Protea Properties recently announced plans for a Bayview Plaza, a new mixed-use project along the Morena Boulevard corridor in the Bay Park community east of Mission Bay.
The project proposes 156 residential units and 40,000 square feet of commercial space at the corner of Morena Boulevard and Clairemont Drive. The property is located immediately adjacent to the future Blue Line Trolley Station and will include 150 parking spaces for transit riders. The proposed project also includes 16 units that will be designated affordable for families earning up to 50 percent of the area median income. Potential commercial uses could include restaurants, fitness, co-working office space and a market.
“We are excited to bring this project to market, as it represents the future of development in San Diego,” said Jeffrey Essakow, president of Protea Properties. “It’s more walkable, there is less reliance on the automobile, and it will provide housing for people of varying income levels.”
Protea Properties is working with the City of San Diego and SANDAG to design the project to support regional policy goals, including efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing transit ridership. Pursuant to an agreement with SANDAG, the project will include 150 parking spaces for trolley riders. The development will also include mobility hub features to support trolley ridership, potentially including charging stations for micro- mobility bikes and scooters, real-time transit displays and bike parking.
“Our focus in developing this project was placemaking,” said Andrew Malick, development director for the project. “The team’s objective was to balance the needs of transit riders, neighbors, commercial tenants and residents.”
The Protea team has been meeting with small groups of community members to preview the project and gather feedback. “I’m very excited to see this empty lot, that has been an eye sore for so many years, transformed into what I expect will be a nicely-designed project, and a great place to visit,” said Glen Schmidt, a landscape architect and Bay Park resident.
