ConstructionWatch: Downtown's 308 E. Ninth Street

"Downtown is about to get a lot more interesting." That was the prediction of a friend (who lives downtown), who is guessing market conditions will drive local rents down, which'll attract a diverse crowd rather than just the wealthier crowd currently living in those lofts and luxury apartments. As we consider falling rents changing neighborhoods, meet 308 E. Ninth, a former manufacturing/residential building that is being converted into 38 lofts (rentals) by developer South Park Group (the building is near Santee and Maple). It'll be finished by the first quarter of 2009, according to architect David Gray. Units will have exposed brick, large industrial windows, while the upper floor units will have rooftops gardens. "The spaces are true lofts," says Gray. In other words, probably not the type of place that this new crowd of downtowners could be able to afford, but who knows--prices likely haven't been determined. Photos: Dan Caroselli
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