This page describes the land available for development of a landmark mixed use residential building containing a public library as well as space for parking and other amenities that will satisfy the needs of the community and the City while also generating profits for investors.
Community Description
Normal Heights and Kensigton are suburban neighborhoods composed mainly of Spanish Revival and California Bungalows built in the 1930s. Areas to the south of Adams Ave have many 2 story apartment buildings dating from the 60s and 70s. Additionally, a significant number of single family homes have infill units dating from all eras making the most of the area moderately dense.
Normal Heights is divided from Kensington by the I-15 freeway which maintains differences between the two communities, Kensington being a target destination for upscale homeowners, while Normal Heights is more bohemian but is experiencing attention due to new establishments on Adams Ave. and walkability.
The population of Kensington-Talmage is 14,451 and Normal Heights is 15,295. As Talmage is located farther east and geographically separated, the residents tend to use the City Heights library but are part of the Kensington-Talmage Community Planning Group. An estimate of the population served by the Kensington/Normal Heights library is about 23,000.
Current Library State
The current Kensington-Normal Heights Library is located at the center of a small park in Kensington and was upgraded to the current square footage of 2,300 square feet in 1962. The current space is severely inadequate for even minimal service delivery. Since opening in 1962, the library has added numerous modern services including Internet access, adult literacy, computer literacy and programming, career counseling, college prep courses, and of course, children’s story time.
“The Kensington-Normal Heights Library should be Replaced with a new facility of at least 25,000 square feet. Kensington Park is a valued green space in the neighborhood. Further study and community outreach is needed to determine whether the park could (or should) accommodate a larger library building. If not, the library should relocate to an alternate site that could be part of a mixed use development with housing or other uses. If an alternate location happens, the existing facility is an opportunity for future community uses.”
– San Diego Public Library Master Plan 2023 – p. 138
After 62 years of service, the current building has been extended far beyond reasonable capacity. Although the population in the service area (census tracts 17, 18.01, 18.02, 19, 20.01, 20.02, 21) has only increased by 16% since 1960, the amount of room required to accommodate the additional services and programs of a modern library has ballooned to include:
- Meeting spaces
- Computer terminals
- Adult education
- Arts and Crafts
- Seed library
- Printing and copier services
- Storage for DVD, books on CD, games, puzzles, etc.
- Friends of Library bookstore
- Innovation lab
- Music and arts performance space
- Public art
- And more!
Strategies to create multi-use spaces have been valiant, including the use of rolling equipment platforms, and holding storytime outdoors if weather permits.
The design of the original building is unique and should be retained for future use as a children’s center. However, repurposing will require modernization including lighting, plumbing, and structural retrofits.
Library Vision
The Library Master Plan states the city is focused on building mixed-use facilities for all future branch library builds. Additionally, the Kensington/Normal Heights Library is identified for replacement with 25,000 square feet of space.
“In addition to the Central Library, at least 0.35 to 0.45 square feet of branch library space per San Diego city resident should be provided per the Master Plan Framework.”
– San Diego Public Library Master Plan 2023 – p. 14
The current site is deed restricted as a park and a building envelope of the recommended size would not fit on the current footprint. It is therefore proposed to build a mixed-use facility with below grade parking, at grade retail spaces, a second-floor library with an open space plaza, and five stories of mixed unit housing on a site within the Kensington-Normal Heights service area.
Potential Sites
The ideal library configuration is a single floor to provide the most efficient operation for librarians, security, and the public. The limits potential build sites to six locations listed here in no particular order.
- 35th and Adams Ave (vacant properties)
- 3612 Adams Ave (Vons parking lot)
- 3650 Adams Ave (Rite Aid parking lot)
- South end of Ward Canyon Park and a portion of 40th Street
- North Ward Canyon Park + 39th Street
- Spanning Adams Ave at SR-15
Each of these locations have specific advantages and disadvantages follw the links for more.
Project Costs
Through a public/private partnership the following elements will need to be funded.
- Land may be purchased by the City with a ground lease to the developer
- Architecture, planning, and engineering
- Ancillary products and services e.g. coordination of micro-mobility solutions & public art
- Demolition, grading and construction.
- Installation of Library products and services
- Staffing and Maintenance planning
Recent branch library construction projects without a mixed use retail/residential component have been budgeted between 30 and 50 million dollars.
Funding Sources
- Bonds
- Federal, State, and Foundation Grants
- City wide Developer Impact Fee (DIF) collections for libraries after 2022
- Developer Impact Fee (DIF) collected prior to 2022 (AKA lockboxes)
- Corporate investors
- Library Foundation and other non-profits
- Private investors
- Private donors
Among these sources, DIF fees present an excellent opportunity, with $517 million spread across 43 community lockboxes (including FBA, Urban Community, In Lieu and other funds). There is a history of intercommunity lending of DIF funds and the argument of nexus has been rendered moot in 2022 when City Council passed the Build Better SD initiative which merged the collections into a categorized city-wide spending model.
- Balance of all 43 lockboxes is $517 million
- Total encumbered lockbox funds is $80 million
- Total unencumbered lockbox funds is $198 million
- Mid-City lockbox balance is $3.8 million
- Unexpended Balance in Account Greater than 5 Years as of 6/30/23 is $178 million
Very few of the lockboxes, including the Mid-City fund, hold sufficient funds for completing infrastructure projects and while the City plans to replenish lockboxes as capital improvement projects (CIP) are approved, the funds in these lockboxes risk aging out as deposits hit a five-year deadline. Once a deposit without an attached encumbrance exceeds 5 years, it could be returned to the developer. Funds in this category stand at $178 million.
A breakdown of funds by type shows $15 million in unencumbered DIF.
| Area | Sum of Encumbered | Sum of Not Encumbered |
|---|---|---|
| Citywide | $ – | $ – |
| DIF | $35,796,118 | $15,077,990 |
| FBA | $28,757,785 | $125,121,286 |
| In Lieu | $79,657 | $1,179,628 |
| Mobility | $ – | $ – |
| Other | $7,899,969 | $28,190,556 |
| Park | $497 | $240,947 |
| UC | $7,981,185 | $28,793,336 |
| Grand Total | $80,515,214 | $198,603,745 |
Additionally, some encumbered funds may not align with the current City budget or overall Master Plan to be completed in a reasonable time frame. Thus the funds may be reallocated if a strong argument is made for a landmark project such as this.
Furthermore, in 2022, a San Diego County Grand Jury report found that DIF fees were not being spent at the expected rate: “Community funds were insufficient to fund existing planned projects.[…]For many of these accounts the only activity is the expenses for City staff to ‘administer’ the account.”