The University of California San Diego plans to open a “hub” in downtown’s East Village that will serve as a center for educational programs and arts events – and even include a restaurant.
The university announced Monday its “Innovative Cultural and Education Hub” at the corner of Park Boulevard and Market Street in downtown San Diego, with aims to expand the reach of UC San Diego’s programs to diverse urban communities.
The 66,000-square-foot center will be managed by UC San Diego Extension and will be located near the trolley’s UC San Diego Blue Line, which runs from San Ysidro to University City.
The Holland Partner Group is developing the site as part of a larger residential project in the East Village, UC San Diego officials said. That project includes 341 market-rate apartments, 85 affordable housing apartments and the preservation of the Remmen House. The Holland Partner Group’s development will be reviewed Tuesday by the San Diego City Council.
Right now, construction is set to begin in summer 2017; the project will be completed in 2020.
UC San Diego said the space will house a 3,000-square-foot restaurant, plus an outdoor amphitheater. There's no word yet on what type of eatery that will be.
The center plans to offer academic and outreach programs for middle and school students, entrepreneurship resources for those working in the community and workshops and seminars relevant to downtown’s workforce.
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It will also serve as a venue for cultural programs including arts events and exhibits. In a press release, UC San Diego said the space will be “a hub for civic engagement, including applied research and volunteer opportunities.”
Funding for the center will be managed by UC San Diego Extension and those funds will come from a combination of program underwriting, contracts and grants, fees for services and lease revenues, the university said.
In a press release, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said the new facility “will support economic development downtown while delivering new educational opportunities for our students, faculty and staff.”
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said this project has been long in the works.
“Landing a university presence in downtown San Diego is a game changer,” he said in a press release. “This new project will continue the revitalization of the East Village neighborhood and, with UC San Diego’s top-notch reputation, provide countless opportunities for collaboration as we prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.”
