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By Miriam RafteryAugust 21, 2019 (La Mesa) – For years, La Mesa residents fought to halt the 18-story Park Station high-rise project proposed at Baltimore and University on a site occupied by auto, RV and motorcycle businesses. Residents later came together to work with a new developer, JPI, on a project more acceptable to the community. The result is Jefferson La Mesa, a four-story mixed-use development that the City Council has now approved.
The 230-unit project on 4.7 acres will include two four-story buildings with residences and businesses, including 10 affordable units for very low-income people. The developer, JPI, will provide community improvements including adding bike lanes on both sides of Baltimore in the vicinity, as well as improved pedestrian walkways, sewers, drainage and landscaping.
Residents have been adamant in insisting on “no more than four” stories, the maximum allowed by zoning requirements for the area, absente a waiver. A spokesman for a group of neighbors told Council the community approves of the new plan, but did ask the city to provide signs to better inform the public about parking availability at a public parking lot.
The project site is located next to a trolley station, meeting state mandates and goals of La Mesa’s climate action plan for transit-friendly housing. The project will also fill a need for more housing in the region, which has faced a shortfall of housing availability.
David Potter, vice president of JPI, said the company has built over 320 projects nationwide and has gone to great lengths to hold meetings in the community as well as meet with residents one on one.
Representatives of the carpenter’s union asked Council to “listen to the workers” and make sure that jobs go to local workers, not cheap labor from out of the area.
But Councilwoman Kristine Alessio explained that Council is restricted to considering design review elements, not labor issues since the project is on private property, not city property.
The Jefferson La Mesa project was approved by a unanimous 5 to 0 vote.
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