40-story residential tower open

800 Broadway, a striking new 40-story residential tower featuring the city’s tallest rooftop pool and community lounge, has opened its doors in Downtown San Diego. Developed by joint venture between CA Ventures and Diamond Realty Investments, Inc. and designed by JWDA Architects, this LEED® Gold Certified 480-foot architectural landmark offers 389 meticulously designed residences, including studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and two- and three-bedroom penthouses. The building also features three ground-floor commercial units zoned for restaurant and retail, now available for leasing.

800 Broadway offers unobstructed 360-degree views of San Diego, including its skyline, mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. Raising the bar for urban living, the property boasts San Diego’s tallest rooftop pool – opening Spring 2025 – and sky lounge on the 40th floor. Additional community amenities include a speakeasy, fitness center, game room, and expansive terraces on both the 6th and 40th floors. Designed by Parisa O’Connell, these spaces are thoughtfully created to offer an exceptional and elevated residential experience.

800 Broadway is managed by RPM Living, marking the third RPM-managed property in San Diego, alongside Radian in East Village and Current in Little Italy.

“After breaking ground in 2021, we are thrilled to finally open our doors and introduce 800 Broadway to the San Diego community,” said Lucas Roof, community manager at 800 Broadway. “Our goal is to provide residents with the comforts and amenities of a luxury hotel, paired with unparalleled views and the urban lifestyle only found Downtown.”

Residences feature high-end finishes, including Whirlpool appliances, in-unit washers and dryers, and quartz countertops. Community amenities also include a co-working and business center, EV charging stations, and a rooftop deck with a hot tub. Of the 389 residential units, 33 are designated low-income units with rents set by the San Diego Housing Commission.

800 Broadway is now leasing residential units and three ground-floor commercial units. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit live800broadway.com or contact the leasing office at 619-613-2860.

New senior center in Logan Heights

A new space for community members ages 60 and up, has opened in the city of San Diego and a special celebration. The center is operated by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department and offers activities five days a week from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The senior center has many free or low cost classes, including dance classes, karaoke and gardening. During the week, free lunches (while supplies last) are also provided to attendees through a partnership with Serving Seniors.

The Memorial Senior Center adds to a growing number of spaces throughout the city that are operated by Parks and Recreation’s AgeWell Services program to serve the senior population, including the Balboa Park Senior Lounge, Cathy Hopper Friendship Center and the Park de la Cruz Community Center. Several recreation centers also offer regular programming for seniors, including Bay Terraces Community/Senior Center, Nobel Recreation Center, San Ysidro Senior Center and others.

Funding and support for the new senior center came from a variety of sources, including the San Diego Senior Community Foundation, San Diego Foundation, Serving Seniors, the San Diego Futures Foundation and the County of San Diego. The Memorial Senior Center opened in November 2024 and continues to grow its programming and services.

Museums and more

New Children’s Museum expands with studio

This April, The New Children’s Museum (NCM) will have even more opportunities for visitors to think, play and create with a 8,600-square-foot expansion that not only provides more gallery space and classrooms but expands the San Diego-based museum’s wildly popular art-making studio space.

At the heart of the expansion is Artopia: NCM Creative Studios, a newly renovated art studio located on the third level. Programs, activities and workshops will be designed for visitors from toddlers, teens, adults, and all ages reflecting an expanded focus beyond previous studio offerings. Artopia will offer art-making workshops, artist-led experiences, and opportunities for private event rentals, making it a versatile space for both individual creativity for multi-generational audiences and community gatherings.

In addition, a new Education Commons located directly off of the art studio space has been built out as a new hub for learning set to host workshops, early childhood programs, school programs, teachers institutes and more.

San Diego Zoo announces leadership change

The Board of Trustees of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) announced the departure of its President and CEO, Paul Baribault.

Since late 2019, Baribault has led SDZWA, guiding the 109-year-old institution through a global pandemic and spearheading the creation of a wildlife conservation strategy to align all of its work around eight conservation hubs spread across six continents. During his tenure, Baribault helped the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park achieve record attendance with nearly 6 million visitors annually, while driving more investments into our facilities and our conservation work, all while also significantly improving the organization’s financial health. He led efforts to pioneer new ways of thinking about guest experiences and how the organization should be sharing its expansive knowledge about wildlife with the world. Last year, he led the effort to welcome the first two giant pandas back to the United States in 21 years—a significant achievement. And, over the past couple years, he has led the most transformative project in the 50-year history of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Denny Sanford Elephant Valley, which will open in early 2026.

