SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 3

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

New San Diego Business Journal article on Obelisk on 5th, includes pricing on units as all are condos

https://www.sdbj.com/real-estate/residential/elda-developments-plans-140m-cortez-hill-condo-tower/

[SemperVigilans]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

New San Diego Business Journal article on Obelisk on 5th, includes pricing on units as all are condos

https://www.sdbj.com/real-estate/residential/elda-developments-plans-140m-cortez-hill-condo-tower/

"It's kind of an extension of Little Italy." Ehh... that seems like a stretch. There are about 5 blocks and an underpass before you reach Little Italy, and they're not the most pleasant blocks to walk around. This site is solidly Cortez Hill, imo.

I used to walk by Stanza "Little Italy" on third and A street. It always made me chuckle they called themselves that. Come on, you're no where near it!

But hooray, more condos!

[Streamliner]

Originally Posted by SemperVigilans

"It's kind of an extension of Little Italy." Ehh... that seems like a stretch. There are about 5 blocks and an underpass before you reach Little Italy, and they're not the most pleasant blocks to walk around. This site is solidly Cortez Hill, imo.

I used to walk by Stanza "Little Italy" on third and A street. It always made me chuckle they called themselves that. Come on, you're no where near it!

But hooray, more condos!

I always find it funny how Little Italy is absolutely massive, but only if you measure it based on marketing materials for apartments. Cortez Hill used to be marketable as a neighborhood in its own right. I think it could be marketed as a calmer corner of downtown, different from the grittiness of other areas.

[SDfan]

Agreed. Cortez Hill is pleasant and doesn't suffer the way East Village, Core, and northern Gaslamp do. The big draw back is that it's right up against the freeway and I've seen the health impact reports of living ~500-1,000 ft next to one and it ain't pretty...I hope these new homes come with air purification systems!

[mello]

Originally Posted by SDfan

Agreed. Cortez Hill is pleasant and doesn't suffer the way East Village, Core, and northern Gaslamp do. The big draw back is that it's right up against the freeway and I've seen the health impact reports of living ~500-1,000 ft next to one and it ain't pretty...I hope these new homes come with air purification systems!

Yes freeway and flight path noise, a combo that would make me not want to live there unless I had some amazing view in a big unit for 2k per month.

Has anyone heard of what is expected of all these Rite Aids that have been shuttered? There is an Adams Ave in Normal Heights, and then stores right in the heart of Hillcrest and Ocean Beach. I also noticed the apartments across from Liberty Station entrance on Lytton Street are 5 floors, well above the 30ft height limit. They are built on a slight slope so maybe they could count some of the height as "below grade" or whatever the trick is.

It got me thinking that a developer could try to go above 3 floors at the Rite Aid site in Ocean Beach there hasn't been any new inventory in that neighborhood for years.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by mello

. I also noticed the apartments across from Liberty Station entrance on Lytton Street are 5 floors, well above the 30ft height limit

Im working on a Coastal Height limit piece rn and that development honestly confuses me.

Here's some info on it. https://manainv.com/new-apartment-comple...-former-site-of-longtime-auto-body-shop/
https://manainv.com/portfolio/

I checked the OB Rag as well and they weren't going crazy over it so I guess its fine?!?

Here's some links to how the coastal height limit is measured
https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/municodechapter13/ch13art02division05.pdf
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/f...s/pdf/industry/techbulletin/bldg-5-4.pdf

My assumption from the renders are a very generous interpretation of the slope datum.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by SDfan

The big draw back is that it's right up against the freeway and I've seen the health impact reports of living ~500-1,000 ft next to one and it ain't pretty...I hope these new homes come with air purification systems!

