One Paseo Carmel Valley Mixed-Use Project May Serve As Model For Suburban Development
After winning overwhelming approval by the San Diego City Council recently, Kilroy Realty Corp’s 1.18M SF One Paseo Carmel Valley mixed-use development will break ground at the end of this year, Kilroy SVP of development Robert Little tells Bisnow. Bob will be among the development and construction professionals at our Annual San Diego Construction & Development Forum on July 28.
In approving the plan, the city council noted this dense development will serve as a model for future suburban development in a region in need of more housing, especially close to employment centers. There is limited land for growth in North San Diego County due to barriers on all four sides—the Pacific Ocean, mountains, Camp Pendleton and the US/Mexico border.
We spoke with Bob recently to find out more about Kilroy Realty's plans for a 23.6-acre site at Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. He says the project, which includes years of input from community residents, pushes density inward, visually softening the project’s intensity, by reducing the height of the tallest office buildings from nine to six stories and providing 30-foot development setbacks from bordering streets.
Pictured is a rendering of One Paseo's 98k SF village-style shopping and dining retail component, which was designed to provide a sense of place.
The original plan was significantly larger at 1.45M SF, but was downsized after the project met with opposition from community members concerned about the amount of traffic it would generate. Kilroy is funding traffic signal optimization to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion and providing shuttle service to the Solana Beach Coaster station. These strategies, combined with a reduction in the project's size, are expected to cut traffic trips by 40% from the previous plan.
“The first phase includes retail and residential, with retail being delivered in summer of 2018,” Bob tells us. The redesign downsized the retail component by 61% from 247k SF to 98k SF. “This will not be a traditional retail center, but rather a small retail village or country mart-type project, with lots of open space for events and pedestrian-oriented activities for families,” Bob says. Restaurants will serve as anchors, with a mix of regional and local tenants. “We’d like to keep it as local as possible.”
Scheduled for delivery in early or mid-2019, the office component (above) has two buildings—one six-story and the other four stories—with a total of 280k SF configured for flexibility to capture both creative office and tech tenants. He notes the original 484k SF office plan called for ground-level retail and fitness uses, but these amenities were eliminated when space was reduced.
The retail center is adjacent to the office component, providing an amenity for both office and residential tenants. Open space around and between the office and retail components should encourage walkability and daytime/evening activity by the public and employees or residents.
Bob says the retail center also will serve as an amenity for other office properties in the area, which include Kilroy Realty properties at the nearby Kilroy Center in Del Mar, Del Mar Corporate Center and several free-standing office buildings. A mid-day shuttle will circle through the Carmel Valley employment center, transporting workers to and from the retail center over lunchtime hours, he explains.
The office and retail components include both above- and below-grade parking, with parking under office buildings and at two adjacent parking structures, one for retail patrons and the other for office users. Bob notes retail tenants drive high peak parking demand, "which we can accommodate during peak shopping and dining hours by cross-sharing office parking with retail evenings and weekends.”
The office complex will pursue a minimum LEED Gold certification, Bob says—as a leader in green building, Kilroy policy requires a minimum of LEED Gold in new construction. He tells us WELL certification is also under consideration. As opposed to LEED, which evaluates a project’s effect on the environment, WELL analyzes occupant health and well-being. The overall project design targets LEED for Neighborhood Development certification.
The 608-unit residential component (above) will be ready for occupancy in 2019 and includes three distinct buildings separated by courtyards. Amenities include two pool decks with spas, a fully equipped fitness center, gathering places with seating, outdoor fire pits, BBQ grills, and a “surfery” and “bikery” to store and work on surfboards and bikes, Bob says, noting the retail center is a short walk across the paseo.
The project plans an automated parcel center that text messages parcel recipients a code that opens lockers when their packages arrive. The podium-style project provides parking on the first level, as well as below grade.
Hear more from Bob and other construction and development experts at Bisnow's Annual San Diego Construction & Development Forum on July 28, beginning at 7:30am with breakfast and networking at the Westin San Diego, 400 West Broadway in Downtown. Sign up here.
