

16 Sat & 17 Sun free Passion Play, Balboa Theatre, www.sdfa.org / (858)-560-1870, Sat 7pm, Sun 4pm & 7pm

20 Wed Gaslamp Quarter Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start Gaslamp Museum, 410 Island Avenue, www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm

21 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm

21 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm *

29 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, start large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm

30 Sat & 01 Sun Mission Federal Art Walk, Little Italy, www.missionfederalartwalk.org, 11am-6pm

May

 03 Tue Little Italy Association BoD, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State St, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp, 8:30am-10am

03 Tue CCDC Lunch & Learn, monthly speaker and Q&A, DIC, Horton Plaza, www.ccdc.com, noon-1pm

03 Tue-12 Thu SANS computer security training and expo, Hyatt Grand downtown, www.sans.org *

07 Sat Spring Gala, Air & Space Museum, Balboa Park, Becky Conrad bconrad@sdasm.org / 234-8291×102, 5:30-10:30pm

13 Fri Kettner Nights, Kettner Blvd, Little Italy, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp / 358-9512, 6-9pm *

16 Mon Horizons Downtown Book Club, 510 First Avenue, Heather Forward, hhumblef@aol.com / Pat Getzel pbgetzel@cox.net, 7:30pm

18 Wed Gaslamp Quarter Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour, start Gaslamp  Museum, 410 Island Avenue, www.gaslamp.org, 5-8pm

19 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period, 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm

19 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm *

21 Sat Friends of San Diego Architecture lecture, Architecture For the Interior Frontier: The Neuroscience of Design, New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F Street, friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am

21 Sat Gala Fundraiser, Urban Discovery Academy, 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net

27 Fri-01 Sun Jan South Pacific Exhibit, Maritime Museum, www.sdmaritime.org

27 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm

June

 03 Fri & 04 Sat Health & Fitness Expo, convention center, san-diego.competitor.com/expo, Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm

04 Sat Kids Rock mini marathon, Balboa Park, ingkidsrock.competitor.com

05 Sun Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, start Sixth Avenue & Palm Street, san-diego.competitor.com

March Details

 Auction Of Defaulted Properties

A total of 469 tax defaulted properties will be sold at auction by the

county on Friday 18 March at the San Diego Convention Center in an effort to

collect more than $2.4 million in unpaid property taxes. There are 76

improved properties, 278 time shares and 115 unimproved parcels ready for

the auction. The numbers could change if owners step up and pay the

defaulted taxes with penalties before the deadline. Owners of delinquent

properties have until 5pm on Thursday 17 March, the day before the tax sale,

to bring their taxes and delinquent charges up to date, or their property

will be sold. Interested bidders may purchase registration packets for $60

at any of the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s offices in downtown, Kearny Mesa,

Chula Vista, El Cajon or San Marcos. A $1,000 refundable deposit is also

required at the time of registration. Prospective bidders must register by

5pm on Friday 11 March to participate in the auction. State law gives

Treasurer-Tax Collector the right to sell any or all portions of properties

that have been in default for five years. In December 2009 the County

Board of Supervisors approved 379 properties for last year’s auction. In

November 2010 the board approved nearly 600 properties for auction at

this year’s sale. Information on the current availability of properties

going to auction can be obtained by calling the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s

tax sale information line at 531-4862 or by accessing sdtreastax.com.

Saint Patrick’s Day Events In and Around Balboa Park

On Saturday 12 March the Irish Congress of Southern California will

celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with their annual parade and festival in

Balboa Park. There will be a Flag Raising ceremony in Balboa Park at 10am

and the Parade starts at 10:30am from Fifth Avenue and Juniper Street. It

then travels north on Fifth Avenue to Upas Street and then East to Sixth

Avenue and South on Sixth to conclude at Juniper Street. It will consist of

over 150 entries, including:

• marching bands
• floats
• Police, Border Patrol and Fire Department units
• the Emerald Societies
• clowns
• equestrian entries
• Scout Troops
• bagpipe contingents
• dancing groups
• drill teams
• roller skaters
• antique cars
• the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick
• the reigning Ms. Colleen

The festival will open at 9am and will close at 5pm. It is located in

Balboa Park. For additional information www.stpatsparade.org

Shaving Heads For Charity

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation will be holding their 3rd annual nationwide

shave-a-thon on Saturday 12 March. In San Diego the event will be held at

Quality Social, 789 Sixth Avenue, starting at noon. The head shaving event

is designed to generate awareness and fund research for childhood cancer.

Last year’s shave-a-thon in San Diego drew a crowd of over 100 people

including 23 who were shaved. The past two events each generated over

$25,000 in charitable donations for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and this

year the goal is to raise $50,000. In addition to the entertainment of

shaving heads attendees will be provided complimentary passed appetizers,

drink specials, live music and a silent auction with prizes. 100% of the

proceeds from the event go directly to St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Head

shaving will commence at 1:00 PM. A $10 donation is requested at the door

and includes complimentary appetizers in addition to other food and drink

specials. A $20 donation gets you the appetizers, food and drink specials

and a T-Shirt and raffle ticket. For more information www.stbaldricks.org.

