National City Brownfields Revitalization

The SDSU Brownfields Assessment Project at San Diego State University (SDSU) aims to support revitalization of the National City downtown area and meet community needs by designing alternative land uses for brownfields in the community, and this report focuses on solutions for one site at 1028 A Avenue in National City, CA. The goals of this project include street activation, providing sustainable and affordable housing, encouraging pedestrian activity, providing green spaces, and incorporating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Green Building Code Standards. SDSU students from by David DeVries’ GEOG 572 Land Use Analysis, in partnership with the Sage Project and the City of National City, were tasked with creating these designs. After visiting the site and doing extensive research on site and cost constraints, five SketchUp site plans were created by five groups of students. The different site designs included mixed use apartments, micro units, coworking and/or cooperative spaces, and rooftop amenities. Some common design proposal aspects were recurring as they were deemed of high importance to the community and the site. Many of the site designs retain some of the green space by incorporating it into the roofs or walls, introduce a large number of housing units, and a design layout that would activate the street and provide other amenities for the area. It is recommended that these three aspects are incorporated into the final design in one capacity or another. With these additions and improvements to the site, the needs of the community and the City’s Downtown Specific Plan can be met, all while retaining the unique artistic character of the neighborhood.