8181 Allison under construction; will bring nearly 150 apartments to La Mesa

A vision in the works for years in La Mesa is finally coming to fruition.Construction through USA Properties Fund is underway on 8181 Allison, billed as an affordable apartment community in the heart of La Mesa.The development, located at 8181 Allison Avenue, is situated on the southeast corner of Allison and Date avenues, close to University Avenue and Spring Street.According to the developer, the property will provide ideal access to various amenities nearby. Among them would be a sizable grocery store and pharmacy, several dozen restaurants, City Hall, the local library and more. There is also a trolley station nearby and multiple bus stops.In a statement on the company’s website, USA Properties Fund President Geoff Brown noted, “It’s a development that checks the boxes in so many ways, from providing affordable housing to cost-effective and environmentally friendly public transportation options for getting around the community. It’s an excellent location for affordable housing, with easy access to so many businesses and services.”Once finished, the complex will have one-bedroom and two-bedroom, two-bath apartments. It is projected that rents will vary from around $700 to $1,675 each month for one-bedroom units, with two-bedroom apartments going anywhere from $835 to $2,000.Among amenities mentioned for the complex will be a community room offering a kitchen, a fitness center, computer stations, onsite laundry, a spa and more. The complex will also provide an 117-space parking garage that comes with EV-charging stations. The apartments come with energy-efficient appliances, light fixtures, ceiling fans and more.The planned date for construction to finish is late next year. How the apartment community came togetherThe 147-apartment community was conceived through a public-private partnership including the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the City of La Mesa, KeyBank and WNC. KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment put forth a $42.78 million construction loan for the project.La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis speaks during ceremonies recently for the new apartment complex coming in late 2024. Photo credit: Melissa Jacobs/sandiegophoto.comAlison 8181’s site dates back a number of years to when the location was the headquarters for the La Mesa Police Department. Some 15 years ago, the City sold the former police station site to the La Mesa Redevelopment Agency. Following the dissolution of redevelopment agencies in the state in 2012, La Mesa retained the location and it would continue being looked at as an affordable housing project at a later date.What’s been the feedback on the project?La Mesa City Manager Greg Humora, who said he’s gotten positive feedback on the project, noted, “The City solicited proposals from developers for a multi-family affordable housing project. The project is critical to providing affordable housing to the La Mesa community and will assist in meeting our state-mandated housing targets.” When asked if City officials are looking at additional housing projects in the area, Humora stated, “The City has a few small parcels that could be developed in the future but nothing specific has been determined at the moment. “The bulk of development is expected to be on private property.”Not everyone is giving a thumbs up to the project as it takes shape.La Mesa Councilmember Laura Lothian remarked, “I found the speed of approval of this large, jarring, boilerplate, freeway apartment project confounding. The City of La Mesa has a justified reputation for being difficult to build and obtain permits.”According to Lothian, “Whereas other Downtown La Mesa projects take years to go through our arduous process, this went from submittal to approval in months. Additionally, though not exactly hidden from public scrutiny, the project definitely remained under the radar until it was too late for public input. This project is not important to the City’s development, it is detrimental. We will have increased traffic, decreased parking, and a huge hit to our charm and small-town feel.”When asked what kind of feedback she has received from La Mesa residents and businesses and its impact on the City, Lothian responded, “The feedback I have received has been 100% negative. Locals are dreading it.”Fellow Councilmember Jack Shu noted, “Contributing the public property towards the development of affordable housing is one of the strategies we currently have to create more housing people can afford. Over the many years that the project was not moving at all, it was the unrelenting work of city staff that finally made it happen.”Asked about feedback he’s gotten from La Mesa residents and business owners, Shu said he’d not heard much.“I think like many developments, until people see the building near its completion and then see it become available for residents, most people will not learn the full story of the project. Affordable housing advocates in the region know this project very well because 100% of it’s units will be for people making less than median income.”As Shu sees it, there are other opportunities to bring additional affordable housing to La Mesa. “Yes, there are other sites, using public property which are going through the system of finding developers and moving on to development,” Shu remarked. “MTS (Metropolitan Transit System) has a such a site at the Spring Street Trolley Station. Unfortunately, under the current system of government partnering with the development industry to build affordable housing, we fall far short of what is needed. Especially housing for those in the very, very low income group. We need to find more resources and better ways to address the housing shortage for those who need it the most. Let’s face it, if you have lots of money, you can find housing.”For Councilmember Colin Parent, the building of this complex is a welcome thing.“I’m proud of La Mesa for using our old police station site to build much-needed homes for low and moderate income families,” Parent said. “Not only did we meet our state obligations to use the site for affordable homes, but we went above and beyond, creating La Mesa’s first 100% affordable development in decades.”As a resident and/or business owner in La Mesa, are you looking forward to this new project being completed in late 2024?The post 8181 Allison under construction; will bring nearly 150 apartments to La Mesa appeared first on SDNews.com.

