cream from a nearby coffee shop kitchen they were renting to a tiny retail space inside the building. After attracting queues that stretched to the sushi restaurant next door, they moved to their own brick-and-mortar across the street. Soon, empanada-and-wine outpost Milonga Empanadas will take over their outgrown space in Union. West of Twin Oaks Valley Road, Sea Breeze and partners Shae Homes and Lennar will break ground on a community of about 600 single-family homes and townhouses and a 20-acre public park. Fifteen percent of North City’s residential stock—about 400 units—will be affordable housing. “[Those units are] going to be mixed throughout the community,” Levitt says. “It’s all about creating this sense of place that has people from all walks of life.” These efforts are paying off. In the
nearby Block C apartments, only about 30 percent of residents are affiliated with CSUSM, Levitt reports. The rest are families, young professionals, even empty nesters trading large suburban homes for apartments with more amenities. They mingle with students and visitors at North City’s restaurants and Tuesday farmers market. According to Levitt, there’s nowhere to go but up. Sea Breeze has its sights set
“It’s all about creating this sense of place that has people from all walks of life.”
on constructing a 12-story, mixed-use apartment building— the tallest north of UTC. The structure’s plans are currently certified LEED Gold, the second highest rank for sustainability. It’ll also have an energy storage system, a massive battery that draws power from the grid during times when energy use is light and then utilizes it during peak hours. These environmentally minded initiatives extend across the development. The majority of buildings in North City are equipped with solar, and Block C renters can pay a sub-SDGE rate for energy thanks to the building’s net metering program. Moreover, North City’s density lets North County inhabitants check off chores and seek fun in fewer car trips. A centralized parking garage offers a convenient car port for visitors and Block C residents while allowing North City to prioritize pedestrian walkways, not street parking. “Stacking vertically as opposed to horizontally frees up more of the land for what it should be: open space,” Levitt emphasizes. All that space, Wynston’s owner Sarah Wynn says, provides a place for North County folks to gather, gossip, and form new friendships. “It feels like a real community,” she muses.
RIGHT In their North City shop, Chris and Sarah Wynn of Wynston’s churn award-winning chocolate and vanilla ice cream, creative seasonal options (including Sarah’s favorite, a lush avocado flavor), and vegan choices.
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