A four-story, 56-unit mixed-used building, a portion of which would be set aside for residents with very-low to moderate incomes, is being proposed for the Point Loma neighborhood.
The site is 1004 Rosecrans St., at the corner of Talbot Street. According to an application submitted to the city of San Diego, the project would include 45 parking spaces in a basement garage and 1,770 square feet of commercial space. The plans include eight affordable units, three for very low earners, two for low-income earners and three for moderate-income earners.
The building, which sits on the lot now that used to be a bank and was transformed into a car rental company, is in between Cabrillo Elementary School, which serves children from preschool through fourth grade, and Jennings House, a historic home-turned-coffeehouse that serves lattes and as a place for regulars and first-timers alike to convene.
“I own the business, not the building,” Cathy Gallagher told NBC 7 with a smile as she prepared a BLT for her customer at Jennings House. “The building was purchased by the current owner’s parents in 1938, so it's been in the family for 85, 86 years.”
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Gallagher’s business shares a lot line with the new development that’s proposed. When she first found out about it, she immediately thought of one thing: construction.
“It’s going to be noise and dust and dirt,” Gallagher said. “The construction phase is going to be probably at least two years, I would think, probably, maybe more, and during that process, I really don’t know how I’m going to survive.”
Gallagher has had to pivot before, like many other businesses, during the pandemic in 2020. She shared that it nearly forced her to shutter but she persevered, thanks to loyal patrons, and is now hoping that this does not cause the same level of uncertainty.
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“It’s not so much new development or housing — I’m for that, if it’s needed — but it’s just the size,” Gallagher said. “It’s going to basically shadow the entire building and take away a lot of the ambiance that I feel like I've built here, so that's a huge concern of mine. If I even make it that far.”
According to Richard Berg, a public information officer for the city, the project is currently being reviewed by the city. As for a timeline, he said, “when the applicant would be able to obtain its permits and when construction would begin depends on the applicant providing necessary corrections to their plans and those corrections being approved upon further review.”
Berg added that there are several items that need to be clarified or corrected, as is the case with many first-round project reviews, including ensuring that there are an appropriate number of bicycle spaces, adequate loading zones and parking spaces.
“It’s not a sure thing, but I think once I know that it’s definitely going to happen, then that’s going to be, you know, when it’ll really hit me,” Gallagher said.
