Urban village project provides new school, replacement housing, recreation area, open space, retail and family services


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SAN DIEGO - In an unprecedented collaboration, San Diego City Schools, the City of San Diego and its Housing Authority and Redevelopment Agency have entered into a joint exercise of powers agreement to form the San Diego Model School Development Agency, which will facilitate the planning, financing and construction of the San Diego Model School in City Heights. On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved the creation of the agency; it was also approved by the Board of Education in a 3-2 vote, with Zimmerman and DeBeck voting no.

As currently envisioned, the San Diego Model School Development Agency will design a school that takes up less space, create an "urban village" to serve community needs and provide replacement for housing that otherwise would have not been replaced.

The project will include:

• New elementary school, serving 700 students, to open in 2006
• Multi-family housing development (preliminary plans offer 350 units compared to existing 245 units)
• Open space (preliminary plans offer 9.23 acres of open space compared to existing 2.77 acres)
• Joint-use recreation areas
• Pedestrian connections between housing, open space and amenities
• Underground parking to conserve space
• Family services, such as a health clinic and daycare
• Retail

A Proposition MM elementary school will anchor the urban village and alleviate overcrowding at nearby Rosa Parks, Hamilton and Edison elementary schools. Proposition MM is the $1.5 billion bond measure that funds the construction of 13 new schools and renovation at 165 schools.

"We’ve reached a place in San Diego’s history where we can no longer pretend that issues such as housing, education, commerce and community services exist independently of one another. And that’s what this is about. This is a cutting-edge partnership that brings together key agencies to respond to a broad range of community needs as identified by City Heights residents," said Elizabeth C. Morris, CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission and future CEO of the San Diego Model School Development Agency. (The Housing Commission is the City of San Diego agency that reports to the City's Housing Authority, which is comprised of the Mayor and City councilmembers.)

Since January 2001, when the idea originated, there have been numerous community meetings and focus groups with the City Heights Area Planning Committee, residents and participating agencies.

"This project is a win-win from every angle.It creates park space while preserving our natural canyons. In a community immensely deficient in park and open space, the value of this can't be overstated," said Third District Councilmember Toni Atkins, whose district includes City Heights. "The Model Schools Project also provides for additional housing units, many of which will be affordable to those who live there now – and gives us the quality schools we need for our children. I believe this project demonstrates how we can site new schools in the future in our older, urban communities."

Proceeds of Proposition MM will fund the district’s portion of the project, but will not exceed what would be spent on a stand-alone school. In fact, the school district anticipates efficiencies and cost-savings by incorporating the school into the larger project.

"New schools are desperately needed in dense areas such as City Heights, but we’re always concerned about the impact of school construction on neighborhoods," said Alan Bersin, superintendent of San Diego City Schools. "This is a creative approach that not only minimizes the loss of housing, but creates a school that will serve as the cornerstone of a community and as a model for urban school development that can be replicated elsewhere in San Diego and nationwide."

The San Diego Model School Development Agency will be operated by a seven-member Board of Directors that represents each of the four agencies and the City Heights community. The agency, which operates as a separate legal entity from its participating agencies, will take all actions related to the project. Next steps include appointment of a Board of Directors, development of a financing plan, preparation of an environmental impact report, site selection, design of the project and selection of a master developer.

The model school project began in January 2001 as a pilot study when the school district proposed to build one of its new Proposition MM schools in the vicinity of 43rd Street and Myrtle. Other agencies participating in the study included: Price Charities; the City of San Diego and its Planning Department, Redevelopment Agency and Housing Commission; City Heights Project Area Committee; as well as the San Diego State University National Center for the 21st Century Schoolhouse, which serves as a clearinghouse of ideas on school design. Price Charities provided the seed money to kick-start the project and fund preliminary design plans based on community input.

City of San Diego: www.sandiego.gov
Housing Commission: www.sdhc.net
Redevelopment Agency: www.sandiego.gov/redevelopment-agency
San Diego City Schools: www.sandi.net