Crossings at Escondido

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Developer Urban Housing Communities of Santa Ana, CA has unveiled its new Crossings at Escondido work force apartments project at 735 Mission Grove Place in Escondido in this week’s roundup of commercial real estate news in the West. Designed by KTGY Group Inc. Architecture + Planning, the project provides what KTGY describes as “eco-friendly, high-quality work force housing to families earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income.” The project is 55 units in five three-story buildings, with units that range from two to four bedrooms and rents from $508 to $1,063, based on family size and income level. John Bigley, chief operating officer for Urban Housing, comments that the project "marks the transformation of a street plagued by deterioration, poverty, gangs, drugs, and overcrowding into a safe, family‐friendly community." The Crossings at Escondido's street name was changed from Elder Place to Mission Grove Place to reflect a fresh start for the neighborhood, Bigley points out. Families living at The Crossings at Escondido will also have access to an onsite recreation center, which features the community's supportive resident services program, a computer lab, a media room, a kitchen, and an office for the manager. Outdoor amenities include BBQs, picnic tables, two tot lots and informal seating areas. "The Crossings at Escondido was designed to not only complement the surrounding neighborhoods but also with a vision to create a higher standard for affordable housing," said Alan Scales, KTGY studio director and the project's designer, located in the firm's Irvine office. The Crossings at Escondido is the product of a partnership between Urban Housing and the City of Escondido Community Development Corp. The city committed funding by partnering with UHC to acquire the land. Subsequently, UHC secured financing through the 9% tax credit program. Additional financing for the project was provided by Wells Fargo Bank NA, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the California Community Reinvestment Corp.