`

Mingei Museum Opens Cat Exhibit

On Sunday 13 March Mingei International Museum is opening an exhibit of cats selected from a group of 155 provided to them from Japan. Made in the 19th and 20th centuries each cat is unique. They are made of a variety of materials including:

• clay
• wood
• metal
• ceramic
• paper Mache

The exhibit will remain open at the museum, which is in Balboa Park, until Sunday 15 January 2012. For further information www.mingei.org / 239-0003.

Fundraiser For New Downtown Charter School

On Monday 14 March from 4-9pm there will be a fundraiser at the Corvette

Diner in Liberty Station for the new downtown charter school, Urban

Discovery Academy. The school will receive 15% of your food and beverage

purchases before taxes but you must print and bring the event flyer to the

restaurant. The flyer can be found at

urbansd.schoolwires.net/urbansd/lib/urbansd/_shared/Parents/Corvette%20Diner%20Flyer.pdf.

The school is adjacent to Balboa Park and can be found at 2850 Sixth Avenue

/ 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net.

Clean & Safe Program Annual Meetings

The Clean & Safe Program (C&SP) will be hosting its annual meetings in

various downtown neighborhoods according to the schedule below. The

purpose of these meetings is to educate downtown neighborhoods on C&SP

achievements last year, to discuss the mid-year financial review and to seek

input from the community about the orientation of C&SP services. Public

feedback and recommendations will help them effectively focus their

resources moving forward. The meeting schedule:

• Gaslamp meeting location: Downtown Information Center (DIC) on Monday 14 March 3–4pm, 193 Horton Plaza 235-2222
• Core Columbia meeting location: DIC Wednesday 16 March 5:30–6:30pm
• Marina meeting location: DIC Wednesday 16 March 7–8pm
• East Village meeting location: Thomas Jefferson School of Law on Monday 28 March 6–7pm, 1155 Island Avenue, Moot Courtroom, Second Floor 297-9700
• Cortez meeting location: DIC Tuesday 29 March 6–7pm

If you have any questions about this meeting please contact the C&SP main

office at 234-8900 / info@downtownsandiego.org.

Port Wants Public Input On Revising North Embarcadero Port Master Plan (NEPMP)

The Port will be holding a Citizens Advisory Committee meeting for the NEPMP

and Draft Environmental Impact Report. It will held at the Embarcadero

Planning Center (old Coral Reef restaurant), 585 Harbor Lane, from 6-8:30pm

on Wednesday 16 March. The agenda for meeting is:

• review and update the revised plan
• analyze plan goals and policies
• comparison of the original 1998 plan with the update
• public input

This meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday 2 March. For

additional information 686-7269 / www.portofsandiego.org.

Green Day In The Gaslamp Quarter

Located in the Gaslamp Quarter the Sham Rock festival is on Thursday 17

March which just happens to be Saint Patrick’s Day. It is held from 4pm to

midnight and may be the biggest and greenest Saint Patrick’s Day party

outside of Dublin with the headliner band being The Young Dubliners. The

Gaslamp Quarter will be transformed into the lavish fields of Ireland and

will feature everything from traditional Irish bands and dancing to Irish

Punk Rock. Also featured will be some of today’s biggest hits by some of

San Diego’s hottest live bands. For more information 233-5008 /

www.sandiegoshamrock.com. Attendees must be 21 years old and have proper

ID to enter the event. All profits from this event benefit the Gaslamp

Quarter Historical Foundation.

Walk San Diego Luncheon

Walk San Diego will hold their bi-monthly luncheon at the Downtown

Information Center (DIC) on Friday 18 March from noon to 1pm. The luncheon

is free but a donation of $7 is suggested. The title of the presentation

will be Health Equity by Design: reducing community health disparities

through healthy design policies and projects, a case study in city heights.

There will be three presenters who will give an overview of the project,

discuss tools developed to engage residents, and highlight efforts to

revitalize a local park. Reservations to Cynthia Offenhauer

coffenhauer@walksandiego.org. More information www.walksandiego.org.

Art Show At the Westgate Hotel

The Westgate Hotel’s Versailles ballroom will be setup as a private art

gallery from 6-8pm on Friday 18 March for Art & Elegance featuring many of

the Art Walk galleries. The event includes four art galleries:

• Alexander Salazar Fine Art
• Exclusive Collections
• Noel Baza Fine Art
• Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art

The event will also offer the opportunity to chat with artists from each

gallery as they paint. There will also be a silent auction of original

artwork to benefit Art Reach, a nonprofit visual art education program that

provides hands-on workshops to elementary schools throughout the county.