Yeah I was living about a block away from the 5 in East Village where its elevated, probably the worst thing for my health possible. I talked with my doctor about it and they basically told me to move lol.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Checked out some construction sites on saturday, unfornately the photos are on my phone but ill give descriptions of projects

Sol Haus at 5040 Logan Ave is under construction, they're building the project in steps it seems, one building is fully framed while they're doing work on foundations of others.
https://kirebuildersinc.com/portfolio/147-san-diego/

40th and Alpha has not yet started

The townhomes behind 32nd and C are well under construction, also doing a phased construction

the Millers Market property at 30th and C is topped out I believe, at 8 stories now
https://platform.reverecre.com/project/22f4decb-9451-463a-9af4-506b8c809486#overview

The Lawson near 30th and A is under construction, very deep basement/foundation dug for the garage
https://www.cedarst.com/portfolio/the-lawson

Goldilocks is nearing completion, they have added stucco and paint to most sides of the building, lots of landscaping work and more stuff inside im sure but its going to be done soonish
https://buildsd.org/projects/goldilocks

The Golden Hill by Cass Development appears to be nearing topping out soon, its a concrete construction so i cant tell from where I was
https://www.cast-dev.com/goldenhill

Also City College's development is doing ground piles I believe? Honestly not sure

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

Checked out some construction sites on saturday, unfornately the photos are on my phone but ill give descriptions of projects

Sol Haus at 5040 Logan Ave is under construction, they're building the project in steps it seems, one building is fully framed while they're doing work on foundations of others.
https://kirebuildersinc.com/portfolio/147-san-diego/

40th and Alpha has not yet started

The townhomes behind 32nd and C are well under construction, also doing a phased construction

the Millers Market property at 30th and C is topped out I believe, at 8 stories now
https://platform.reverecre.com/project/22f4decb-9451-463a-9af4-506b8c809486#overview

The Lawson near 30th and A is under construction, very deep basement/foundation dug for the garage
https://www.cedarst.com/portfolio/the-lawson

Goldilocks is nearing completion, they have added stucco and paint to most sides of the building, lots of landscaping work and more stuff inside im sure but its going to be done soonish
https://buildsd.org/projects/goldilocks

The Golden Hill by Cass Development appears to be nearing topping out soon, its a concrete construction so i cant tell from where I was
https://www.cast-dev.com/goldenhill

Also City College's development is doing ground piles I believe? Honestly not sure

They're starting the eighth floor for the Golden Hill Cast Development project. Confirmed that Miller Market is topped out.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

I have been researching Coastal San Diego developments as part of a project I am working on, only mentioning projects over 16 units unless noteable, also only including links when stuff is hard to find. Only including areas under the Coastal Height Limit

Starting in the Point Loma and OB Area, height limit complying projects.

Hawley Lofts, 74 units, 4 stories above garage, abides by 30ft limit

Famosa Canyon Affordable Housing,78 units, 3 stories, abides by 30ft limit
https://www.sdhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/HA1_FamosaNimitz_7.13.21-1.pdf

Rosecrans 1004 56 units, 3 stories above garage, complete communities

3401 Ingelow 17 units, 3 stories above parking, affordable housing density bonus

Pacific Beach

Ava Pacific Beach, 138 units, 3 stories, 30 ft limit

Rose Creek Village, 60 units, 5 stories, affordable housing density bonus

Project Vela, 75 units, 135 "hotel" units , 22 stories, affordable housing density bonus

711 Turquoise (TURQUOISE UNITS) 44 units, 3 stories, Complete Communities
https://docs.sandiego.gov/citybulletin_p...D%205-5-2023%20Turquoise%20Units.pdf.pdf

La Jolla (I could not find much surprisingly)

Aldante Townhomes, 13 townhomes, 2 stories, abides by 30ft limit

800 Coast Blvd, 6 new townhomes, 3 existing and expanded cottages, 3 stories, abides by 30ft limit


I will add more to this in a few hours once home from work lol

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Looks like there is a modular housing company that has started building in Tijuana and constructing buildings in Southern California. Combining the economics of labor and material costs in Tijuana with the high costs of construction in Southern California (specifically the LA area) to create more housing for less costs. Really interesting dynamic here.

https://www.sdbj.com/manufacturing/cross-border-construction/

[mello]

Now that rates won't be cut this year due to the energy/commodity shock caused by war do you guys think this will affect some projects who had been holding off the last couple years waiting for lower rates? For example that large project by the LA developer on Mission Gorge which is graded still hasn't broken ground. Same guy also has the massive Convoy development at old Zion Market and bowling alley site...

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by mello

Now that rates won't be cut this year due to the energy/commodity shock caused by war do you guys think this will affect some projects who had been holding off the last couple years waiting for lower rates? For example that large project by the LA developer on Mission Gorge which is graded still hasn't broken ground. Same guy also has the massive Convoy development at old Zion Market and bowling alley site...

