THE SITE: Upas Street, Bankers Hill |
|
THE PROBLEM: Construction of Mi Arbolito, a 14-story residential tower at Upas Street and Sixth Avenue, meant some familiar inconveniences for anyone walking along the corner.
Pedestrians were directed into the street along a protected walkway to get past the fenced-in site and the torn-up sidewalks.
Normally, that would be a temporary disruption. But construction on the project, originally scheduled for completion a year ago, halted when the developer went bankrupt. The detours are still there, and Newton Pollock, who lives in a building next door, wonders when pedestrians will get their sidewalks back.
STATUS: Because of the disruption to public facilities, Mi Arbolito's developer was required to obtain a performance bond to ensure the sidewalks and other improvements would be completed.
Jeff Strohminger, assistant deputy director of the development services for San Diego, has inquired with the bonding company about the status of the project, essentially serving notice that the city's patience is not infinite. The company told him interim financing has been lined up and the project eventually will be finished, Strohminger reported.
In a worst-case scenario, the city can collect on the bond with 30 days' notice and then have the sidewalk work finished. The issue has not yet reached such an impasse, but Strohminger promised to keep us posted on developments.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE: Lynda Pfeifer, community and customer ombudsperson for the Development Services department, who can be reached at (619) 687-5977 or lpfeifer@sandiego.gov
UPDATE: Wednesday we wrote of a section of Washington Street in Hillcrest plagued with recurrent potholes, apparently due to some unseen source of flowing water. Water Department officials said they have no lines in the area that might account for an underground leak, but promised to check older maps and records to see if something may have been overlooked.
They've now done so – and still can't find a clue as to the source of the water. Meanwhile, a reader and former land surveyor, Bernard Doctrow, called us to speculate an underground spring could be the culprit.
NEED A PROBLEM SOLVED: Is there a problem government hasn't fixed despite your complaints? Just Fix It might be able to help.
Complaint forms are at justfixit.uniontrib.com, or call (800) 820-8714.
