SAN DIEGO—Facilitating the creation of cutting-edge commercial properties as well as residential developments that address the spectrum of housing needs is a major goal this year of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Betsy Brennan tells GlobeSt.com. Brennan recently joined the organization as its new president and CEO.

Brennan succeeds interim president and CEO Bill Geppert, formerly the head of Cox Communications San Diego. Past president and CEO Kris Michell successfully led the Downtown San Diego Partnership for nearly seven years until this October 2017, when she accepted a position in Mayor Kevin Faulconer's administration as deputy COO of special projects.

Most recently, Brennan lived and worked in Charleston, SC, as VP of development and stewardship for the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. In this role, she directed initiatives related to civic engagement and economic development, and led asset development, donor services and external relations for a nine-county coastal region in the Palmetto State.

Brennan will begin her position as leader of the Downtown Partnership in late February. We spoke with her about her new role and the key issues facing Downtown San Diego.

GlobeSt.com: What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in your new role with the Downtown San Diego Partnership?

Brennan: This organization has had a wonderful leadership, with a strong board vision and direction for 2018 and beyond. I'm excited about a lot of the economic growth of Downtown. We have more than a dozen cranes in the area, for projects including UC San Diego's extension and the 500 residential units that are in development with more in the pipeline. We want to make sure we're right on the clean-and-safe program so that are streets are clean and safe, and we will continue to work with the homeless and get them into housing.

GlobeSt.com: What do you see as the key issues facing Downtown San Diego in 2018?

Brennan: Working closely with the city and with Civic SD and with the county to make sure that we have processes in place that allow for the development of cutting-edge commercial projects and housing. We need a mix of workforce, affordable and high-end housing and rentals coming in. The key issues I'll be working on are related to Downtown's economic growth; our vitality is tied to commercial and residential real estate.

GlobeSt.com: How do you see Downtown San Diego as a submarket fitting into the overall goals of San Diego County?

Brennan: A world-class Downtown is really key to any region, to its success. So, if we can have a really engaged and dynamic Downtown with a lot of creative folks with great ideas and a higher edge coming in, that would be ideal. We want a mix of demographics, including Millennials and Gen Z that is graduating from college. We want to be a place for families and retired people. The dynamic, vibrant mixture of Downtown helps the entire region of San Diego.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about the Downtown San Diego Partnership?

Brennan: We're committed to collaborating with not only city and state and federal officials and agencies, but also with our neighbors. We want them to be at the table, to be part of these conversations and work with our developers, along with the tourism and hospitality industries. We want to be a safe place to convene for those sometimes-difficult conversations and come up with solutions to move the region forward and keep it a place of which we can all be proud.

Instant Insights /

Where is Downtown San Diego Headed This Year?

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