Downtown San Diego is poised to become the high-rise condominium capital of the West Coast, with some 8,400 units in the pipeline. Over the last year-and-a-half, downtown San Diego has exploded on the construction scene, producing high- and mid-rise condominiums at a rate never seen before, says Bill Shaw, vice president of business development for Roel Construction, which is building L & L Center LLC's twin-tower Renaissance project.

State legislation requiring mandatory arbitration of construction defect claims has created endless opportunities on the horizon for the downtown skyline, Shaw says. An owner-provided wrap insurance policy which covers all parties, including architect, developer, and contractor, for the 10-year defect period has reestablished the options and rekindled the excitement to build condos, he says.

The new Downtown ballpark is another piece of the puzzle, helping round out Downtown's reputation as an after-hours destination.