Why 4th Ave. for This Affordable Build?

Sauder: “It’s important to understand that 150 or so of the units will be for working families—families with jobs in the area—and it will be supporting local businesses, service workers, etc.”

SAN DIEGO— Atmosphere , Wakeland Housing and Development Corp. ‘s new affordable-housing project Downtown was in the planning stages long before the RDA dissolution and before the East Village and waterfront construction was underway, president and CEO Ken Sauder tells GlobeSt.com. The 12-story high-rise, a community of more than 205 affordable homes—including 51 designated for residents with special needs—is currently under construction at 1453 4^th Ave. and is set to be completed in early 2017. We spoke exclusively with Sauder about the project and why this region of Downtown was chosen for it instead of the East Village and waterfront. GlobeSt.com: What do you feel makes Atmosphere a unique project? Sauder: It’s a high-rise in Downtown San Diego that ties in very aesthetically with the rest of Downtown. It looks great. Another unique quality of the project is that it is a combination of both the regular affordable units for working families plus 51 units for homeless individuals and families. An organization will come in and provide daily services to those folks to make sure they can move on to next phase of their life.

Atmosphere will offer 154 apartments for working families and 51 apartments for residents with special needs.

GlobeSt.com: The area of Downtown where this project is located is not where most of the Downtown construction is taking place (the East Village and waterfront). How would you characterize this area of Downtown and why was it chosen for this project? Sauder: The reason Atmosphere is where it is is that back in 2007 or so, a broker approached us about this site. We that learned that Centre City Development Corp. set aside this site as a place to do affordable housing on some day. Maybe in the real immediate area, there’s not a lot of construction going on, but driving Downtown you can see cranes everywhere. This site is on edge of the real Downtown, has some office buildings and a lot of commercial, and then there is some residential . Another affordable project about a quarter mile away is Cedar Gateway , which is about six or seven years old. When we bought Atmosphere, there was a big hole in the ground at the site, and CCDC said we had to fill in the hole before they would give us the money to buy it. We filled up that hole with what was dug out from Cedar Gateway. GlobeSt.com: How would you characterize the state of affordable development in Downtown San Diego? Sauder: There’s not any other development like this that I’m aware of happening Downtown; there’s nothing this big going on. GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about this project? Sauder: It’s important to understand that 150 or so of the units will be for working families—families with jobs in the area—and it will be supporting local businesses, service workers, etc. It takes off commuting expenses for them and gives them more disposable income for things their family and they deem important.