For more information www.artreachsandiego.org. There will also be live

music, hors d’oeuvres and two hosted glasses of wine or beer. Partial

ticket proceeds benefit Art Reach www.artreachsandiego.org. To purchase

tickets at $32 each,

t5.clicknprint.com/tix/SilverStream/Pages/pgIndex.html?siteID=2739. The

Westgate Hotel is found at 1055 Second Avenue between Broadway and C Street.

Information 615-1090 / www.westgatehotel.com.

Friends Of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Speaking of Architecture

There are eight monthly free Speaking of Architecture lectures provided each

year by Friends of San Diego Architecture. The lecture for Saturday 19

March will be Designing San Diego: If we started over, what would we do

differently? The presenter will be award winning Landscape Architect Vicki

Estrada. Her projects can be seen throughout the county and include:

• San Diego Zoo expansion
• Bayfront Trolley Station
• Santee Town Center Transit Station
• Interstate 5 widening project from the I-5 / I-805 merge to Oceanside
• The Master Plan for Balboa Park (started in 1979 and still in progress)

The lectures are held the third Saturday each month–except for June, July,

August and December–at the New School of Architecture & Design (NSAD), 1249

F Street at 9:30am. The lecture is free but a $5 donation is suggested.

For additional information www.friendsofsdarch.com.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Balboa Park

On Saturday 19 March the Japanese Friendship Garden Society will hold their

annual Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa

Park. The garden is found at 2215 Pan American Road East in the park. The

festival includes:

• entertainment
• Japanese food (extra charges apply)
• demonstrations
• exhibitions
• tour of the canyon and cherry grove
• Japanese gift items
• Little Ms. Sakura Pageant

The garden features the largest local cherry tree grove. The festival is

free with normal admission to the garden which is $4 for adults, $3 for

seniors and students and free for under 18 years old with paying adults.

For more information www.niwa.org / 232-2721.

Science Festival Family Days and Expo Day

From Saturday 19 to Friday 25 March there will be family days at the Science

Fair at the Reuben H Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. Then on Saturday

26 March from 10am to 5pm there will be Expo Day at the festival that will

be held at Petco Park. For additional information sdsciencefestival.com.

Conversation At Women’s Museum of California

One Saturday 19 March from 2pm until 4pm the Women’s Museum of California

will be having a conversation with the artists and curator. The museum is

located at 2323 Broadway #107. For additional information 233-7963 /

womensmuseumca.org.

Art Opening On Third Avenue

There will be an art opening and Live performance at the Ideal Hotel, 542

Third Avenue, Saturday 19 March from 9pm-midnight. It is a project of the

Red Lotus Society whom a portion of the proceeds will benefit. The

admission fee is $3. For additional information www.redlotussociety.org /

www.kaorisattic.com / www.crunchysandwich.com.

Purim Party At The Horton Grand Hotel

On Sunday 20 March at 5pm at the Horton Grand Hotel, 311 island Avenue,

Chabad will hold an event that is called Purim’s Got Talent. The featured

entertainment will be the Platt Brothers, America’s Got Talent contestants

from 2009. For additional information or to make reservations 702-8518 /

www.chabaddowntown.com.

Downtown Book Club

Discussion Leader, Heather Forward, will cover The Gangster We Are All

Looking For by Le Thi Diem Thuy. This is the San Diego One Book One San

Diego selection for this year. The Gangster We Are All Looking For was

published in 2003. It was first published as a short piece in The Best

American Essays of 1997 and was also awarded a Pushcart Prize “Special

Mention.” The novel is a fragmented sequence of events recollected by a

nameless narrator. In a first-person narrative, the narrator tells the

stories of her past experiences as a Vietnamese immigrant. Time and place

shift continuously throughout the novel; the story takes place both in

Vietnam and the US. The novel is concerned with themes of identity, family

dynamics, war, and liberation. Images of war are prominent symbolically and

literally throughout the novel. The club will meet on Monday 21 March at

7:30pm in the South Tower Lounge of Horizons at 510 First Avenue. For more

information about the book club contact either Heather Forward,

humblef@aol.com or Pat Getzel, pbgetzel@cox.net.

Basics of Sustainability Hosted by SDGE

On the last two Wednesdays in March SDGE will present four seminars at the

Reuben H Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park:

• 23 March Basics of Sustainability 9am to noon event#6091
• 23 March Energy Water and Waste 12:30-3;30pm event#6092
• 30 March Sustainability and Our Surroundings 9am to noon event#6093
• 30 March Green Economy and Green Jobs 12:30-3:30pm event#6094

This four part series is free and continental breakfast will be provided at

the morning events and lunch at the afternoon events. Further information

can be obtained at www.sdge.com/training / (800)-613-8970.

