Southwest Village San Diego, California
Southwest Village is an 81-unit, fully affordable, transit-oriented development housing project located in the Encanto neighborhood of San Diego.
Location
San Diego, California
Sector
Residential
Service
Architecture
Client
Related California
Status
Under Construction
Size
81 units, 2.3 acre site
Steinberg Hart was brought in to reconceptualize and bring to fruition a project that had been languishing on the boards for over half a decade. The previous design proposed a specific unit count and mix that had been accepted in the initial round of development for the California Housing Accelerator, but the design itself lacked efficiency and cohesion, from the site plan down to the units. Steinberg Hart commenced a full redesign that takes inspiration from modernist architect Irving Gill, one of San Diego’s most prominent architects practicing at the turn of the 20th century.
The redesigned project secured funding with funds coming exclusively from public entities and no private tax credit allocation sources. Given the funding sources, both budget and schedule were extremely precise. In the context of the rising construction prices and rising interest rates of 2022, the budget for the project was pushed to its breaking point. As the project was fully affordable, there were no excess frills included in the initial design that were obvious targets for removal.
Steinberg Hart led the design team with strong communication and flexibility to work with the client and the contractor to pursue creative value engineering solutions, from reconfiguring outdoor space allocations to redesigning the window package, running parallel to the permitting and subcontractor bidding processes. Where necessary, Steinberg Hart met with the City to find creative solutions, including securing Alternate Means and Methods approvals. Less than a year after initial engagement, we are securing permits and breaking ground on this much needed addition to the community.