The Board will commence a national search for a new President & CEO immediately and Chief Operating Officer Shawn Dixon will assume the role of interim President & CEO. The Board thanks Baribault for his dedicated service and commitment to the mission and is appreciative of his desire to advise the Board and leadership team as needed during the transition period.

$10M endowment to The Nat

The San Diego Natural History Museum recently received one of the largest gifts in its history, which will help The Nat strengthen its existing science and conservation work for decades to come.

The extraordinarily generous $10 million endowment gift from Dr. Irwin Jacobs will establish the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Science and Conservation at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

The museum uses its research collection of nearly 9 million specimens to advance conservation work in Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula. Dr. Jacobs is particularly interested in fostering The Nat’s efforts to modernize its natural history research through technological innovation and emerging science.

Art updates

New art studio at Granger Hotel

San Diego-based contemporary artist Walter Redondo is unveiling Open Art Studio by Walter Redondo at Granger Hotel, an exclusive, appointment-only space, on Saturday, April 12 during a special Grand Opening from 4:30-9 p.m.

During the event, attendees will enjoy light appetizers and live music by Jolene Cruz along with some remarks from Redondo, who will also be debuting some brand-new works during the event, giving people a glimpse at what to expect from the space. The grand opening is free to attend, and open to the public. To reserve your space, click aquí.

In addition to his gallery at Seaport Village, this warehouse-style space will serve as his permanent work studio allowing people the opportunity to see the works in progress and getting a first look before they move to his gallery. The Spring Valley resident says that space has an effect on the way one paints, and has found himself exploring more floral interlocked with figurative work. In addition to painting, the former tennis pro turned artist will also be showcasing never before seen sculptures in the space. Whether you’re a collector, an art enthusiast, or seeking a venue for a special event, the Open Art Studio offers a versatile, inspiring setting to immerse yourself in art.

The Open Art Studio is located inside Granger Hotel, San Diego’s first guest-only hotel located in the heart of Downtown. This partnership with Redondo serves as the hotel’s first artist in residency, and will remain a permanent space of the hotel moving forward.

Abstract art show in Spanish Village

Lucas Smith, an abstract artist based in San Diego, will be hosting his second annual solo exhibition at Village Arts Outreach Studio 21 (Gallery 21) in Spanish Village, Balboa Park, this April. Following a successful two-week exhibition last year, where he set a sales record with 22 paintings sold, he returns with new works that continue to explore the boundaries of abstract art.

“Beyond the Boundaries: An Exploration in Abstract Art” is on display at Studio 21 April 8-21 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily, or by private appointment. A free public opening reception will be held Saturday, April 12th from 2-5 p.m.

Kent Monkman painting at Timken

Reconsidering Bierstadt: Kent Monkman is the latest in an ongoing series of curatorial projects which highlight the relationships between cutting-edge contemporary art and the outstanding permanent collection of the Timken Museum of Art. Previous projects have looked at Rembrandt through the eyes of Dutch photographer/videographer, Rineke Dijsktra, and at the portrait practice of Anthony van Dyck through the vibrant work of Kehinde Wiley.

Running through June 8, the Timken’s American Gallery will be transformed by a staged encounter between the 19th-century American painter Albert Bierstadt and the First Nation (Cree) Canadian artist, Kent Monkman. In this season of renewal and rebirth, Reconsidering Bierstadt: Kent Monkman offers visitors the opportunity to freshly compare one of the Timken’s most beloved works, “Cho-Looke, The Yosemite Fall” (1864) with “The Fourth World,” a recent, challenging depiction of California’s historical landscape by Monkman.

“Reconsidering Bierstadt represents the first time that Monkman’s work has been shown publicly in San Diego,” stated Derrick R. Cartwright, PhD, director of curatorial affairs at the Timken. “His large-scale compositions have been the subject of exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Musée des Beaux-Arts Montreal, among other international venues. This April, a mid-career retrospective, Kent Monkman: History is Painted by the Victors, opens at the Denver Art Museum.”

Live poetry at the airport

Don’t be surprised if your next journey through San Diego International Airport (SAN) includes an interview about travel that is turned into poetry. Now through April 29, the airport’s Spring 2025 Performing Arts Resident, Poets Underground, will be onsite in the terminals at their luggage-inspired stage called The Great Poetic Baggage Exchange. The artists invite travelers to engage in conversations and live-painting of murals centered around five travel-inspired themes: Adventure, Baggage, Connection, Checkpoint, and Rise.