New Citizens Event

On Thursday 24 March there will be a mass swearing in of new citizens. It

will take place at Golden Hall in the civic center, Second Avenue and B

Street, starting at 10am.

Museum to Celebrate Women’s Day

To celebrate the 28th Annual International Women’s Day the Women’s Museum of

California will be having a Women’s Equity Council Talk at the Museum, 2323

Broadway, #107. This event will be talk-back from delegates to the UN

Commission on the Status of Women. It will take place on Monday 28 March

and run from 6:30pm to 7pm. For further information 233-7963 /

womensmuseumca.org.

April Details

 Thread Road Show Back At Horton Plaza

The Thread indie design and fashion road show will be returning to Horton

Plaza on Sunday 3 April from 11am to 6pm. It will be held in the Horton

Event Space just off the corner of fourth Avenue and Broadway. For

additional information threadshow.com.

Padres Open Home Season

After a pretty successful season last year–they were not eliminated until

the last day of the regular season–the San Diego Padres will be opening

their 2011 home season on Tuesday 5 April. Game time is scheduled for

3:35pm against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. The Giants are the

defending champions of major league baseball having won the 2010 World

Series. The season goes on for an additional 80 games at Petco Park and of

course more if the Padres qualify for post season play. For tickets or

further information www.padres.com / 795-5555.

Downtown Book Club

The Discussion Leader will cover The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou. It

is an autobiography and was chosen as an Oprah’s Book Club selection in

1997. The book is the fourth installment in Angelou’s series of six

autobiographies, thus enlarging the autobiography in both form and content.

The Heart of a Woman recounts events in Angelou’s life from 1957 to 1962.

It follows her travels to California, New York City, Cairo, and Ghana as she

raises her teenage son and becomes a published author for the first time.

She also becomes involved with the civil rights movement, and marries a

South African freedom fighter. Like Angelou’s previous volumes, this book

has been described as autobiographical fiction but most critics and Angelou

herself have characterized it as autobiography. The club will meet on

Monday 11 April at 7:30pm in the South Tower Lounge of Horizons at 510 First

Avenue. It usually meets on the third Monday but 18 April is federal

income tax due date so the club is meeting a week early in April. For more

information about the book club contact either Heather Forward,

humblef@aol.com or Pat Getzel, pbgetzel@cox.net.

Fundraiser For New Downtown Charter School

On Thursday 14 April from noon-9pm there will be a fundraiser at Chevys in

Mission Valley for the new downtown charter school, Urban Discovery Academy.

The school will receive 25% of your food and beverage purchases before

taxes. You must print and bring the event flyer which can be found at

urbansd.schoolwires.net/urbansd/lib/urbansd/_shared/Parents/Chevy%27s.pdf.

The school is adjacent to Balboa Park and can be found at 2850 Sixth Avenue

/ 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net.

Temptations to appear at the Symphony’s Winter Pops

The Symphony’s Winter Pops will be presenting The Temptations on Friday and

Saturday 15 & 16 April at 8pm at Copley Symphony Hall. The conductor will

be Marvin Hamlisch and the tickets range from $20-$85 to see this Motown

Group. For tickets or additional information 235-0804 /

sandiegosymphony.com.

Friends Of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Speaking of Architecture Lecture

There are eight monthly free Speaking of Architecture lectures provided each

year by Friends of San Diego Architecture. The lecture for Saturday 16

April will be Architecture For the Interior Frontier: The Neuroscience of

Design. The presenter will be Neuroscientist and Architect Eve Edelstein.

The lectures are held the third Saturday each month–except for June, July,

August and December–at the New School of Architecture & Design (NSAD), 1249

F Street at 9:30am. The lecture is free but a $5 donation is suggested.

For additional information www.friendsofsdarch.com.

Annual Passion Play Presented Downtown

The First Assembly church will be presenting their annual live productions

of the Passion Play at the Balboa Theatre. There will be three performances

all on Palm Sunday Weekend. They will be on Saturday 16 April at 7pm and

Sunday 17 April at 4pm and 7pm. Tickets for all the performances are free

and there will be open seating. The Balboa Theatre is at the Southwest

corner of Fourth Avenue and E Street. There will be a live choir and

orchestra. Additional information is available www.sdfa.org /

(858)560-1870.

Mission Federal Art Walk Returns To Downtown

For the twenty-seventh spring Art Walk will be conducted in downtown. As

it has for the last few years it will be confined to a small area of Little

Italy with the artists in booths on the street instead of galleries all over

downtown as it was in the early years. The festival will be on Saturday 30

April and Sunday 1 May from 11am to 6pm. For further information

www.missionfederalartwalk.org.

