The San Diego Padres could redevelop land near Petco Park, as the team confirms to the San Diego Union-Tribune that it will propose development over the parking lot Tailgate Park.
The Padres currently use the surface lot Tailgate Park for parking, part of a long-term lease with the City of San Diego, the owner of the property. The agreement does give the city some leeway in seeking alternate uses for the site, however, provided that compensation is made to the Padres for any lost revenue and parking spaces are replaced. San Diego is now moving forward with considering alternate uses for the four-block parcel through a sale or land lease, and the Padres are planning to jump into the mix of suitors to redevelop the site.
While the exact scope of what the Padres will pitch remains to be seen, the organization is planning to propose mixed-use amenities such as housing, retail, and offices. The city will issue a request for qualifications next month and any proposals would be submitted as part of a competitive bidding process, meaning that the Padres will surely have competition in their effort to redevelop the property. More from the San Diego Union-Tribune:
The Major League Baseball club Thursday told the Union-Tribune that it will later this year pitch a mixed-use project that will include housing, retail and office space for the 7.65-acre site, which is bordered by 12th Avenue, K Street, 14th Street and Imperial Avenue.
The early-stage redevelopment effort comes as the city prepares to offload the property through a competitive bidding process.
“The strategic value of this land to the ballpark is enormous,” said Erik Greupner, who is president of business operations for the Padres. “We feel a sense of obligation to develop it in a way with the greatest positive impact to downtown and the greater San Diego region.”
Recent trends in ballpark construction have seen teams take a larger role in redeveloping surrounding property. Atlanta’s SunTrust Park and the adjacent The Battery Atlanta is one prominent example of development being tied to a new ballpark, but this has also played out with teams seeking to redevelop nearby land well after their facilities have opened, with the Colorado Rockies’ ongoing redevelopment of a former surface parking lot west of Coors Field being one example. Petco Park has been home to the Padres since opening in 2004.