Poets Underground is a San Diego-based LLC and non-profit, comprised of a husband-and-wife team who create and foster healthy inclusive communities through the arts, poetry and storytelling. The stories the poets gather at SAN will inspire original poems—shared back with passengers as spoken word, written word, and visual poetry. Select poems will be featured in three culminating airport performances on May 2, 6, and 8. The works will also be compiled into an anthology, preserving these creative exchanges and the spirit of travel in poetic form.

SAN’s Arts Program launched its Performing Arts Residency Program in 2016. The Performing Arts Residency Program supports the development and public performance of new work. It offers artists the space to create and rehearse new material while providing SAN patrons a unique opportunity for interaction through the performing arts.

To view the Performing Arts Residency schedule, please haga clic aquí. For more information about the Airport Performing Arts Residency Program, please haga clic aquí.

Light and art exhibit “Mirror Mirror” at airport

When you think of San Diego, what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the ocean water, or the breathtaking red and purple hues of a sunset that blankets the horizon. These iconic Southern California images have long captivated artists. Decades ago, artists who shaped the Southern California Light and Space movement revolutionized the art world by harnessing the power of light in new and innovative ways. Now, that legacy continues with Mirror Mirror, a temporary exhibition on display at Aeropuerto Internacional de San Diego (SAN) in Terminal 2 in both pre- and post-security areas throughout 2025.

“Mirror Mirror” brings together more than 100 works by 16 contemporary artists from the region, all exploring the fascinating interplay between light, color, and space.  Artists use a variety of materials including interactive LED displays, vibrant lightboxes, and yarn installations that invite viewers to engage directly with the art. Whether through optical illusions, dazzling surfaces, or unexpected contrasts, “Mirror Mirror” offers a dynamic experience, transforming your understanding of space and perspective as you move through the exhibition.

“Mirror Mirror” is open to all visitors at SAN. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with contemporary art in a dynamic and accessible setting.

Get involved

Volunteers needed at Balboa Park rose garden

Do you Love roses? Would you like to be part of a team of enthusiastic rose garden volunteers? The Balboa Park Rose Garden Corps is looking for volunteers, beginners or experienced to help maintain this beautiful garden at 2125 Park Blvd., ranked one of the best rose gardens in the world. The group volunteers weekly on Tuesdays or Thursday mornings for two to three hours to remove dead blooms, prune, weed and rake. Experienced volunteers provide excellent training. Volunteers act as good will ambassadors to the many visitors to this world class garden. Interested? The first meeting of the season will be Tuesday April 15th. Contact [email protected] para más información.

Bin drive for Father Joe’s

Just in time for spring cleaning, Pueblos del Padre Joe is hosting a county-wide bin drive. For 45 days, San Diegans can donate new or gently used goods at 15 drop-off bin locations. Being notified as bins become full, drivers will collect donations to restock the nonprofit’s thrift stores.

The stores sell gently used clothing, jewelry, books, household goods, accessories, electronics, and other items donated by supporters, with all the revenue going towards transforming the lives of unhoused individuals and families.

Donations are also accepted at the four store locations, including the one in Hillcrest, through April 18. Other drop-off locations include:

1. Church of the Nativity (6309 El Apajo, Rancho Santa Fe)
2. St Michael’s Church – Poway (15546 Pomerado Rd., Poway)
3. Mary, Star of the Sea – La Jolla (7669 Girard Ave., La Jolla)
4. Sacred Heart Parish (655 C Ave., Coronado)
5. Our Lady of Guadalupe – Chula Vista (345 Anita St.)
6. Immaculate Conception Church (2540 San Diego Ave.)
7. USD – Alcala Park West (5998 Alcala Park)
8. Ascension Parish (1292 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.)
9. El Camino High School (400 Rancho Del Oro Dr., Oceanside)
10. Poway High School (15500 Espola Rd., Poway)
11. Mt. Carmel High School (9550 Carmel Mountain Rd.)
12. Rancho Bernardo High School (13010 Paseo Lucido)
13. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala (10818 San Diego Mission Rd.)
14. Greater Life Church (2770 Glebe Rd., Lemon Grove)
15. Mesa View Baptist Church (13230 Pomerado Rd., Poway)

Library Foundation SD celebrates National Library Week

April is a critical time for the City of San Diego Public Library system. The Library Foundation SD invites library supporters to participate in the following activities to celebrate libraries and advocate on behalf of the library system to secure funding that will keep the City’s 37 branch libraries accessible to all. April 6–12 is National Library Week and the Library Foundation SD is asking for the community to support and advocate for Library staff, programs, and services during each of the themed days of this nation-wide library event. Running on an operating budget that is already less than 70% of the state average and facing a reduction in federal support, San Diegans and local decision-makers need to stand by the San Diego Public Library system, especially during this critical month. The Trump administration recently called for the drastic reduction of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which provides financial support for libraries of all types.