May Details

Spring Gala At the Air & Space Museum

The event, called Studs & Starlets, will be held at the Air & Space Museum

in Balboa Park from 5:30-10:30pm on Saturday 7 May. The gala will include:

• reception
• dinner
• live suction
• silent auction
• dancing
• live entertainment
• celebrity impersonators
• red carpet w/paparazzi
• flight simulators

Cost of the gala is $225 until 31 March and $250 thereafter. Proceeds will

benefit the Museum’s educational programs. For information Becky Conrad

bconrad@sdasm.org / 234-8291 x102.

Downtown Book Club

The Discussion Leader will cover The Warmth Of Other Suns by Isabel

Wilkerson. The book is a history of the black migration in the US that

carried millions of southerners northward of westward. It lasted roughly

from World War I until the 1970s. The club will meet on Monday 16 May at

7:30pm in the South Tower Lounge of Horizons at 510 First Avenue. It

usually meets on the third Monday of each month. For more information

about the book club contact either Heather Forward, humblef@aol.com or Pat

Getzel, pbgetzel@cox.net.

Friends Of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Speaking of Architecture

There are eight monthly free Speaking of Architecture lectures provided each

year by Friends of San Diego Architecture. The lecture for Saturday 21 May

will be Architecture For the Interior Frontier: The Neuroscience of Design.

The presenter will be Revitalizing a Community Through Arts and

Entertainment. The presenter will be Jay Turner and there will be a panel

of members of the local arts and entertainment communities. The lectures

are held the third Saturday each month–except for June, July, August and

December–at the New School of Architecture & Design (NSAD), 1249 F Street

from 9:30-11:30am. This will be the last lecture in the current series

with the new series starting on Saturday 17 September. The lectures are

free but a $3-5 donation is suggested. For additional information

www.friendsofsdarch.com.

Gala Fundraiser For Downtown Charter School

On Saturday 21 May there will be a fundraiser gala for the Urban Discovery

Academy. The school is a new charter school that has been opened adjacent

to Balboa Park at 2850 Sixth Avenue. Additional information can be obtained

at 788-4668 / urbansd.schoolwires.net.

South Pacific Exhibit At the Maritime Museum

In May the Maritime Museum of San Diego will launch an exhibit showcasing

art associated with the three distinct visions of the beautiful South

Pacific from voyages by James Cook, Herman Melville and Paul Gauguin. The

first-of-its kind exhibit for the museum, titled “Three Voyages to Paradise:

Cook, Melville and Gauguin,” will feature over 110 pieces, varying from

original oil and watercolor paintings to wood carvings and sculpture. The

exhibit will include original paintings by 18th century artists John Webber

and William Hodges, each of whom accompanied Cook into the Pacific, and many

original works by Paul Gauguin, showcasing a newly rediscovered wood

sculpture, “Nave Nave Faruru.” The exhibition, which is drawn from the

extensive collections of The Kelton Foundation, runs from Friday 27 May

through Sunday 1 January 2012. Tickets for “Three Voyages to Paradise”

will be $10 in addition to the cost of Maritime Museum admission.

Additional information www.sdmaritime.org.

June Details

Health & Fitness Expo Leads Off Race Weekend

More than 100 exhibitors will offer free samples, showcase running gear,

sports apparel, health & nutritional information and more just prior to the

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. The Health & Fitness Expo is free and open to the

public on Friday 3 June, 11am-7pm, and Saturday 4 June, 9am-5pm, at the San

Diego Convention Center Halls B2 & C. For more information

san-diego.competitor.com/expo/participant/#ixzz1Ft9g8ZOz.

Children’s Mini Marathon

On Saturday 4 June children will get a chance for the first time to be part

of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon by participating in the Kids Rock. It is a

non-timed, non-competitive event for children in grades K–7. For more

information ingkidsrock.competitor.com/event-info/san-diego/#ixzz1FtEyyAT3.

Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

This annual event is back again starting at Sixth Avenue and Palm Street

adjacent to Balboa Park the morning of Sunday 5 June. Registration closing

date and time is Sunday 29 May at 11:59pm PDT. The race features ideal

running temperatures in a scenic coastal setting. Upwards of 40 stages

stages host live music along the course while 2,000 cheerleaders encourage

runners to the finish line. In addition, the event features a post race

concert highlighting a major headliner act. For additional information

san-diego.competitor.com.

Downtown News of the Day

Law School Adds Housing

Thomas Jefferson School of Law has signed a 15-year lease for the Entrada

Apartments to provide housing for students beginning in this year’s spring

term which is currently underway. The 172-unit apartment building is

located at 453 13th Street a few blocks away from the law school’s new

high-rise campus at 1155 Island Avenue. The 159,000-square-foot Entrada

Apartments was built in 2004 and has studio, loft, one-bedroom, two-bedroom

and three-bedroom apartments. It has a newly renovated rooftop common area,

an interior courtyard, fitness center and underground parking. It was

purchased by the current owner–Security Properties of Seattle–last year

for $22 million. The law school just opened its downtown campus and has a

current enrollment of 950 students and 200 faculty and staff. It plans to

expand its student body to more than 1,000 in 2012. It was previously

located in Old Town.

