SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 3

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Looks like a major piece of this project is the new road, the site is being split in 2 parcels. My assumption is the other parcel will likely be something like a hotel, because of the way the port of San Diego works they cant do housing. That should 100% be changed but requires a state law change iirc.

[SemperVigilans]

That design is pretty sick. They went for something that resembles amphibious assault vehicles and nailed it, imo. I love how the waterfront is becoming an even bigger draw for tourism. Hopefully that planned park by the Midway goes smoothly, but I heard it has funding issues.

What does this mean for the Navy SEALS museum that opened at the America Plaza trolley station?

The San Diego entity opened its first facility at 1001 Kettner Blvd. in downtown San Diego last year, but the landmark attraction in the works at 1220 Pacific Highway is an order of magnitude greater in size, scope and cost than anything previously completed by its parent organization.

It would seem odd to have two museums. Perhaps the Kettner one will be vacated when/if this newer one is built.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Just going over some somewhat recent completed developments, Orchard at Hilltop and the neighboring Hilltop Crossing townhome development at Hilltop and Euclid are a really great pair.
They were built together and have a pedestrian bridge over the creek connecting their amenities, a small park at Hilltop Crossing and a pool and playground at Orchard at Hilltop.
Orchard also has commercial space. To the north a new park is being made next to the freeway. Its a really great development for a more suburban part of San Diego.

[mello]

Just noticed today at Adams and Idaho a funky old car maintenance shop and storage shed kind of structure have been sitting there for 3 years. I saw work crews on site setting up a port o potty and some equipment. Lets hope this is another solid project. Farther East on Adams I'm starting to get frustrated with the old De Mille's restaurant still sitting there after 2.5 years. That combined with the closed Rite Aid are becoming eye sores. Let's get the Heights rolling

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Looks like the plans for the TOD development at E street Trolley station have changed in some big ways.

top is old, bottom is new.

Here is an article I made based on the old plan.
https://buildsd.org/projects/e-street-tod

Looks like major changes, they have changed from Chelsea Investment for the affordable housing portion to Eden Housing. The affordable housing minimum of the project was reduced from new legislation, now 101 affordable units in a 8 story building and now only 300 units market rate, in 2 7 story buildings. No longer the 2 large residential towers.

The hotel appears to be unchanged. The Medical office building is gone, there is a new park, and the central plaza is gone.

Market conditions are being blamed for the scale back of the residential portion. Have gone from an insanely ambitious TOD project to a more modest proposal. I am hopeful that there can be some scale back up on the now vacant parking lot parcel, but probably nothing more than more 7-8 story housing.

https://www.sdmts.com/sites/default/files/2026-04-09-pre-meeting-packet_2.pdf info starts page 326

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Here's more MTS TOD info,



Looks like some other things. The site plan for the Palm Ave TOD has changed for a few reasons but no unit reduction. 406 total units, National Core 304, Malick Infill 102
Infrastructure works ongoing for it and the Palm and Hollister project behind it. Palm Hollister is currently grading. Grading starts in April on the 1st phase.

Spring Street station construction starts in June. 152 units. All Affirmed Housing.

Currently approved 12th and Imperial for one site, 160 units, Cypress Equities. Approved 2025
and Beyer Blvd, 100 units, Affirmed Housing. Approved 2022.

In negations on E Street (post above), 2nd 12th and imperial project, aiming for 20 stories, San Diego Foundation leading negations.

Recieved letters of interest for 24th st and Palomar St from the National Core Malick team.

El Cajon station plans fell thru

Opportunity sites are El Cajon, 70th, Amaya, Massachusetts, and H Street

[SemperVigilans]

Oh wow, that MTS list is exciting! Especially the 12th and Imperial improvements.

https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current...ial-transit-oriented-development-project

This will be a much needed refresh to the area around the station. Hyped!

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by SemperVigilans

Oh wow, that MTS list is exciting! Especially the 12th and Imperial improvements.

https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current...ial-transit-oriented-development-project

This will be a much needed refresh to the area around the station. Hyped!

This paired with the Mirka 1000 project nearby, which I have wrote on here.

https://buildsd.org/projects/mirka-tower-mirka-1000



First of 3 towers planned there. Logan Yards nearby has been stalled, and the redevelopment of the the massive Tailgate Lot dying means there will still be vacant, unproductive land around this station.

Here's my article on the 12th and Imperial Project too, probably needs updated now but yeah

https://buildsd.org/projects/12th-and-imperial-tod-north

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

New affordable housing in . . . Imperial Beach?!?

For anyone who doesn't know, Imperial Beach and Coronado both built no affordable housing during between 2018 and 2025

So finally something is getting built.



Nothing crazy, 3 stories, 50 units. But still its great that anything is happening.

https://inewsource.org/2026/04/10/imperi...g-project-community-center-construction/



https://www.kpbs.org/news/economy/2025/0...oduced-a-single-affordable-home-in-years

https://www.studioearchitects.com/work/ibnc/

[Streamliner]

New California bill seeks to spur more high-rise housing developments in cities' urban cores

KPBS Article
Alexander Nguyen
April 13, 2026

State and local leaders gathered in front of the San Diego Civic Theatre on Monday to announce a new bill to revive California’s dying downtowns with housing.

