By Dana Williams / 7SanDiego / July 16, 2025
For the past several months, there has been little movement on a 23-story tower proposed for Turquoise Street in Pacific Beach, but that doesn’t mean the project isn’t moving forward, according to the developer, Kalonymus.
Marcella Bothwell, the chair of the Pacific Beach Planning Group and Neighbors for a Better California, talked to NBC 7 about the tower.
“It’s very easy for a community to get all riled up and think, ‘We’re gonna fight this,’ and then the developer goes quiet and there’s nothing to do,” Bothwell said. “Then, because we don’t get notice on stuff because everything is ‘ministerial,’ all of a sudden, construction is going to start.”
In December 2024, NBC 7 reported that the project quickly gained the attention of community members, like Bothwell, with its intent to burst the nearby 30-foot Coastal Height Limit in the area. It also stoked curiosity among San Diego City Council representatives to understand the limits to their power when it came to the State Density Bonus Law.
“The initial reaction was a little bit of disbelief,” San Diego Council President Joe LaCava told NBC 7 in December. “I just found it so unbelievable that somebody would propose something like this [in Pacific Beach].”
LaCava said that housing projects that fall under state legislation, like this one, do not typically make their way to city council since they only need ministerial approval from staff.
“It was so unusual, and it was so aggressive in its interpretation of state law,” LaCava added.
The developer on the project is Kalonymus, LLC. According to its website, it is “a boutique real estate investment and development firm specializing in multifamily, mixed-use and opportunistic investments in other asset classes.” The website lists San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Central Coast California and Miami as communities it is “active” in.
Kalonymus sent the following statement to NBC 7 in response to criticism from the community over the tower:
“San Diego has a well-documented shortage of homes that is making life increasingly expensive, so we need ambitious projects to truly move the needle.
“The goal is to make this beach community accessible to a lot more San Diegans who otherwise wouldn’t have the ability to live here. We’re talking about making hundreds of units available in a desirable community where the barrier to entry has historically been very high.
“It will bring market-rate as well as affordable rent-restricted units — built with no taxpayer subsidy — to a community that doesn’t see a lot of new housing, even though the demand is very strong.
“This project alone will nearly double the total affordable housing units that have been built in this area in the last several years – with these rents guaranteed under the deed to be affordable to low- and middle-income households.
“This is a locally designed project that’s backed by people who believe in San Diego and want to create the new generation of homes that our city needs.
“This project is made possible largely through new state laws that encourage home building on a scale that acknowledges California’s housing crisis.
“The project continues to move forward through review in accordance with state and local regulations.
“The project team has thoroughly reviewed state and local building rules, believes the facts support this project and is committed to complying with all applicable housing laws.”
When asked for specifics about how much of the building is intended as housing compared to rental space or how much is affordable, Kalonymus responded with “this is not a hotel.” The developer went on to explain that there will be “market rate units (65), affordable rent-restricted units (10), as well as a commercial use that is called ‘visitor accommodation’ units (139).”
The “visitor accommodation” units have raised eyebrows in the past, but, Kalonymus said, “at the time the project was submitted and vested under local and state law, visitor-accommodation uses permitted longer-term stays of more than 30 days. The visitor accommodation units will be designed with amenities like kitchens, and the developer intends to operate them on long-term leases in compliance with the regulations applicable to the project.”
Bothwell is one of the community members who has taken the time required to visit the city of San Diego’s Development Services Department and view the development plans in person, which is a requirement of the public viewing process. Another rule: No one viewing the documents at the city office is able to take any photos or real-time notes of what they see. Bothwell, however, was able to tell NBC 7 that she recalled.
“Imagine that really cute veterinary house right there next door — you’d be looking up five stories on a concrete parking garage,” Bothwell said, using her hands to show the shape of a tall structure that narrows at it rises. “Then it comes in, and there’s just a pencil sticking out of it that goes either 22 or 23 stories.”
While many who are in opposition to the project have been outspoken, there are some who say it is a long-time coming.
“I think this is a great conversation point for the need for more housing along our coast,” Harry Bubbins, the housing needs coordinator for Respect Bird Rock, told NBC 7. “More San Diegans should have access to our beaches, our good schools, and economic and job opportunities, and by building here on Turquoise [Street], and other parts of the coast, we can accomplish that.”
NBC 7 asked LaCava’s office for an updated statement or interview on the matter but was referred to his previous interview in December 2024 and told his stance still stands. NBC 7 also asked Kalonymus for renderings of the project but was told it “do not have any renderings at this time” but will shared them when they are “available for public use.”
The development will be mentioned during Wednesday’s Pacific Beach Town Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m., although it is not an official, “formal” agenda item, according to the current president, Charlie Nieto.
On Saturday, there are two rallies planned near the lot of the future Turquoise Tower. One is in support of the building and is expected to start at 5 p.m.; the other is in opposition and is expected to start at 5:30 p.m.
Of course there are renderings of the project. They are on the architect’s website.
https://carrierjohnson.com/work/project-vela/
Thanks Steph; I placed a copy of the rendering in the article.
The renderings of almost every project look fantastic. Reality is generally quite different.
I remember a former co-worker who was rather mercilessly mocked after a particularly ugly building construction was completed for saying “but it looked great in the renderings!”.
