SAN DIEGO, CA-San Diego's distinctive proximity to the waterfront and the international border offer tremendous opportunities in the global market. Countering the benefits is the region's infrastructure, which falls short of what businesses need to make the leap into competing on a worldwide basis, according to a panel assembled recently by the Urban Land Institute San Diego/Tijuana District Council.
Panelist Steve Weathers, president and CEO of the World Trade Center San Diego, notes that one of the country's largest trading partner is Mexico, yet trade was down 30% last year while in other parts of the world, “the numbers are on the uptick.”
Ann Moore, chair of the board of the San Diego Port Commission, sees the city's position as the fourth largest port in California, its geographic location and the growing global economy providing unique opportunities. Lacking is an integration of the infrastructure that serves the region, Moore said. Without adequate freeways, airports and rail systems, the port's effectiveness to serve a wider area is greatly reduced. “The mobility of railroads is important to the port because we have to be connected.”
Issues with the port aren't just global in nature. Due to the surrounding urban areas that are built out and pressure to limit hours of operation, “We have to be efficient with what we have,” stated Moore, who advocates for a national unified port system that would provide governance like the Federal Aviation Administration for airports.
Moore notes that San Diego is also attracting increased notice from other countries, including China, which has expressed interest in the National City master bay front project.
Continue Reading for Free
Register and gain access to:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.