The Plaza de Panama project, an effort to ban most vehicular traffic from Balboa Park, has been shelved - at least for now, according to an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The San Diego City Council first approved the project in 2012, then re-approved it and increased its budget in 2016. The plan was a joint venture between Irwin Jacobs, the co-founder of Qualcomm, and the city, and would have added another 6.3 acres to Balboa Park, mostly by diverting autos from Cabrillo Bridge and from plazas in the park. An underground parking structure was also in the plan. If built, it would have a landscaped roof.
However, Jacobs recently chaired a committee that voted to stop trying to raise funds for the project and terminate any contracts currently in effect. The committee then notified Kevin Faulconer, the mayor of San Diego, about their decision. He accepted the action but said he would continue to spend money to repair the park, which he considers the “heart of San Diego”. Projects to improve the park give facilities there the chance to use graphic design to create new designs for their businesses.
The Plaza de Panama project could still go ahead, but it would require someone unexpected to chip in with funds before the bids for construction expire, which will happen April 28. Even if new funding was found, the City Council would have to approve the budget for a third time.
The Plaza de Panama project, an effort to ban most vehicular traffic from Balboa Park, has been shelved - at least for now, according to an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The San Diego City Council first approved the project in 2012, then re-approved it and increased its budget in 2016. The plan was a joint venture between Irwin Jacobs, the co-founder of Qualcomm, and the city, and would have added another 6.3 acres to Balboa Park, mostly by diverting autos from Cabrillo Bridge and from plazas in the park. An underground parking structure was also in the plan. If built, it would have a landscaped roof.
However, Jacobs recently chaired a committee that voted to stop trying to raise funds for the project and terminate any contracts currently in effect. The committee then notified Kevin Faulconer, the mayor of San Diego, about their decision. He accepted the action but said he would continue to spend money to repair the park, which he considers the “heart of San Diego”. Projects to improve the park give facilities there the chance to use graphic design to create new designs for their businesses.
The Plaza de Panama project could still go ahead, but it would require someone unexpected to chip in with funds before the bids for construction expire, which will happen April 28. Even if new funding was found, the City Council would have to approve the budget for a third time.