The push for advocacy comes as Mayor Todd Gloria will present San Diego’s budget proposal on April 15 and 21. Library Foundation SD anticipates dramatic cuts to the library’s budget.

Vote for San Diego’s new official flower

The Final Flora is underway until April 7, with San Diego’s having a chance to weigh in on the city’s new official flower. The effort is part of San Diego Bird Alliance’s (SDBA) initiative “Your City, Your Flower” to select a new native flower to represent San Diego. From March 17, residents participated in a bracket-style competition to choose from eight carefully selected flowering species native to the San Diego region.

“This initiative aims to replace the current non-native carnation with a flower that truly represents our local ecosystems and supports our native wildlife,” said Savannah Stallings, Conservation Advocacy Coordinator for San Diego Bird Alliance. The eight finalists, Black Sage, Bladderpod, Blue Elderberry, Blue-eyed Grass, Bush Sunflower, California Buckwheat, California Rose and Cleveland Sage, were selected by a diverse stakeholder group based on environmental benefits, Kumeyaay cultural significance, drought resistance, native status, conservation concerns, and artistic potential. After the Final Flora, the remaining two options will go head-to-head in Corolla Championship from April 9-14.

Following the final vote, SDBA will present the winning flower to the San Diego City Council in mid April, coinciding with Earth Day, with the goal of official adoption.

For more information and to participate in voting, visit sandiegobirdalliance.org/what-we-do/advocacy/ or on Instagram @sandiegobirdalliance.

Nonprofit news

VAPA Foundation wins inaugural Prebys Sparx Award

The VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Foundation has been awarded a $1 million grant by Prebys Foundation to support student well-being through the arts. In partnership with the Expressive Arts Institute and San Diego Unified School District, The VAPA Foundation will bring in-classroom arts programs to 25 schools with limited arts offerings, impacting over 4,700 students across 135 classrooms.

The initiative redefines mental health support in schools, creating a scalable curriculum for arts-based social-emotional learning (SEL). Through the Expressive Arts Institute’s 60-hour certificated training, teaching artists are equipped with evidence-based, trauma-informed practices that blend visual art, music, movement, drama, and writing into dynamic social-emotional learning experiences in the classroom. By actively engaging the senses and imagination, this curriculum facilitates a deeper understanding and connection to oneself and others.

In addition to VAPA, Four nonprofit organizations were chosen to receive $25,000 in support of their innovative proposals for arts, culture, and nature-based programs: A Reason to Survive (ARTS), Coastal Roots Farm, United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST), and Youth Creating Change.

Lucky Duck Foundation gives $698k towards job training

The San Diego College of Continuing Education has been awarded $689,000 in new funding from Lucky Duck Foundation to expand its job training, certification and employment opportunities for people facing homelessness (via SDCCE’s Pathways Program).

San Diego College of Continuing Education is the largest and longest standing noncredit institution in the nation, to provide adult learners with free career training and classes in high paying workforce sectors; healthcare, information technology, welding, business, and more. The college’s Pathways Program is poised to have a profound impact over the next two years, having already served 99 participants and 129 affiliates, for a total of 228 students in the 2023-2024 year.

The generous $689,000 grant represents a shared commitment to empowering homeless individuals through education, supportive employment, innovative programming, and more.

Little Italy’s ESET to award more Women in Cybersecurity scholarships

ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, announced the 10th anniversary of its Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship originally launched in 2016 to support and empower women pursuing careers in cybersecurity. For a decade, ESET North America has encouraged and uplifted women to pursue careers in cybersecurity, offering financial assistance to help achieve their aspirations. In solidarity with the 2025 International Women’s Day’s #AccelerateAction theme, the Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship program expands its scope with additional awards, enhanced evaluation criteria, and a renewed focus on recognizing both technical excellence and emerging potential.

Pioneering one of the first scholarships of its kind, Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America, originated the program at the North American headquarters in Little Italy in order to support women who want to go into technology fields. Bolstered by Blodgett’s passion, the program has since awarded scholarships to more than 25 recipients in the U.S. and Canada, and expanded globally to Australia, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.

ESET North America will award $45,000 in scholarships in 2025 to support the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. In the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier, the U.S. will grant three $10,000 scholarships—one of which is dedicated to a recipient in San Diego, honoring the program’s origins. This marks an expansion from previous years. In Canada, the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier will award two $5,000 scholarships to applicants demonstrating exceptional technical proficiency and a strong focus on cybersecurity. To celebrate the tenth anniversary, ESET has expanded the Future Leader Award (Canada only) to include five new $1,000 awards, recognizing emerging talent with great potential in cybersecurity.