Assembly Bill 2074, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, focuses on building more affordable, denser housing in cities’ urban centers.

The bill would also create a $500 million revolving fund, offering low-interest loans that developers could tap to get their projects across the finish line. It is supported by the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, California YIMBY and the San Diego Building Construction Trades Council.

“There's no single silver bullet to our housing challenges, but attacking the problem from multiple angles," said Carol Kim, San Diego Building Construction Trades Council business manager. "This will be a critical step to putting housing in reach for all California workers.”

The bill was passed out of the California Assembly Housing Committee last week. The hope is that it will reach the floor for a vote by the end of May and the governor’s desk by the end of the year.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

City of San Diego just approved a nearly 1k unit project in Otay Mesa, Collection at Cactus. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/202...-development-near-the-u-s-mexico-border/
313 townhomes, 672 rental apartments
its on a 40 acre piece of land just south of Brown Field airport

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Looks like the Civic Center Redevelopment might be back, With 101 Ash Street being turned into residential and the City Operations Building being declared surplus, things are slowly happening.

They want to add new uses to Golden Hall in the short term, and try to partially redevelop the building with a new development.

Check it out here https://downtownsandiego.org/wp-content/...Revitalization-Implementation-Plan-3.pdf

[Jhanson312]

I’m sure you all heard of the Padres $3.9 billion sale. I think it’s possible we see the new owners give the tailgate development or a similar project another go. The Padres are one of the highest attendance teams in the League. It’s too valuable to stay a parking lot forever. I can’t think of more valuable sports-adjacent parcel of land in CA.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Jhanson312

I’m sure you all heard of the Padres $3.9 billion sale. I think it’s possible we see the new owners give the tailgate development or a similar project another go. The Padres are one of the highest attendance teams in the League. It’s too valuable to stay a parking lot forever. I can’t think of more valuable sports-adjacent parcel of land in CA.

The padres dont actually own any of the land they control downtown, its all leased from the city so subject to the surplus land act for any development would have to go thru the surplus land act, which is what the tailgate lot development lawsuit was about.


Its a good deal for the city as they get to own long term income from a very profitable sports franchise. Namely petco park. And the Padres did not have a large upfront cost to a new stadium and moving downtown. 25 years ago when that decision was made it was essentially a handout by the city. Today now that all the debt is paid off, it is a great income source.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Today the City of San Diego has a loan recommendation for an affordable housing project at 40th and Alpha in Southcrest. 2 buildings totaling 92 units. one 6 stories, one 3 stories.



https://sandiego.hylandcloud.com/211agen...258060&publishId=1087981&isSection=false

https://sdhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/100_40th-and-Alpha-Street_FINAL.pdf

https://inewsource.org/2024/11/05/afford...-southcrest-san-diego-40th-alpha-street/

for anyone interested, here are some links

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Some new BuildSD.org Articles


https://buildsd.org/projects/ava-pacific-beach
AVA Pacific Beach infill development. adding 178 new units to an existing apartment complex. I was the author of this one.


https://buildsd.org/projects/paseo-del-rey-apartments
Paseo Del Rey Apartments, new affordable apartments in eastern Chula Vista. 95 affordable units on Telegraph Canyon Road.

And 2 journal pieces, the first on San Diego's Bikeshare
https://buildsd.org/journal/bikeshare
2nd being on a building that was partially built in Carroll Canyon then demolished
https://buildsd.org/journal/carrollcyn

There's more content in the works, so stay tuned

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

We have a render of the new E Street TOD plan

https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/media-c...chula-vista-and-eden-housing-inc-partner

[Streamliner]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

We have a render of the new E Street TOD plan

https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/media-c...chula-vista-and-eden-housing-inc-partner

I get that this is a huge step up from what is there currently (I just looked at the aerial and ouch), but we are really squandering the potential to build Vancouver-style nodes along these transit lines to the south. This kind of project looks like something I'd run into while driving through some older part of Orange County.

[Build_SD_Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Streamliner

I get that this is a huge step up from what is there currently (I just looked at the aerial and ouch), but we are really squandering the potential to build Vancouver-style nodes along these transit lines to the south. This kind of project looks like something I'd run into while driving through some older part of Orange County.

I have heard about 6 months ago from someone that the Palm Ave TOD may be trying a 12-14 story building there. So would be taller than this site. Would likely be mass timber.
We really need more Vancouver scale TOD along the Blue Line, it has great frequencies and is super important for the region.

[smhmyhead]

Originally Posted by Build_SD_Maxwell

I have heard about 6 months ago from someone that the Palm Ave TOD may be trying a 12-14 story building there. So would be taller than this site. Would likely be mass timber.
We really need more Vancouver scale TOD along the Blue Line, it has great frequencies and is super important for the region.

Do you have any more information on that? I would love for more Vancouver-esque TOD and that certainly sounds like a start!