San Diego Civic Center - Manifesto

In 2022, the Mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria, selected 30 citizens, involved in the city’s civic life, to spend 6 months together mapping out a path forward for the redevelopment of the city’s city center. A 6 block area would house City Hall, the Civic Theater, affordable housing, a transit center amongst many other important uses. Members of the committee included experts in finance, the arts, sustainability, transportation, tourism and urban planning. Early in the process Jennifer Luce suggested that sub-committees be formed to focus on areas of expertise; with a eye on the global picture. Jennifer was the sub-committee chair of the Design and Urbanism Committee. Discussions were lively and impassioned towards a rich and diverse civic center that would speak to the incredibly unique position our city holds as a place of youthful innovation and cultural richness; as a growing border city that is embracing its emerging bio-tech, academic and diverse identity.

Redevelopment projects of this kind are almost always fraught with complicated layers of land use issues, governing laws and codes, politic and public opinion. Open to all citizens, the discussions drew our committee in the direction of writing an affectionate yet powerful MANIFESTO for change; a poignant document that would help to guide leadership through the maze of complication towards a clear planning direction that would define CIVIC-NESS for San Diego. The document was authored by many, led by Jennifer and her studio and published widely as a fresh approach to considering a herculean task from the perspective of civic life first; development second.

Research and consulting agreements continue to be formed today, all the while referring to the MANIFESTO as a clearly public call for good design, civic engagement and self-respect for our remarkable spot on the planet.