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The Kitchen, a market-driven café, opens at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego 

One of Southern California’s revered restaurateurs, Tracy Borkum, principal Urban Kitchen Group (UKG), has partnered with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD).The institution recently underwent a $105 million renovation led by prolific New York-based design firm Selldorf Architects. With the introduction of Borkum’s dual restaurants, The Kitchen (opened Feb. 10), and an undisclosed tasting menu experience (opening in late spring), MCASD will help to usher in a new era of destination dining in La Jolla.Conceptualized with the intention of providing two completely unique market-driven experiences, The Kitchen’s casual café and a forthcoming tasting menu both draw inspiration from the coastal Mediterranean regions of Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa including, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, and Israel. The culinary team is led by chef/partner Tim Kolanko, executive chef Jeff Armstrong, and tenured UKG executive sous chef Sergio Rodriguez, who simultaneously helm many of UKG’s blockbuster concepts including Gold Finch modern delicatessen, Artifact and Craft Café at Mingei International Museum, Urban Kitchen marketplace at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, among others.The partnership with MCASD signals a new sweet spot for Borkum’s hospitality group — the expansion into San Diego’s art institutions responsible for feeding the cultural appetites of guests from around the world.“It’s a great marriage,” says Borkum of her partnerships with MCASD, Mingei, and Rady Shell. “Food is art, and it’s wonderful to play a role in elevating the dining scene within so many of the city’s creative institutions. As an extension of MCASD, our concepts marry the coastal appeal of our surroundings with menus that are expressive of the museum and its international collections.”UKG has once again partnered with La Jolla architect Jennifer Luce of Luce et Studio (Artifact at Mingei) to artfully design and furnish the two spaces, which incorporate rotating works of art through MCASD.The Kitchen is a full-service café offering breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. With seating for 80 guests exclusively outdoors, the 2,420 square foot courtyard is set against the backdrop of a historic former residence designed by 20th-century architect, Irving J. Gill.Comfortable and charming, yet contemporary, best describe the appeal of The Kitchen’s garden café located in MCASD’s Gartner Court. Timeless teak seating set under large, romantic umbrellas has been paired with the new landscape designed by Selldorf Architects to create an instantly alluring patio on Prospect with a nod to European café culture.Inside The Kitchen, guests step into a historic building by famed post-modern architects Venturi Scott Brown. Met with a bright and airy interior space, guests can enjoy a curated selection of retail, home goods, and freshly packaged to-go meals.“The beauty of this space is remarkable, as it connects four generations of design (Gill, Venturi Scott Brown, Selldorf) and seamlessly brings connectivity to decades of art and culture,” says The Kitchen’s design partner Luce. “What a unique opportunity for a restaurant to sit at this intersection of history, and what better way to gather them all than with food.”The smoked salmon with whipped herb goat cheese and sweet carrot slaw sandwich at The Kitchen. PHOTOS BY THOMAS MELVILLELike the ambiance, the menu sits perfectly at the crossroads of culture, style, and substance. Armstrong makes the most of the Mediterranean region’s deep, lavish flavors with breakfast dishes such as Spanish-style Torrijas French toast soaked in a punchy citrus creme Catalan (akin to creme brulee); savory cilbir toast (Turkish-style poached eggs) over garlicky dill yogurt, spicy Syrian Aleppo butter; a decadent lobster and mushroom omelet; and a sweet or savory buckwheat crepe, the latter filled with traditional Greek kasseri cheese, spinach, roasted pepper, apricot mustard seed jam and paired with a fried egg.Lunch offers a range of vibrant salads and sandwiches, such as the smoked salmon with whipped herb goat cheese and sweet carrot slaw, or the burrata and Calabrian salami with roasted pepper and hot honey. Capturing the essence of Middle Eastern social culture and food at its center, mezze encourages guests to share in a spread of small plates with baba ghanoush, charred savoy cabbage, quinoa and apple tabouli, confit albacore, roasted carrot hummus, mushrooms a la grecque. Add a berbere yogurt marinated swordfish kebab plate, the toum roasted chicken marinated in whipped garlic (above), Aleppo pepper, and sumac, or enjoy a heartier lamb bulgur burger with shredded lettuce, cabbage, sumac red onion, tzatziki, and mango chutney on a brioche bun.For something sweet, indulge in the burnt Basque cheesecake, seasonal budino Italian pudding, or a selection of housemade pastries. The Kitchen offers a curated list of wine and beer as well as cocktails, Dark Horse coffee, smoothies, and Paru teas.THE KITCHENWhere: 700 Prospect St.Hours: Wednesdays through Sundays from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch, with grab-and-go retail and a coffee counter open until 4 p.m.Contact: thekitchenatmcasd.com, 619-880-8719.The post The Kitchen, a market-driven café, opens at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego  appeared first on SDNews.com.