How pretty. What we need is a street level view including the surrounding neighborhood. And maybe Turquoise street which will now look like a back alley.
County met State mandated housing construction requirements thru 2050 in March of year. Today there is a 27 year SURPLUS of housing and 4000 more units are coming online in the City of San Diego alone before the end of the year. It is a matter of public record; not bullsh!t conjecture or MAGA.
There is no “housing shortage.”
Put it to bed, lay it to rest, put it out to pasture and stop fricking saying it. It is patronizing and offensive to Californians to perpetuate this cruel, deceitful, dishonest assault on seniors, those in poverty and those working full time jobs that merely cannot afford rent.
There is no legal mandate, and no requirement for ‘Klan’onomys to build just one affordable unit in this egregious Newsom supported middle finger to the Coastal Commission, let alone 65 affordable units.
Pure, plain and simple, affordable housing will not be built.
*For reference please go outside. Please Refer to 20+year history of not constructing affordable housing for yourself.
The inconvenient truth.
As we bash those on the right for falling for bullsh!t, it has become critical to call out our Party and the State, County and City’s bullsh!t.
Months from now when this bribing developer propping up the California Democratic Party does, will pull the plug and refuse to designate affordable housing on this property, AGAIN! We conveniently won’t hear about it. As there is a 20 + year history now of these stories conveniently never making it to NBC7 or any of the coercive 100% nationally Corporate owned “local” news stations and NBC7 will once again barely, if at all, give it no mention. Go figure!
Elo-Rivera’s legislation passed by the dirty City Council allows ‘Klan’onomys and EVERY DEVELOPER to “offsite” affordable housing and the legislation is WHOLLY void of any requirement to own the “off-siting” property or construct that “off-sited” affordable housing either.
Readers the following is what has become known as the bullsh!t narrative, and Californians know it: “San Diego has a well-documented shortage of homes.”
Perfect example of the pervasive, dishonest, ever failing Corporate media manipulation tactics, and it has not only become pathetic it is untenable. NBC7- KNSD, KFMB, KPBS, KUSI, KGTV and Fox 5 have repeated, parroted, and regurgitated the same mindless bullsh1t for over 20 years without ever being called out for backing it up with ANY tangible metrics.
NBC7 deploys False Equivalency haggard tactic that is patently false, patronizing and grown publicly ineffective:
“While many who are in opposition to the project have been outspoken, there are some who say it is a long-time coming.”
NBC 7 quoted Harry Bubbins, the housing needs coordinator for Respect Bird Rock.
To preface: THERE IS NO HOUSING COORDINATOR IN THE COMMUNITY OF BIRD ROCK, LA JOLLA NOR ANY OTHER COMMUNITY!
Respect Bird Rock is a BS, non registered subsidiary of Circulate San Diego and Circulate’s wholly fabricated mythological unicorn that is the San Diego Bicycle “Coalition.” Look it up.
To those new to San Diego; San Diego Bicycle “Coalition” should NEVER BE CONFUSED WITH the San Diego Bicycle Club.
The San Diego Bicycle Club has been around for about a hundred years boasting a huge membership of, I believe more than a few thousand strong and has never been an activist organization in their entire history.
SD Bicycle Club has never advocated to remove any parking and never advocated bike lanes designated for dangerous surface streets to remove parking. The San Diego Bicycle Club is made up of enthusiasts that rides bicycles, they don’t buy politicians.
Circulate San Diego does buy favor with impunity. That is the job of the consultants and lobbyists at Circulate San Diego to get rich at our expense. So they’ve tried to make themselves seem established and official sounding for effect. By naming the straw-man organization called the Bicycle “Coalition” they seek to try and garner respect in the community. Ironically the “Coalition” void of any authenticiy or legitimacy and support from the cycling community. Even from the active membership of the century old San Diego Bicycle Club.
In contrast, The Bicycle “Coalition” has only existed for a short time. Set up as a shell organization. It is made up of Real Estate Developers, Land Baron Lobbyists and Consultants that comprise the Board of Circulate San Diego.”
Boycott NBC7, and NBC altogether for this and all the other Politico-Corporate Real Estate narratives killing our seniors and our most vulnerable citizens by Politico-Corporate Land Baron evictions.
Boycott CBS for bribery and for firing Steven Colbert for speaking openly about it.
Not trying to be a wise ass, but will renters of the ‘visitor accommodation’ units be charged TOT?
I think it’s a beautiful building, much needed in that area. Pacific Beach is run down, dirty and just gross. The city is broke, this project will bring in much needed tax revenue and employ much needed union jobs and no politician in San Diego get’s elected with the support of unions, your whining and little protests, i mean rally’s will not stop this project, sorry, not sorry, get over it and move on.
Mr. John “buddy” Hurl
Makin me Hurl, arrogance and ignorance are just a few letters away from being the same word, and your asinine comments reflect both simultaneously. There is nothing beautiful about hyper gentrification, and this monolithic eyesore project violates the law by about a 20 stories. If you had lived here longer than 15 minutes you’d know that.
If you think PB is dirty John, get over it and move back “home.” Get bent. Go hyper-gentrify your own neighborhood.
This project will be killed.
So “Buddy” Thank you for riling up an already agitated public. We’ll be harnessing your comments to use against your profiteering ass and build an even bigger coalition that will recall Todd Gloria as well as killing this illegal monstrosity. This means war!