No matter who you ask, most San Diegans would agree that the Midway District bears little to no resemblance to San Diego’s more vibrant, trendy neighborhoods like North Park, Hillcrest, or Mission Valley. The differences are clear as day.
As an owner of California Wild Ales and one of Midway’s newest neighbors, I see Midway District’s unbridled potential as a neighborhood primed for change. The moment has arrived for our city to sculpt a fresh, more radiant future that our community desperately needs and deserves — a completely revitalized and desirable neighborhood, achievable through Midway Rising.
What makes other San Diego neighborhoods so unique and inviting is their adaptability and balanced approach to growth — they emphasize new housing and better connectivity for all types of transportation, paired with restaurants, bars, and other retail and recreational spaces that shape the heart of a community.
Historically, the same cannot be said for the Midway District. Today, it is a rundown, commercial-heavy district with an outdated arena venue situated at the crossroads of the Ocean Beach and Point Loma coastal communities, Mission Bay, and San Diego’s uptown and downtown neighborhoods — and it’s been that way for decades.
For many San Diegans, the Midway District is merely a pass-through to sporting events, shows at the arena, or more exciting coastal, inland, or downtown destinations. But all that is now poised to change with the redevelopment of the city-owned San Diego Sports Arena site.
In a competitive selection process that lasted several years, five different redevelopment teams submitted proposals and visions for the Sports Arena site. In September 2022, the San Diego City Council granted the Midway Rising redevelopment team the exclusive right to negotiate with the city’s Real Estate Department.
Three months later, in December 2022, Midway Rising entered into an exclusive agreement with the city. This agreement allows for a two-year negotiating period between the city and the team to refine aspects of Midway Rising’s initial proposal and collaborate on a full-fledged redevelopment project.
It is important to emphasize — Midway Rising does not yet have a green light to put shovels in the ground. They have requirements and milestones to complete, which include numerous environmental and technical studies.
That’s why recent criticism by a few city officials, who do not represent our community, about minor changes to the project at this stage is unjustified. Any major project that attracts a significant multi-billion-dollar investor, such as The Kroenke Group, should be celebrated. How many projects in San Diego enjoy these depths of resources?
That being said, why did Midway Rising win out over other worthy competitors? Because their team championed a vision for the site that includes more than 4,000 new homes, including 2,000 dedicated affordable homes, and a new, world-class 16,000-seat arena and mixed-use entertainment district. In fact, it surprised me to learn that Midway Rising will be the largest affordable housing project in California’s history.
Their team comprises reputable, experienced partners, including affordable housing developer Chelsea Investment Corporation, sports venue developer and operator Legends, and market-rate housing developer Zephyr. Together, their team earned the endorsement of Todd Gloria, the city’s independent, third-party financial analyst Jones Lang Lasalle, the state’s Housing and Community Development Department, and an array of local and regional community partners and affordable housing advocacy groups.
Midway Rising is essential to the future revitalization of the Midway District. Much like a line of dominoes, Midway Rising is the first mega-domino to fall, serving as the initial spark for change in the surrounding neighborhood.
I am confident that the Midway Rising team can shake the Midway District out of stagnation and give Midway residents and all San Diegans what they deserve — a dynamic, inclusive neighborhood in which they can be proud of and a place to call home.
Bill DeWitt is the owner and creative director of California Wild Ales, a brewery specializing in barrel-aged sour beer that is located in San Diego’s Midway District.
