San Diego Architectural Foundation

Are we prepared to take a dip in our city? San Diego is known the world over for its bay and beaches and for being blessed with the climate to enjoy both. But for the ever increasing number of downtown residents our day to day physical interaction with the water surrounding us is very limited. Yes, we have the embarcadero promenade along which to bike and jog and look out over the bay, but where can we dip a toe in the water?
A new website launched recently (www.savesdwaterfront.com) hopes to inspire residents to think big when it comes to the development of our waterfront and challenge the maxed out proposals for commercial projects on these public tidelands. It features one designer’s alternative proposal for the controversial Navy Broadway property. He would like to bring the bay in towards the land, creating a beach and swimming area surrounded by a park (see renderings of his proposal here). This will surely help to stimulate dialog and generate opinions on these issues of critical importance to the future of San Diego’s front porch.
     
The website offers an invitation to all San Diegans to add our own ideas on waterfront development to the mix, so we have selected a few projects from around the world that provide public access to water in an urban environment. Tune in tomorrow as we feature the first of a few cities that have addressed similar questions as we ask ourselves - are we ready to strip down for a dip in the Big Bay?
  
-MW