Site Cleanup Underway in East Village

About 30,000 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil is being removed at the

former John Hansen House site at 15th Street and Island Avenue. The project

should reverse decades of blight by transforming the two adjoining parcels

into five- and 10-story mixed-use buildings that will have 238 residential

units and more than 23,000 square feet of commercial space. The project is

financed by $2.5 million in grants from the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund through

the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Leaking underground storage

tank systems pose a significant threat to groundwater quality. Congress

has appropriated $200 million from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank

Trust Fund to the EPA for assessing and cleaning up leaks from underground

storage tanks. “East Village has come a long way through redevelopment, but

sites like this contaminated lot show how far we still have to go,” said

Mayor Jerry Sanders. It is estimated that 30,000 tons of contaminated soil

will be removed from the site.

Financing Approved for North Embarcadero Visionary Plan (NEVP) Phase I

The Board of Port Commissioners approved an agreement for shared funding of

the first phase of the NEVP. The cost of the first phase, estimated at $29

million, will be shared equally by the Port and the Redevelopment Agency of

the City of San Diego which would act through Centre City Development

Corporation (CCDC). A special Port Board meeting was held on Friday 25

February at which the agreement was approved. The San Diego City Council

approved a $29 million funding plan that will allow the first phase of a

project to improve the North Embarcadero area of San Diego Bay to move

forward. The Council met on Monday 28 February, on the next business day

after approval by the Port, to hear the item which allows the Redevelopment

Agency of the City of San Diego, acting through CCDC, to advance its share

of construction costs so that the project can commence as soon as possible.

The first phase of the NEVP is estimated to cost $29 million. Now that the

Port and the City have approved the funding plan the next hurdle is gaining

the approval of the California Coastal Commission. It is anticipated that

the Coastal Commission will vote on NEVP Phase I at its 13-15 April meeting

in Santa Barbara.

CCDC Board Has a Productive Meeting

The following summarizes major actions at the CCDC board meeting of

Wednesday 23 February as it tried to take bold action under the threat of

Governor Brown ending redevelopment agencies:

 * They recommended creating an agreement with the City for payment of

costs associated with redevelopment projects identified in the Downtown

Community Plan. The proposed list consists of more than 100 projects

including affordable housing, street lights, parks and sidewalk repairs

totaling close to $2.5 billion. The Board also recommended adding five

additional projects to the list including:

C Street improvements

a downtown shuttle system

additional downtown traffic lights

elimination of the Cedar Street I-5 off-ramp

preliminary design and engineering work for the I-5 lids (they would create park land on top of the freeway).

* They recommended entering into a development agreement with Connections Housing to purchase and rehabilitate the old World Trade Center building, 1250 Sixth Avenue (Southwest corner A Street), to provide 150 units of

transitional housing and 73 units of permanent supportive housing as well as

a wide array of social and medical services for the homeless population in

that one facility. The Board also recommended the purchase of the adjacent

parking structure with a limit of $20 million total. The annual struggle to

find a suitable local location for an emergency homeless shelter during the

year’s coldest months may have been resolved for good Tuesday as city

leaders committed $16 million in local taxpayer money to a permanent

facility to be built in downtown. The conversion of the former World Trade

Center building into a one-stop shop to help and house the city’s neediest

individuals certainly won’t end homelessness, but proponents say it’s a big

step in the right direction. The City Council voted unanimously to support

the $32 million project by funding half of the initiative with redevelopment

tax dollars aimed at eliminating blight in downtown. The remaining costs

will be covered by federal tax credits and $2 million from the San Diego

Housing Commission. The center will provide 223 permanent and transitional

beds for the region’s homeless population as well as medical, substance

abuse and job-training services. It is scheduled to open in December 2012.

The project saw early resistance from local business leaders who were

concerned the facility would become a magnet for the homeless and lower

nearby property values, an area populated with banks, restaurants and office

buildings. That opposition faded after a coalition of homeless providers

showed a similar facility in Los Angeles did not devastate its surroundings.

The remaining critics focused on what they perceived as the deal’s shaky

finances which showed the facility’s partners relying on raising private and

public money in future years to cover projected operating deficits. The

city is selling the 12-story historic World Trade Center building—located at

the corner of A Street and 6th Avenue next to Union Bank—for only $4 million

as part of the deal. People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a nonprofit

group that is partnering on the project, has 35 government contracts at all

levels and receives an average of $7 million in funding annually. The other

project partners are Family Health Centers of San Diego, which will operate

a clinic on the first floor, and San Diego-based Affirmed Housing Group, an

affordable housing developer. The project was fast-tracked for council

approval at the urging of Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who worried that

Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to eliminate redevelopment agencies statewide

could cut off a significant funding source—$16 million in redevelopment

money—for the permanent shelter. Faulconer said he understands the project

doesn’t solve homelessness but called it a crucial first step. “There’s

still work to be done, but at the same time this project is vitally important,” he said.

