Circulate San Diego announced that the proposed redevelopment of Costa Verde Center, directly adjacent to a planned Mid-Coast Trolley Station, has received their MOVE Alliance smart growth certification.
The Costa Verde Center project is an enhancement of an existing shopping center, one of the few neighborhood/community-serving shopping centers in the University City community. Regency Centers is planning a sustainable, infill, transit-oriented development with important bicycle and pedestrian features in the Golden Triangle area.
The project site is adjacent to the planned Mid-Coast Trolley line, which will extend along Genesee Avenue and connect to UC San Diego and Downtown. A new, elevated trolley station and platform are planned south of Esplanade Court above the center median of Genesee Avenue. Trolley service within the area is expected to be in operation in 2021. The project proposes 125,000 square feet (SF) of additional commercial and a 200-room, 125,000 SF community hotel. While the community’s population, transit infrastructure, UC San Diego and office space have all grown considerably over the last two decades, there has been no new neighborhood retail in this area since 1992.
“The Costa Verde Center Revitalization Project is a leading example for how public transit construction can spur private investment with adjacent land uses,” said Colin Parent, interim executive director and policy counsel at Circulate San Diego. “Successful communities need a variety of uses, including housing, jobs, and retail for residents and workers.”
The project will include a welcoming elevated pedestrian plaza across from the Mid-Coast Trolley Station, and incorporates various elevators and stairs to help transit riders shop in the center, and to access the bicycle and pedestrian networks within and adjacent to the center. These features show how thoughtful development can benefit from and enhance the utility of public transit.
