Unified Port of San Diego officials today showed off its $28 million Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, which will serve as an auxiliary terminal for cruise ships and a venue for public events.
The 52,000-square-foot building, designed to be environmentally friendly and fit in with its bay-front surroundings, will be open for public viewing over the weekend.
"It will be the next great public facility for San Diego," said the port's Rita Vandergaw.
The building meshes the needs of the cruise industry and Department of Homeland Security, Vandergaw said.
She said eight ships are scheduled to tie up at the Port Pavilion in the coming months -- mostly in January. The first one will be Holland America's ms Rotterdam on Wednesday.
The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal will continue to be the primary docking point for passenger vessels, according to Vandergaw.
The front of the building has a 45-foot-tall "art wall" holding glass and stainless steel sculptures and, at night light projectors will use stencils to project various images against the facade.
Inside, the building carries the appearance of a large loft, with exposed ceiling fixtures and piping.
The first floor will be used for passenger security checks and ticketing. A large passenger lounge is on the second floor, where windows provide a view down the length of Broadway downtown.
She said the pier will be accessible to the public when ships are not docked there.
