Manchester To Develop Navy Broadway Complex

SAN DIEGO-Private developer Manchester Financial Group has been selected by the U.S. Navy to enter into negotiations to develop the Navy Broadway Complex along Downtown’s waterfront. Specific financial information has not been disclosed, but the project is part of a $230-million redevelopment effort.The Navy Broadway Complex will include a 327,000-sf building that will be funded by Manchester in exchange for a long-term lease agreement with the Navy whereby the company would later develop around the facility.The Navy has until Dec. 31 of this year to enter into a formal agreement with Manchester, or the base will face closure under BRAC guidelines. The proposed office development would replace the Navy’s aging 1920s-era buildings. The Navy’s Southwest headquarters is located at the site.The Navy Broadway Complex is part of the city’s 1992 North Embarcadero Visionary Plan, a $230-million revitalization effort extending from the airport to Seaport Village. Consisting of 14.7 acres at Broadway and Harbor Drive, the site is currently approved for 1,200 hotel rooms and 1.6 million sf of office space.The Centre City Development Corp. will hold public meetings and workshops regarding the project and participate in design review. The first public workshop is scheduled for April 6 at the Westgate Hotel.”The Navy has accomplished a great deal in a very short time frame,” says Nancy Graham, president of the CCDC. “We appreciate their willingness to include CCDC and the City of San Diego in the process.”The Manchester Financial Group is headed by Douglas Manchester who primarily develops hotels. Manchester projects in the San Diego area include the Manchester Grand Hyatt and the Marriott Hotel and Marina.Groundbreaking on the Navy Broadway Complex will begin next year with completion scheduled for 2009. In addition to the Navy’s office building and hotel rooms, retail, open space, parking and public attractions are also under consideration for future development.