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Coastal Sage reviving Sefton Gardens, and Botany for Kids program

Coastal Sage Gardening in Ocean Beach has progressed beyond being just a drought-tolerant and native landscaper, adding botany education and community beautification to its mix.With 30 years of experience in the industry, Coastal Sage owner John Noble, with a little help from his friends, namely employees Grace Schmalz and Grace Jackson, has revived Botany for Kids, a program offering plant and gardening lessons via walks and talks to kids, families, groups and schools.The landscaping company has also taken on another challenging long-term project: Resuscitating the 1.2-acre Sefton Gardens at the century-old property of the late Joseph Sefton Jr., a notable San Diego banker, philanthropist, and amateur naturalist and ornithologist. Sefton’s property, guarded by twin lion statues, is at 1865 Sefton Place.Noble, the two Graces, and others recently held a Valentine’s fundraising benefit at Sefton Gardens to contribute toward the revival of the property’s green space, which is rich in history.“We specialize in drought-tolerant and native landscapes, and are experienced in all garden environments,” notes Coastal Sage on its Facebook page. “We do custom design, installation, maintenance, irrigation, repair, labor, and consultation. We also have classes, tutorial services, plant walks, plants, a full line of organic gardening supplies, and a reference library to guide and help you if you want to build your own garden.”Noble has been truly “graced” in his business expansion efforts by Jackson and Schmalz, two young women who found a perfect fit partnering with him to become his proteges and garden gurus. Their collective goal is to start a community garden at the Sefton home, where everyone can reap the rewards of fresh vegetables and herbs.Schmalz talked about how the gardening trio got together.Coastal Sage employee Grace Jackson at Sefton Gardens. COURTESY PHOTO“Running by Coastal Sage, I saw they had a ‘help wanted’ sign up,” she said. “I loved the look of the building with its peace sign in the window and special rocks and crystals outside. I ran back home and told Grace (Jackson) my roommate about the garden shop down the street. And she said, ‘Let’s put our resumes in ASAP.’”Both Graces started out doing gardening for Noble, which led to their helping him revive the Botany for Kids program, which had been dormant during COVID.Jackson, a marketing major in college, took on that role for Coastal Sage, along with handling their social media, including promoting the resurrected Botany for Kids program. “I was motivated to help kids fall in love with nature, creating a safe space for them to express themselves and have an open dialogue with each other,” she said adding, “Organizations and schools have been reaching out to us. Since January, we’ve also started doing a monthly newsletter.”Schmalz, a field guide with a nonprofit working at a wildlife refuge, said she and her friend Jackson are fortunate to have discovered Noble and Coastal Sage. “We’ve both known each other since middle school and after we graduated from college and moved to San Diego, we wanted to find something we could share our passion and synergy with and put our efforts toward,” she said. “When we got involved with Coastal Sage – we never knew how much of a perfect match it would be.”For more information about Coastal Sage visit www.coastalsage.com, call 619-223-5229, or email johncoastalsage@yahoo.com.COASTAL SAGE GARDENINGWhere: 3685 Voltaire St.Contact: coastalsage.com, 619-223-5229. The post Coastal Sage reviving Sefton Gardens, and Botany for Kids program appeared first on SDNews.com.

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