The city has operated a temporary winter shelter in downtown for years and

the council typically wrestles for months over where to erect what is

essentially a massive tent to house 220 souls each night from November to

March. City leaders say the new center will end that political battle, but

some who serve the homeless remain skeptical. The $288,000 that the city

now spends each year on the temporary homeless shelter will go toward the

permanent facility’s annual operating expenses. Built in 1928, the former

World Trade Center building was originally known as the San Diego Athletic

Club. The city acquired the building in 2004 and it currently houses city

staff, who will be relocated to other office buildings. Construction on

the new facility, called Connections Housing Downtown San Diego, is expected

to begin in November of this year. Find additional information at:

www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/01/permanent-downtown-homeless-center-approved.

* They recommended constructing Fire Station two, known as the Bayside

Fire Station. The three-story station would be close to 16,000 square feet

and would be located on the southeast corner of Pacific Highway and Cedar

Street. It would be the first fire station built downtown in 40 years.

Currently, there is no fire station west of the railroad tracks creating a

problem as a stopped freight train can significantly delay emergency

response times. The Board recommended that the expenditure for this project

not exceed $17 million. Staffing for the new station would come from moving

a fire truck company from Fire Station one which is located at 1222 First

Avenue.

* They recommended authorizing a $3 million loan to help fund the design

and planning costs associated with a proposed Phase III expansion of the

Convention Center. The expansion is designed to make San Diego’s convention

center more competitive with larger convention centers as well as provide

additional space to book multiple meetings simultaneously. The loan would

be a promissory note that would carry an interest rate of 3% and all accrued

interest as well as the principle would be due 90 days after

financing for the expansion is obtained.

Kevin Faulconer Writes Major Opinion Piece In Union-Turbine

The Councilmember, whose district includes downtown, and President Pro-tem of the Council wrote a long opinion piece that appeared on the front page of the Dialog section in the Union-Turbine on Sunday 27 February.  It was concerned with the Governor’s attempt to terminate redevelopment agencies in the state.  The piece, titled It’s not city’s job to bail out the state, can be found at www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/27/its-not-citys-job-to-bail-out-the-state.

New Sharp Facility Being Built Downtown

Sharp Rees-Stealy offers many medical services at their 2001 Fourth Avenue

location. Sharp HealthCare has broken ground on a new downtown Sharp

Rees-Stealy medical office building on Tuesday 22 February. The facility

will replace the existing 85-year-old Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown building.

It will be the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

gold-certified “green” medical office building in San Diego and the first

LEED building at Sharp HealthCare. The new Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical

Center Downtown is scheduled for completion in Summer 2012. The 3-story,

66,365-square-foot medical office building and 300-space parking structure

will be located across from the existing site on Fourth Avenue in downtown

and will feature views of downtown and the ocean. The floor plan was

designed to minimize wait times and maximize process

efficiencies for physicians and staff members. The first floor of the

building will house a pharmacy, optical shop and

physical therapy department that are easily accessible at street level.

Urgent care, occupational medicine and radiology will be on the second floor

and the third floor will be home to internal medicine, family medicine and

specialty practices. The existing Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown medical

office facility is actually a conglomeration of three buildings that were

constructed between 40 and 85 years ago. The project is estimated to cost

approximately $38 million, funded in part by $10 million in philanthropic

support. Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown medical center will remain open until

the new facility is completed. Services offered include:

• allergy and immunology
• dermatology
• endocrinology
• internal medicine
• laboratory
• neurology
• occupational medicine
• ophthalmology
• optometry
• physical therapy
• radiology
• rheumatology
• urgent care.

For more information (800)-827-4277.

Recurring Events

Little Italy Association Meeting

The Little Italy Association Board of Directors’ Meetings are open to the

public. They discuss the Little Italy Association’s general business,

upcoming events and downtown issues. This monthly meeting is usually held

on the first Tuesday at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State

Street at 8:30am. For more information Chris Gomez 233-3898 /

www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp.

Gaslamp Quarter Monthly Self-guided Tour

On the third Wednesday of each month starting at 5pm and ending at 8pm the

Gaslamp Locals Lifestyle & Design Tour will take place. This new tour will

showcase the Gaslamp Quarter’s shops, boutiques and galleries. During this

event there will be:

• live demonstrations
• home décor and hardware specials
• wine classes
• unique fashion opportunities
• an array of gifts available
• unique pet products available
• eyewear
• lingerie
• Pilates
• spa treatments
• info about sexual health
• acupuncture

There will be more than 30 participating locations in and around the Gaslamp

Quarter. The suggested starting point for the tour is the corner of Fourth

and Island Avenues in the pocket park at the William Heath Davis House

(Gaslamp Museum), 410 Island Avenue, where you can pick up a map and

register to win prizes. The first tour for 2011 will be on 19 January. For

additional information www.gaslamp.org/locals-lifestyle-design-tour.

