Downtown San Diego

Planned Downtown San Diego High-Rise Would Have 52 Parking Spaces for 434 Units

The city said the building will be situated near public transit

NBC Universal, Inc.

Another downtown high-rise apartment complex got the green light from the city of San Diego’s Planning Commission with a surprising detail — it would have about 8 times more housing units than parking spots.

According to a report to the Planning Commission, developers are planning to build 434 live-in units, but only 52 parking spaces. There is still a 10-day appeal process before developers can move forward.

So, why only s fraction of parking for this towering development?

”This project is really situated to take advantage of all the recent infrastructure investments the city has made in downtown San Diego when it comes to mobility infrastructure to provide people with those options to bicycle, to walk, to take transit,” Brian Schoenfisch, the Deputy Director of the Urban Division for the city of San Diego, said.

Schoenfisch says while parking for cars will be limited, there will be ample space for bicycle storage, including a bike lounge for easy access to commute using two wheels instead of four.

The development, which is backed by Cresleigh Homes, is located on the 600 block of Island Avenue near Petco Park in the Gaslamp Quarter. The building there, Ballpark Self Storage, is considered historic and the façade of the building will be protected as the new complex is constructed, according to Schoenfisch.

The project is in the appeal period. Schoenfisch says that period will last for 10 business days.

“If this project isn’t appealed, then developers can proceed to the next step which would be the building permit processing step, and then they can start construction once they have the building permit,” Schoenfisch said.

Deana Ellis, the Vice President of Land Resources for Cresleigh Homes, told NBC 7 over the phone that no one has appealed the project. Schoenfisch says an appeal would send the project to City Council, which could be a months-long process. Ellis says even if it does get final approval, high-level plans will take about a year to develop, which would likely be followed by 2 to 2-and-a-half years of construction.

That construction is sure to kick up some dust. Robert Romero, owner of Tivoli Bar and Grill directly across the street, says he isn’t opposed to the project but his business will likely be impacted.

”Yeah, we will be affected, obviously with them building a 37-story building, and probably our road will be periodically closed down, and a lot of dust and traffic,” Romero said.

Other neighbors, like Julie Geary, are all for it.

”I love what they’re doing downtown, it helps all of us, and it just cleans up the street, and it brings more money in and it brings more people in and more money coming in downtown is great,” Geary said.

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