UC San Diego Extension Breaks Ground on Downtown Project

As a world leader in research and innovation, UC San Diego is expanding its reach to downtown San Diego’s East Village neighborhood where the university recently broke ground on a state-of-the-art development at the corner of Park and Market.

The new facility will connect the university to the downtown innovation community and to diverse neighborhoods throughout San Diego’s urban core. The project will also include a 34-story residential tower, ground floor retail, an outdoor amphitheater and public open space, which will host a variety of community-engaging events. The historic Remmen House, which currently sits on the location, will serve as a restaurant.

Mary Walshok, UC San Diego’s associate vice chancellor for public programs and dean of UC San Diego Extension, said UC San Diego’s urban facility will help redefine the role of a research university in the 21st century by offering unique educational experiences and research opportunities as well as arts and cultural activities that inspire lifelong learning.

“This new urban facility reaffirms UC San Diego’s mission to connect academic and practical knowledge to communities throughout the region in a variety of formats and at every stage of life,” Walshok said. “With the diverse neighborhoods surrounding the urban core, this new presence in downtown reinforces UC San Diego’s role as a key partner in spurring economic prosperity and inclusion through engaging events and educational offerings.”

UC San Diego Extension will manage the four-story, 66,000-square-foot facility, which will house a wide range of academic and cultural programs including outreach and education for middle and high school students; business incubation and entrepreneurship resources; arts and cultural events and exhibits; and research and volunteer opportunities for UC San Diego students and faculty to encourage civic engagement. The UC San Diego urban facility will be part of the larger development by Holland Partner Group that will include 426 housing units, 85 of which will be rent-restricted affordable apartments for very low-income residents.

UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said the new facility is designed to expand the reach of the university to the larger community and serve as a catalyst for the innovation economy. A key reason the university selected the site was because of its proximity to the UC San Diego Blue Line, which will run from San Ysidro to University City and connect its main campus in La Jolla with the greater San Diego region.

“UC San Diego is committed to being a partner in helping grow the regional economy in ways that provide opportunity for all,” Khosla said. “This new facility will bring the university to the community, connecting us in new and profound ways. This urban location embodies the university’s commitment to break new ground in providing educational access.”

Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer applauded the new development, saying it would create a vibrant community asset, energizing the East Village by providing educational cultural amenities that will bolster downtown’s burgeoning innovation economy.

“With market-rate and affordable housing right next to a transit stop, the Park and Market project is the exact type of smart development we want to see more of in San Diego,” said Mayor Faulconer. “What makes this project a game-changer is bringing UC San Diego to the East Village. There’s no better place for UC San Diego to spread its wings than downtown – one of the city’s most creative places for entrepreneurs and innovators.”

No state funds will be used to finance the construction of the UC San Diego project and ongoing financing for the facility will come from a combination of program underwriting, contracts and grants, fees for services and lease revenues, all of which UC San Diego Extension will manage.