Lunch & Learn Series

The Downtown Sound Bites Speaker Series is held on the first Tuesday of

every month from noon-1pm at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center

(DIC) in Horton Plaza. The DIC is located just above the CVS drug store

between Victoria’s Secret and Sam Goody’s. You are asked to bring your own

lunch to this free event and then listen and learn from a variety of

interesting speakers all of whom will approach issues that are important to

downtown’s future. A question and answer period will follow each

presentation. The event sponsor is CCDC and further information can be found

at www.ccdc.com.

Coffee with CCDC

This bi-monthly event toggles between either the first Thursday evening

(February, June & October) or the first Friday morning (April, August &

December) each even numbered month. It is held at the Sheila Hardin

Downtown Information Center (DIC) in Horton Plaza. It is a good chance to

learn what is happening with the redevelopment agency arm of the City of San

Diego. It is held in all even numbered months. For more information

www.ccdc.com.

Horizons’ Book Club

On the third Monday of each month the group usually meets in the Horizons’

South Tower Lounge, 510 First Avenue, at 7:30pm to discus the current book.

All are welcome to attend and help create a lively discussion. For

additional information or to find out what book is currently be covered:

Heather Forward hhumblef@aol.com / Pat Getzel pbgetzel@cox.net.

Critical Mass Monthly Bicycle Ride

San Diego Critical Mass is a loosely affiliated group of over 700 bicycle

riders that take over San Diego streets and public rights of way to conduct

a group bike ride on the last Friday of every month. The group meets at the

large fountain in Balboa Park in front of the Ruben H. Fleet Theatre /

Science Center and the National History Museum at 7pm and participants

should be prepared for up to 20 miles of riding. The ride may go in any

direction from the fountain but usually goes through downtown. Additional

information at www.sdcriticalmass.com.

Police Captain’s Community Outreach Meeting

The Commander of the San Diego Police Department’s (SDPD) Central Division,

Captain Mark Jones, holds a bimonthly meeting with the public to address

problems and provide information on what the division is doing to keep us

safe. The meeting is usually well attended and lasts about one and a half

hours. The meeting is always on the fourth Tuesday of each odd numbered

month at 5:30pm at the SDPD’s Central Division Headquarters, 2501 Imperial

Avenue. For additional information

www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml.

Athenaeum Jacobs Mini-Concerts

Alternating Mondays, for most of the year, noon to 1pm at the Lyceum

Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, admission free. Food & beverage is allowed in

theatre during concerts. Fifteen free Mini-Concerts are presented at the

Lyceum each year. These concerts are made possible in part, thanks to

funding from the City of San Diego through a program managed by the

Commission for Arts and Culture and the County of San Diego. For

additional information (858)-454-5872. The 2011 dates through the summer:

14 March Greg Watson, solo piano, piano standards

28 March Rob Thorsen, jazz bass trio

11 April Wyn Wilson, vocals & Billy Wolfe, piano, music of Frank Loesser

25 April to be determined

09 May ”

23 May ”

Free Downtown Tours

Monthly Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Free Period & Tours

On the third Thursday each month the MCA, 1100 Kettner Blvd, will open its doors from 5-7pm to the public to allow free admission. Visitors can browse

anywhere in the museum on their own or join an organized tour that will

begin at 5pm and 6pm. For additional information (858)454-3541 /

www.mcasd.org.

Sofia Hotel Downtown Walking Tours

Each Saturday and Sunday the Sofia Hotel offers complimentary guided two

mile walking tours of downtown that include the Gaslamp Quarter and the bay

front area. The tours are open to all and not just guests of the hotel. No

reservations are needed and the tours leave from the lobby of the hotel at

9am. The Sofia Hotel is at 150 West Broadway at the corner of Front Street.

For additional information 234-9200.

CCDC Downtown Bus Tours

Free Downtown bus tours offer close-up views of downtown’s unique

neighborhoods and highlight recently completed and upcoming new projects.

All tours begin at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center (DIC), 193

Horton Plaza, just above the CVS drug store between Victoria’s Secret and Sam

Goody’s. Reservations are required, please call 235-2222 for reservations

or further information.

Masthead

All items in this publication are the opinion of the writer of the piece.

Any item without a named author is the responsibility of the editor. Any

submissions for inclusion in this publication should be submitted to the

editor via email within the body of a message (not as an attachment). All

telephone numbers are in the 619 area code unless otherwise noted. To

subscribe or unsubscribe to this publication please email the editor, Stan

Marder stan@gaslampquarter.org. Publisher: San Diego Mesa Company (SDMC),

550 Front Street #2804, San Diego California 92101-7105.