Azuriik

In National City, a vacant lot is set to become their tallest building ever, and first highrise since 1989. This is Azuriik, a 22 story tall affordable housing project coming to the northern end of their Westside, and it has a lot to offer. This project is being done as a partnership between the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County otherwise known as MAAC, and Mirka Investments, with the goal is to make low to moderate income housing for seniors and families.

Being the first highrise planned in National City since the late 80s. It can take advantage of their "new" Downtown Specific Plan, passed in 2017, allowing for buildings as tall as 250ft on this site, and an FAR of 6.0. Likely using affordable housing density bonuses Azuriik is maximizing the zoning allowed to it. Likely being over 230 ft tall.

Like Mirka's planned project in Downtown San Diego, Azuriik has a diverse spreads of AMI (Area Median Income) ranges. However it has unit sizes ranging from studios to 3 bedrooms where Mirka Tower is entierly 2 and 3 bedrooms.

With 82 units at 30% AMI, 149 at 50%, and 164 at 60%. The unit mix for ami is spread fairly evenly, the majority of units in the building will be Studios and One Bedrooms. With Two and Three Bedrooms being the minority in the total unit count due to taking up more space. More 3 bedrooms are 60% ami but otherwise it is spread evenly. There are 119 Studios, 202 One Bedrooms, 47 Two Bedrooms, and 25 Three Bedrooms. 5 units are planned to be employee and resident manager units as part of this project is senior housing.

Full unit mix information from Mirka Investments.

With amenities include a "business center, community room with kitchen, exercise room, day carefacility and preschool, and centrally located laundry facilities." per Mirka Investments, and also per Mirka "Exterior amenities will include an outdoor courtyard/picnic area, playground, vegetable garden, ping pong table, foosball table." Per the renders, amenities seem likely on the rooftop area at the 22nd floor, and rooftop terraces on the 9th and 13th floors. The 13th floor also has an indoor community space. With the ground floor being predominately being taken up by a parking garage, and below grade it will continue. The lobby, leasing offices, and more will likely be on the ground floor.

Azuriik includes 221 total parking spaces, and only 20 bike parking spaces. Which is personally disappointing for an area with lots of nearby bike infrastructure and bike friendly streets; and being located next to MTS route 929, one of the highest ridership and highest frequency bus routes in South Bay San Diego. However National City still has parking minimums so this is not surprising.

Located north of the Downtown National City, and located next to the I-5 freeway really puts this development in an odd spot. However the area is very walkable and is a short walk away from busses to the Trolley Station. Within walking distance to the south is Southwestern Community College, the main street on 8th, and more. With the Navy base across the freeway and a short distance away. Most amenities are to the south do to this area being inaccessible.

While Azuriik has not yet broken ground and there is not an announced start date, the previous buildings on site were demolished and there has been earth work equipment on site on occasion. In 2023 it was announced that Suffolk Construction would be the general contractor.

While information is sparce still on this project, we do anticipate Azuriik to start soon. National City does not have public permit information and there were no public records requests on this project so it is hard to judge. But with Mirka and MAAC finishing up projects and the funding alrady being allocated. It is likely National City will soon see a true highrise on par with new development in Chula Vista and San Diego.

If you would like to read about Mirka's project in Downtown San Diego, you can find our writeup on that project here https://buildsd.org/projects/mirka-tower-mirka-1000

If you know any information on this project, please let us know. Details are varied across several sources so if the are any inaccuracies we would want to correct them.

https://maacproject.org/blog/affordable-housing-azuriik/

https://www.mirkainvest.com/azuriik/

https://www.mirkainvest.com/san-diego-business-journal-mar-7-edition/

https://www.sdbj.com/news/enews/national-city-tower-planned/

https://www.borettomerrill.com/projects-3-3

https://www.nationalcityca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/34864/638876024483670000

https://www.sdbj.com/featured/200m-national-city-apartment-tower-coming/