In preparation for the upcoming trolley terminus that will link to the property, the owner of the Costa Verde shopping center opposite Westfield UTC plans to demolish its 31-year-old strip mall and replace it with something more suitable. The revitalization effort, which has been in the works since 2015, hopes to merge community retail with a modern, 400,000 square-foot life science campus and a 200-room business hotel.

On Thursday, the San Diego Planning Commission gave its approval to Regency Centers, located in Jacksonville. Commissioners agreed unanimously to suggest approval of a general plan amendment, a community plan amendment and certification of the project’s environmental analysis.

The Costa Verde center, located at 8560 Genesee Ave., between La Jolla Village Drive and Nobel Drive, was constructed in 1989 and now features 178,000 square feet of retail space on a 13.9-acre tract, most notably including McDonald’s, Chevron, and Bristol Farms. With the redo, Regency and its partner Alexandria, a San Diego-based life science real estate developer, are retaining the quick food joint and the gas station, and sustaining the same square footage of retail. But it’s all getting a makeover to look more like a modern urban employment hub, replete with a plaza for events, more restaurants, and more greenery.

Co-Chief Investment Officer Dan Ryan of Alexandria reaffirmed the ambitious objective, telling commissioners that the project is unlike any other on the West Coast due to its accessibility to both talent and transportation. Ryan’s company will construct and manage the research and development portion, which he estimates will attract out-of-town companies already interested in the college town’s biotech cluster with its potential workforce of up to 2,000 scientists.

Regent and Alexandria are both contributing their own money to the venture, making them equal partners. The amount spent on the endeavor was kept secret. The current iteration of the project will cost significantly more to construct than the earlier iteration, which was estimated at $230 million before Alexandria became involved.

Location at the end of the future Mid-Coast Trolley line, which will link downtown to University City, and proximity to housing are two of the project’s biggest selling points, according to both developers and commissioners. There are supposedly around 18,000 homes within a mile of the location. A station platform between the two Alexandria office buildings on Genesee will provide access to the center for commuters (likely students, employees, and shoppers). The same station provides access to the eastbound Westfield UTC.

All six commissioners agreed that the new building would be an upgrade over the old one. The majority of speakers at the public hearing were in favor of the project, but attorney Christina Caro, speaking on behalf of the San Diegans for Sustainable Economic and Equitable Development (SD SEED) coalition of labor organizations, voiced opposition to the project due to its potential negative effects on noise, air quality, and transportation. According to her, the environmental impact report exaggerates the number of trips to new stores while underestimating the number of trips to established ones.

According to the city’s estimates in the final environmental study, the project will increase the average number of daily vehicle trips at several intersections by 4,981. Next month, the City Council will vote on the issue after it has been approved by the Planning Commission. Regency Centers plans to begin demolition in June, with the goal of having the majority of the work done by the 2023 Christmas season.