**Summary: **An application for a Process 2 Neighborhood Development Permit has been submitted to development services for a very out of the ordindary three apartment towers reaching up to 40-stories with an exorbinant 1,315 units at the corner of Nobel & Genessee in University City. The 40-story towers would be by far the tallest buildings in UTC, and some of the tallest in San Diego even by Downtown standards. For reference, across the freeway the two new UCSD dorms rising just to the west of the 5 on Gilman Drive are 22 and 23 stories respectively, with a similar 1,300 total units.
Willmark is the developer named on the application which was made on October 23, 2023. Willmark has another project in south UTC on the SE side of Governor & Gullstrand being the redevelopment of the Town Park Villas senior housing complex with 850 new multifamily units.
The project appears to be utilizing a density bonus from Complete Communities in order to achieve its unusual scale in comparison to its most low-rise, 2-story neighbors. The project will consist of two 40-story towers and one 23-story tower. No drawings or additional information about the project have been made available to the public.
**Editor’s Thoughts:** This project is a prime example of disparate densifcation the City has planned for through enactment of its Complete Communities zoning package. It is rare to see 2-story buildings being razed to build high-rises outside of Downtown, especially in a well-established, desirable, neighborhood such as University City. You can already hear the screams from neighbors over the splash that this project proposal has made. Who wants a someone on the 40th floor to be looking down on you trying to enjoy your serene view of Rose Canyon?
This project is actually so huge I thought DSD made a mistake in their posting. In fact it’s so large that I am beginning to think the purpose this application serves is just to prove a point about how far the Complete Communities code can be taken. We will place a special emphasis on tracking this project and be sure to report back with updates as soon as they are published.