Pernicanos

Welcome to PERNICANOS

The Background:

^{The Savory Group was retained in July 2014 by the Pernicano family to market a long-vacant, highly visible development site in the heart of Hillcrest. The property had remained undeveloped for over 30 years and was widely regarded as one of the most anticipated redevelopment opportunities in the community.}

^{Early marketing efforts generated strong interest from both local and national developers, resulting in over a dozen qualified offers. As negotiations progressed in early 2015, the Uptown Community Planning Group initiated a proposed update to the community plan that included a dramatic downzoning of the site, from 109 units per acre to 44 units per acre, along with a substantial reduction in FAR. These proposed changes threatened significant devaluation of the property and introduced entitlement uncertainty, ultimately halting contract negotiations.}

^{Our Solution:}

^{Rather than proceeding under compromised conditions, Jeannine Savory led a strategic density preservation effort on behalf of the Pernicano family. She assembled a team of top land-use and entitlement experts and initiated direct engagement with city staff, planners, and community stakeholders.}

^{Jeannine formed the Hillcrest Gateway Council, a coalition of neighboring property owners and land-use professionals, to advocate for responsible urban infill and the importance of maintaining density at Hillcrest’s primary gateway. Through consistent participation in Uptown Planning meetings, data-driven presentations, architectural renderings, and extensive community outreach, the team worked to reframe the narrative around density as a tool for creating a vibrant, walkable urban core.}

^{In parallel, Jeannine strategically supported planning board candidates with expertise in urban development, successfully improving the balance and sophistication of the Uptown Planning Committee during the 2016 elections.}

^{End Result:}

^{In 2016, the San Diego City Council voted 7–2 to deny the proposed downzoning, preserve the site’s development density, and approve the Hillcrest Gateway plan, establishing a framework for increased density through a future specific plan.}

^{With entitlement certainty restored and long-term development potential secured, The Savory Group successfully remarketed the property and facilitated its sale to a qualified developer positioned to help guide Hillcrest’s evolution into a vibrant, mixed-use urban destination. The project later reached completion in February 2024, paving the way for future development throughout the Hillcrest Core.}

^{This decade-long effort stands as a defining example of The Savory Group’s ability to protect value, navigate complex entitlement environments, and lead outcomes that benefit both clients and the broader community.}