In March 2003, the Boulevard BIA submitted an application to the City of San Diego to become a designated Pilot Village. The City's intent is to work with others in showing how the new smart growth and transit oriented development can work successfully. The application for Part II focuses in the northwest corner of the Boulevard at Route 15 as Phase 1, with Phase 2, the northeast corner, to follow.

Proposed as part of Phase 1, on the Normal Heights corner, is a mixed use project that includes about 250 rental units and about 120 for sale units. Also included are plans for about 40,000 square feet of office type uses to met employment needs in the area, and another 40,000 square feet of retail uses. The project will be situated over about 950 underground parking spaces.

The City will review applications and enter a public hearing process sometime after the first of the year. The City intends to provide substantial incentives, which will be needed to make the project work.

Visit the Pilot Village page for project updates.

Timeline

• June 2006: Construction of the Boulevard Transit Plaza is completed. The new plazas will eventually become a major hub, servicing the proposed Metro Flyer bus rapid transit service along the Boulevard that will connect San Diego State University and downtown via the Boulevard. Also in the works is a bus rapid transit project along Route 15 that will link up the northern communities with downtown, passing through the transit plazas. That project is anticipated by SANDAG to be complete in about five years, with the east/west Metro Flyer coming online sooner than that.
• September 2005: Construction delays due to arch structure redesign. The arches were found to be unstable the way they were originally designed. Temporary braces have been intsalled while a permenant fix is sought.
• October 2005: A model of a possible solution to stabilize the arche straucture has been supplied by the project's design team.
• August 2005: Arches and shade structures were installed.
• Complications due to utilities have pushed the completion date back several months.
• Construction began in September 2004, and is expected to be completed mid-2005
• December 2005: The supporting structure for the arches have been installed. The construction is to be substantially completed by February 2006.
• After several years of planning, a citizens advisory committee has approved the final design for improvements on both bridge decks over the Route 15 freeway at El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue. The Boulevard deck will provide a shelter and kiosk, and will also have ornamental and artistic features including night lighting, location maps, decorative tile, and see-through panels along the freeway edge to reduce noise.

View north from the Boulevard Transit Plaza of the future dedicated I-15 transit lane.

The Renaissance, at the northwest corner of the Boulevard and 30th Street was endorsed by the Association some time ago. It replaced the shuttered Aztec Bowl and the former Gustafson's Furniture store. It includes about 100 senior apartments, and another 40 for-sale homes. Also included is retail space and a community center.

Project Details:

Residential
Townhomes (Sale-Affordable) 3-Bedrooms: 14 Units
Condominiums (Sale) 2-Bedrooms: 24 Units
Senior Apartments (Rental-Affordable) : 96 Units
Total: 134 Units

Commercial 12,000 Square Feet

Updates:

• Most of the project is now complete and Starbucks has opened on the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 30th St.
• Substantail construction on the project is happening, with the steel structure and footings being put in place

 

• On February 19th, 2004 a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the future site of The Renaissance. El Cajon Boulevard BIA preseident Jacquelyn O'Connor was on hand with Councilwoman Toni Atkins, developers Tom Carter and Reese Jarrett, a representative from the North Park PAC, Hank Cunningham from the Redevelopment Agency and Elizabeth Morris from the Housing Commission to participate in the grounbreaking. View the press release: http://www.sannet.gov/press/040219.shtml

Affordable Housing Information:

Population served: Low-income seniors 55 and older earning 50% AMI

Rental units: 96 affordable units (85 one-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom)

Estimated rent range: $330 - $681

Developers: Carter-Reese & Associates, San Diego Interfaith Housing

Funding sources/partners: San Diego Housing Commission, City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency, Citibank, Bank of America, First National Bank, Neighborhood National Bank.

Application/waiting list information: contact Interfaith Housing to be placed on an “interest list” by providing your name, address and phone number and indicating that you are interested in “Renaissance.” Contact is Barbara Garm, 619.231.0288, bgarm@sdihf.org; fax 619.231.0289.

Project Details:

Site Size 82,015 Square Feet

Residential
Apartment (Rental) 1-BR: 88 Units
Apartment (Rental) 2-BR: 3 Units
Total: 91 Units

Commercial 3,500 Square Feet

Updates

• The Talmadge Senior Village celebrated its Grand Opening on Nov. 8. There were numerous speakers, including Councilmember Toni Atkins and Major Jerry Sanders and each was in agreement that this housing development is the beginning of many significant projects built to accommodate all segments of our population.

• November 2005: Much of the framing has been completed on the structure.

• Construction began in 2004, and is expected to be completed June 2006.

Affordable Housing Information:

Population: very low-income seniors (55 years of age or older)

Rental units: 91 (88 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom units)

Estimated rent range: $339-$578

Commercial Space: 3,500 Sqauare Feet of first floor retail space

Developers: Southern California Housing and San Diego Community Housing

Funding partners: San Diego Redevelopment Agency, San Diego Housing Commission, Low-income Housing Credits, Housing Capital Company

Income restrictions: 30%, 45%, 50% AMI

Application/waiting list information: 877.273.RENT (7368).

The Lafayette Hotel site (previously InnSuites) development includes restoration of the main hotel building, and the addition of condominiums and townhomes at the rear of the site. 128 new condominium homes are planned. The project will also include underground parking.

Visit: http://www.lafayetteresidences.com/ to learn more.

Updates:

• January 25, 2007- The San Diego Planning Commission approved a request by Hampstead Partners to amend their previous approval to reduce the scale of the proposed project from 271 condominiums to 128 and from 17 stories to a maximum of 7. As with the original proposal, the historic portion of the hotel facing El Cajon Boulevard would be renovated and continue to be used as a hotel. The hotel pool and surrounding lanai units would also be preserved and renovated. The project may meet a portion of its affordable housing obligations on-site, with the remainder satisfied through payment of in-lieu fees. The developer does not anticipate requesting financial assistance for construction of the condominiums. Financial assistance from the Redevelopment Agency may be sought for the renovation of the hotel. Such a request would be presented to the PAC for input and recommendation.
• A redesign of the project has decreased the size of the development. There will no longer be a 17-story tower.
• Units are now on sale. There was a gala event held on October 20th, 2005 to celebrate the launch of the sales phase of the project.
• On June 23rd,2005, the Planning Commission approved the project. The decision was finalized on July 8th.

Project Details

Residential 128 Units

The Boulevard at North Park is a mixed use project in the planning stages for the north side of the Boulevard between Florida and Alabama Streets. A total of 126 residential units are planned. This includes seven live/work lofts fronting El Cajon Boulevard.- This project is currently on hold