Mayor Todd Gloria, joined by City Council member Kent Lee and local leaders Thursday, celebrated coordinated attempts to revitalize the Convoy Street corridor in Kearny Mesa.
The effort includes roughly half a dozen new housing communities, a complete resurfacing of Convoy, formation of a new parking district and a community gateway sign that will be installed later this year.
Gloria called the improvements something that “will make residents and visitors proud.”
“The revitalization of the Convoy District epitomizes what we’re doing across San Diego – building more housing that San Diegans can afford, fostering economic opportunity so everyone can thrive and making the roads smooth and safe for all,” he said.
The officials gathered at the old Dixieline Lumber site on Convoy, where construction is ready to begin on Alexan Camellia, a 531-unit apartment complex being developed by Trammell Crow Residential. The goal, according to the mayor’s office, is to transform Kearny Mesa from a business-focused area into a community.
In addition to that project, other housing proposals, totaling roughly 3,000 new homes in the area around Convoy, are under city review. A recent update of the Kearny Mesa Community Plan created the capacity for 27,000 new homes in the neighborhood while providing a blueprint to improve the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the new residents.
“Bringing homes to the heart of Convoy will elevate what is already one of San Diego’s most vibrant cultural destinations to a thriving hub where you can not only work, dine and shop, but also live,” Lee said. “The community came together and created a new vision for this community, and with this project, it’s finally coming to life.”
The repaving of Convoy is set to begin in late June. The 3.4-mile project spans from Kearny Mesa Road to the state Route 52 on-ramp. Businesses and residences along Convoy will remain accessible during construction.
Additional parking spaces will be created on various cross streets, and a new parking district for the area is planned to accommodate new visitors. The neighborhood also boasts freeway signs to guide visitors to the Convoy Asian Cultural District.
The work continues later this year, when a Convoy District gateway sign will be erected, the result of a collaboration between the Asian Business Association and multiple city departments.
“This vision will bring a multitude of economic development opportunities for our businesses while significantly supporting our residents and local economy,” said Lauren Garces, special events director for the Convoy District Partnership.