The once-controversial mixed-use development One Paseo broke ground on Wednesday, after years of haggling over the scale of the project with the San Diego City Council and nearby residents.
The development, which technically began construction last month, comprises 608 apartments, 95,000 square feet of retail and 280,000 square feet of office space on a 23-acre plot of land in Carmel Valley. More than 100 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer and City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, who represents the area.
An earlier, bigger version of One Paseo was first approved by the City Council in 2015, but opponents quickly gathered enough signatures to force the council to either rescind its approval or put the project up for a public vote. The developer, Kilroy Realty, ultimately struck a deal to downsize its retail and office space, which satisfied most of the project's opponents. The City Council gave its final approval last year.
While the commercial space has been reduced, the number of housing units was not changed. City Councilman David Alvarez, who has long supported the project, said with all the recent talk of San Diego's acute housing shortage, developments like One Paseo are what the city needs more of.
"If we would have not allowed this project to move forward, it really would have sent the wrong message about how serious we are about our housing situation," he said. "I'm really glad that it's happening."
Alvarez said it was "serendipitous" that the groundbreaking took place on the same day he and City Councilman Scott Sherman co-chaired a housing summit meant to stimulate discussion on solutions to San Diego's housing affordability crisis.
One Paseo's retail space is due to open next year, with the apartments opening between 2019 and 2020.
