Following a three-year RFP selection and approval process, Park & Market, a mixed-use project by Holland Partner Group that’s key to redevelopment of East Village, will break ground in 2017, according to Holland Partner’s development director Brent Schertzer. Brent is among local developers presenting at Bisnow’s State of San Diego’s Multifamily Market event Oct. 19.

The project’s 34-story residential tower will add 426 housing units, of which 20% or 85 units are affordable, to East Village housing stock, as well as provide office space, retail amenities and open public space and entertainment facilities, including an amphitheater, Brent tells us.

Designed by Carrier & Johnson, the $200M project, adjacent to the Trolley Station on Park Boulevard, offers 51k SF of creative office that will be directly accessible to retail and outdoor amenities. This includes a 3,200 SF upper terrace, which can be used as an amphitheater or populated with outdoor furniture for use by office and residential tenants, which overlooks a 5,500 SF public plaza.

Park & Market, which occupies a full city block, is one of two remaining city-owned parcels formerly held by San Diego’s redevelopment agency, which reverted to the state when Gov. Jerry Brown dissolved California’s redevelopment agencies in 2012 and was then returned to the city for disposal, Brent says. Cisterra Development’s proposed 7th & Market project is slated for the other city-owned parcel. The two developers will purchase the land from the city, with monies from the sales earmarked for the city’s affordable housing fund.

The plaza, which features a large area for performances and stage, will provide a gathering space for the community and will be activated with concerts, movies and other cultural events. This area will incorporate public artworks and provide food and beverage kiosks, a bar and restaurant, Brent says.

The project is restoring and re-positioning the historic 1902 Remmen House (pictured above at right of plaza) as a restaurant. “The house has been vacant for years, so we’re doing a complete renovation to Secretary of Interior historic rehabilitation standards,” he tells us. “We’ll slightly modify the interior to accommodate a restaurant, but the exterior will be restored to its original state.”

Brent says the street at Park will eventually be closed to cars, as part of the city’s Multi-modal Mobility Plan to create an integrated network of greenways, sidewalks, bikeways and transit services. Holland is widening the sidewalk along Park to 35 feet to accommodate a landscaped promenade with seating and space for outdoor restaurant dining.

“We’re looking forward to creating a residential and office project that also provides open space, retail amenities and sustainability in the East Village, one of downtown San Diego’s most dynamic neighborhoods,” he says, pointing out this is a transit-oriented project and incorporates green features to target LEED Silver or possibly a higher rating. Shown above is the Park & Market office component.

Among sustainable features: electric-vehicle charging stations; a green-eco roof over the office component to reduce energy usage; high-efficiency, solar-reflective glass; high-efficiency appliances in residential units; low-flow plumbing fixtures; and a storm-water capture and filtration system.

Hear more from Brent and our other multifamily developers at Bisnow’s State of San Diego’s Multifamily Market event Oct. 19.