National CORE Website Photo

Palm City Transit Village National CORE Project 1

Palm City // Innovative TOD project at Palm Ave Station

Under Review

Completion Year: UnknownHeight: UnknownFloors: 6Residential Units: 77Affordable Units: 76Hotel Rooms: 0Open Space, acres: 0Retail Space, sqft: UnknownOffice Space, sqft: 0Transit Connections: BLU, 933, 934

This is the article on the first building in "Palm City Transit Village" a whole project page will be made later.

National CORE is starting on an innovative project to hopefully lower the cost of housing. This is the first building in what will be a new high tech green community, doing so by being the first to incorporate several tech features. Per The California Energy Commission (3) this project is intended to test "the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of advanced energy technologies in affordable housing, highlighting environmental benefits and aiding policy advancements through knowledge transfer". These technologies being both construction methods and energy efficient design.

This building is projected to have a 22% reduction in energy use and be 92% more cost efficient on electricity. This is done by having smart technology like lighting and binds that work in conjunction with the thermostat to keep lighting the same by opening windows and turning off lights, and opening blinds to let in more heat or keep out the heat on summer days. It will also have heat pump water heaters and thermostats that respond based on electricity demand, avoiding peak costs. Also integrated are solar panels and batteries to form a community backup power source and mainly a renewable source of energy that lasts into the peak load times. This will save money.

In construction they are incorporating better insulation into the design, but also to lower building heat there will be external building shades or awnings, and materials like ENRG Blanket, a phase changing material used in walls and ceilings to regulate and stop heat from outside. And the structure will use bamboo prefabricated panels from BamCore which are lower carbon than wood and allow for more insulation.

The first phase project itself is going to be an affordable senior housing project, containing 77 units for seniors and one managers unit (1). Ranging from studios to 3 bedroom units being planned for larger households. Construction is planned to start late 2025 and if everything goes as planned open late 2027. Several tax exemptions and loans are still in the works. This will be the first of many buildings planned for this site. With Malick Infill Development and Casa Familiar also being planned for this large MTS Lot. (6) The original plan was 4 buildings, 3 from National Core, 1 from Malick Infill development however that may have changed between 2021 and 2023 (6) (7) .

The project site is located along the Blue Line Trolley and the MTS 933/934 bus loop to Imperial Beach and western Otay Mesa. The full buildout is still being planned, but estimates 406 total units across 6 buildings. A future article will cover the whole TOD project

National CORE Website PhotoUnder Review