That developer, Palmer I believe, was waiting for the results of a lawsuit against required affordable housing in new construction (inclusionary housing policy), which the court sided with the city on. Now that he's lost his case maybe he'll put shovels in the ground or sell the properties to a developer that's not so stingy.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/invest...509-04f34e71-35d3-41f5-8b16-d774799b422f

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

Looks like there is a modular housing company that has started building in Tijuana and constructing buildings in Southern California. Combining the economics of labor and material costs in Tijuana with the high costs of construction in Southern California (specifically the LA area) to create more housing for less costs. Really interesting dynamic here.

https://www.sdbj.com/manufacturing/cross-border-construction/

This is cool. Impact Housing has the lead in SD for modular, and it would be great to get some taller concrete and steel construction from WEST soon. Love the cross border economics here. Fu*k tariffs.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by SDfan

That developer, Palmer I believe, was waiting for the results of a lawsuit against required affordable housing in new construction (inclusionary housing policy), which the court sided with the city on. Now that he's lost his case maybe he'll put shovels in the ground or sell the properties to a developer that's not so stingy.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/invest...509-04f34e71-35d3-41f5-8b16-d774799b422f

From his projects in LA after losing, he probably is going to sit on it for a while.
In all honestly I think they need higher profits (by getting rid of affordable) to justify funding their own projects. The guy may be rich, but he isn't build 2.5k units at the same time rich. Likely waiting on construction loans to get lower.

While they are "not a great company" they are still doing something rational, spending on a lawsuit is smaller than what it would cost them to build the 10% affordable units. They now know they need to so will wait for a better market.

If you want to know what these 2 projects will likely look like, here is their most recent one in the LA area



Ill say i have no positive things to say about this design.

[Streamliner]

From Voice of San Diego:
https://voiceofsandiego.org/2026/03/26/m...s/?goal=0_c2357fd0a3-7e179227f4-84176869
A bill has been introduced in the State Senate to bypass CEQA for Midway Rising:

State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson has introduced a bill that would exempt the Midway Rising project from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.

The bill: It’s SB-958. It would have the Legislature declare the many attributes of the project — the thousands of new homes, including many restricted for people with low incomes, new parks, new arena and other improvements.

Why it matters: CEQA requires a long series of analysis and public reports to examine a project’s impact on the environment and traffic of an area. A deficient analysis of impacts or inadequate plans to mitigate those impacts can halt a project.

[FoldingBoxes]

Originally Posted by Streamliner

A bill has been introduced in the State Senate to bypass CEQA for Midway Rising:

I think the interesting thing about that article is the letter to the mayor it mentions saying that people are going to sue next over the combined effect of Midway Rising and NAVWAR. The litigation will be never ending and non-stop.

[mello]

Washington and 2nd I had mentioned a building with dominoes pizza had been fenced off its now completely demolished. Heavy equipment still on site. More Hillcrest infill?

[SDfan]

Originally Posted by mello

Washington and 2nd I had mentioned a building with dominoes pizza had been fenced off its now completely demolished. Heavy equipment still on site. More Hillcrest infill?

8 stories with 140 homes and retail.

https://aca-prod.accela.com/SANDIEGO/Cap...&agencyCode=SANDIEGO&IsToShowInspection=

[Streamliner]

Striking, $256M Navy SEAL Museum proposed for old Navy site on San Diego Bay
Newly unveiled proposal calls for a four-story, 85,000-square-foot landmark attraction at the northern edge of Lane Field Park along Harbor Drive

San Diego Union-Tribune
April 5, 2026
Jennifer Van Grove

In the works for more than two years, a proposal to erect a striking, $256 million waterfront museum that honors the United States Navy’s maritime special operations force will soon go before the government body that controls the site.

Later this month, the Board of Port Commissioners for the San Diego Unified Port District will decide whether to advance an ambitious plan from developers Navy SEAL Museum San Diego LLC and Hensel Phelps Development LLC to remake a portion of the old Navy property at 1220 Pacific Highway in downtown San Diego.

The Navy SEAL Museum proposal, which has remained under wraps until now, envisions an architecturally and culturally significant destination that invites visitors to experience the legacy of the SEAL organization across seven different galleries that are complemented by educational spaces for kids, a cafe, a retail store and event space.