Fault Line Park in downtown San Diego’s East Village.
SAN DIEGO–Fault Line Park in East Village is officially open to the public, marking the first City of San Diego park to open in nearly a decade to serve the growing downtown community.
The 1.3-acre public park is the result of a unique public-private partnership between Civic San Diego, the City of San Diego and developer Pinnacle International. In addition to the park, the partnership will ultimately result in the development of 956 homes including 72 affordable (rent and Income restricted) units, 22,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, and more than 1,000 underground parking spaces in a project known as Pinnacle On The Park.
Fault Line Park features children’s areas; including play equipment and interactive elements, grassy open space, an intimate drought-tolerant succulent garden, seating areas and public art. The park lays directly over Rose Canyon Fault, which was the inspiration for the design of the park and the artwork. The fault is symbolically marked by a walkway through the middle of the park. Pinnacle International constructed Fault Line Park and will be responsible for its on-going maintenance and security. Fault Line Park, located at 1433 Island Avenue, is open from 6 a.m. to midnight.
“The commitment to this project over the years is a testament to the value of good public, private partnerships and we are excited and proud to open a park for the growing East Village community,” said Reese A. Jarrett, president of Civic San Diego. “A true win-win situation, Fault Line Park and Pinnacle on the Park are wonderful examples of how these partnerships can provide the community with public benefits like affordable housing, public open space and quality living opportunities for area residents. We look forward to continuing these types of projects throughout San Diego.”
A special feature of the park is titled “Fault Whisper,” an original art piece by Living Lenses, an internationally known artist group founded in 1999 by Po Shu Wang and the late Louise Bertelsen. The piece features two large stainless steel spheres, which mark opposite sides of the Rose Canyon Fault. Visitors can look through the west sphere’s viewfinder to see if the other sphere has moved position since its installation. An accelerator installed into the fault below the spheres monitors the earth’s movements and converts these movements into musical notes that are broadcast through the west sphere. Commissioned by the City’s Commission for Arts and Culture, the piece will become a permanent part of the city’s public art collection.
“Fault Line Park is a model for future open spaces in San Diego,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “With vision, and through hard work we applaud Civic San Diego and the Pinnacle team for their perseverance and are proud to offer this new space to the community. ”
Pinnacle On The Park will include two high-rise residential towers. The first has been completed and is currently leasing. The first move-ins took place earlier this month. The second tower is scheduled to begin construction this fall and be completed by 2018.
“In addition to a great new park, the affordable housing units in Pinnacle On The Park will provide low-income residents access to a flourishing neighborhood,” said Councilman Todd Gloria, who represents downtown. “Creating these types of projects which balance density with quality of life amenities is essential to promote livability and accommodate future growth in our region.”
“Fault Line Park is a key component to Pinnacle On The Park,” said Michael De Cotiis, president and CEO of Pinnacle International. “Residents will have access to modern apartments, convenient commercial and retail businesses, and open space for leisure. We are proud of our project and partnership with the City of San Diego and invite the community to enjoy this wonderful new open space.”
In addition to residents, the downtown business community also benefits by having new open space and amenities. “Parks and urban open space are the very foundation of a vibrant and world-class Downtown. They create community, bolster our economy, improve health and wellness and give us a place to play and relax,” said Kris Michell, president and CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. “We are thrilled to welcome Fault Line Park to Downtown’s East Village neighborhood and look forward to enjoying this beautiful community asset with Downtown residents, employees and visitors alike.”
