Slated to rise at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and J Street in Downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the Marriott Renaissance Hotel is expected to stand 12 stories high upon completion. Joseph Wong Design has drawn up the architectural plans, which call for 334 guestrooms, as well as 13,690 sf of retail and commercial space.

Construction on the project is currently scheduled to begin in December 2004, although GRH LLC has requested assistance from the San Diego Redevelopment Agency in acquiring portions of the development site that it does not presently own, according to the CCDC website, which also notes that buildout of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel is targeted for March 2006.

The Marriott Renaissance Hotel's proposed site is located in an area of Downtown San Diego that has been experiencing a significant volume of development interest and activity as of late. For example, on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and K Street, a mixed-use project known as Trellis Fifth Avenue is under way by Intracorp Real Estate LLC. The development, which is scheduled for a December 2004 completion, will include 149 condo units; 19,000 sf of retail space; and parking for 174 vehicles.

Another mixed-use project, known as Gaslamp CitySquare, is also under construction close by. Rising on the block bounded by Fourth, Fifth and Island Avenues and J Street, the development is being built in two phases. The first phase, which is slated for a June 2004 buildout, will include 42,560 sf of retail space; 120 condominium and apartment units; and 319 parking spaces. Phase II, which is planned for a summer 2005 completion, will consist of 25,000 sf of retail space, 103 condo and apartment units; and 242 parking spaces.

Meanwhile, JMI Realty is planning its Hotel Solamar project for a site located on J Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Construction is expected to begin sometime this month, with design plans calling for 235 hotel rooms; 7,000 sf of retail space; a restaurant; and a pool deck.