La Mesa approves five-story, 114-unit mixed-use building for village ...Middle East

LA MESA — The La Mesa City Council, hands tied by state law, has approved a mixed-use building that will bring 114 residential units to the village. 

CityMark Palm will transform a 0.87 acre parcel on Palm and Allison avenues that currently operates as a private paid parking lot surrounded by mature trees.

Developer CityMark would take out trees and pavement to make way for a five-story building with a parking garage, retail space and a range of studio, lofts, one- and two-bedroom units. 

The council wasn’t voting on Tuesday to approve the building itself, but just whether the design conformed with the Urban Design Program and Downtown Village Specific Plan. The Design Review Board already had voted that it did. While the council unanimously agreed, some city council members expressed displeasure with certain design aspects and the lack of parking. 

“There’s been times where we have not ratified the (Design Review Board), and we were immediately contacted by the state,” explained Mayor Mark Arapostathis. 

The proposal includes five income-restricted affordable units and is close enough to transit to be exempt from many local density laws, including ones that prohibit developments over 46 feet tall and require that third stories be 10 feet set back from the street. 

“Because of the state law and because of density bonus, people are able to forego what we have in our municipal code regarding building,” Aparapostathis said. “It’s a frustrating thing.” 

Due to the development’s proximity to a bus stop, for MTS Route 852,and the La Mesa Boulevard trolley station, which is across the street, state law sets no minimum on parking spaces, Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares noted. She praised the project though for bringing retail to the vibrant area. 

“While this is certainly a change for the village, I think that mixed use makes a whole lot more sense than it just being housing,” Cazares said. “I look forward to welcoming the businesses that will take over the base of that building.” 

That proximity to the retail district is one of the reasons the council members worried about parking. An influx of residents, they said, might take up spots that would normally have high turnover from visitors to village shops.

The proposed parking garage has 72 spots for the 158 bedrooms set to be part of CityMark’s project. Street parking on both streets around the building is already metered. 

Councilmember Laura Lothian and Cazares recently reviewed all the streets in the village of La Mesa, looking for every possible red or white curb, underutilized corner or small space that might have a parking spot eked out of it. 

“It’s an urgent problem, and we need to get ahead of it,” Lothian said. 

In addition to parking, Lothian had reservations about the orange and black, boxy design that she said does not fit in with the village aesthetic. 

“These apartment buildings look like they belong in Mission Valley or Mira Mesa,” Lothian said. 

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