$100k grant to support food entrepreneurs

City Heights Community Development Corporation (City Heights CDC) will receive a $100,000 AHEAD Program grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) in its collaboration with Mission Fed Credit Union (Mission Fed). Proceeds will sustain City Heights CDC’s CHOPPED program through 2026, serving San Diego entrepreneurs in food and catering businesses.

The eight-week business training program focuses on entrepreneurs across the County of San Diego, including sidewalk vendors, caterers and immigrant-owned restaurants.

AHEAD Program grants support projects that benefit low- to moderate-income (LMI) communities. This includes delivering job training or education programs that support small businesses, and microlending and microenterprise incubation for low-income entrepreneurs.

The spring 2025 cohort, which began earlier this month, includes participants who are 95% people of color, 95% women and 80% are LMI individuals. The business owners are a diverse mix of entrepreneurs, including coffee vendors, chocolate importers from Mexico, Mexican snack food vendors, Filipino pastries and Somali-American fusion cuisine.

Mission Fed applied for the grant in partnership with City Heights CDC and helped navigate the competitive selection process with over 300 applicants.

City Heights CDC will invite business professionals to its weekly sessions to connect with program participants and mentor them through the process. Small-business owners will graduate with a polished business plan, business resource partners and networks, covered permitting costs, and a micro-grant to launch or expand the intended business.

Food and drink

The Fish Market sells port location to The Brigantine

The Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners has consented to the assignment and assumption of a lease held by Fish Market Restaurants, Inc. to The Brigantine, Inc., a local, family-owned business. Fish Market operates two locations, one on the San Diego Bay waterfront on North Harbor Drive, which is in the Port’s jurisdiction. The second location is in Solana Beach. The Fish Market has negotiated the sale of their brand to Brigantine. Brigantine intends to continue operating the restaurants as The Fish Market.
“The Fish Market Family is proud of our 40-year history of serving generations of San Diegans,” said Tom Wilson, director, The Fish Market Restaurants, Inc. “We could not be more pleased to have the Morton Family continue that tradition.” Brigantine is a family-owned business that has been developing and operating restaurants since 1969 in San Diego County. They currently operate 20 restaurants, including several within the Port’s jurisdiction.

barleymash adds live music, brunch

Longtime Downtown favorite barleymash, known for its electric atmosphere for sporting events and live DJ entertainment during late night, has also mastered the art of brunch. The team newly introduced live music every Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., or 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Padres gamedays.

Work hard, brunch harder with Wake ‘n Bacon Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The morning menu crafted by Chef Kevin Templeton and Chef Rose Lane features dishes like Pretzel Benedict, Chilaquiles, Chicken in a Biscuit, Morning Wood Flatbread, and “The Goat” French Toast. Daytime favorites like Double Battered Chicken Tenders, the Bourbon BBQ Burger, and Poke Nachos are also available. Morning libations include house bloody mary, spicy michelada, Aperol Spritz, Cucumber Cooler, and more!

Lala introduces pop-up mob wife soiree

Lala is transforming into the ultimate scene for unapologetic glamour and high-rolling indulgence. Starting Monday, April 21, and running through June, “Cigars & Stilettos – A Mob Wife Soirée” is coming to Lala, bringing bold, lavish vibes, over-the-top decor, and a special menu fit for a queen pin.

Think gold accents, fur draped over chairs, snakeskin wallpaper, animal print rugs, and a Gucci luggage host stand setting the tone at the entrance. Every inch of Lala will ooze opulence, drama, and main-character energy. There will also be a themed photo backdrop and people who purchase prix fixe menu receive a complimentary Polaroid picture.

Of course, the full experience wouldn’t be complete without the “Mob Wife Menu,” a curated selection of indulgent bites and sips that scream old-school glamour. Guests who order this exclusive prix fixe menu will receive a complimentary Polaroid picture, with Lala providing props to capture the perfect mob wife moment.

For $50, the Mob Wife Menu features a choice of three wines from Gambino Winery (red, white, or rosé) or a dirty martini. To pair, indulge in parmesan truffle fries, a spicy Caesar salad, and spicy vodka rigatoni.

Guests are highly encouraged to dress the part—fur coats, oversized sunglasses, heels, animal print, big hair, and all the attitude. The bolder, the better.

Secure a spot at lalasd.com, slip into stilettos, and step into the world of pure, unfiltered luxury.