McMillin's Eastern Urban Center Modeled for Research Project

The Eastern Urban Center, a future 210-acre mixed-use community in Chula Vista, Calif., is being modeled for a national research project by the National Energy Research Center, its Center for Sustainable Communities, the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the California Energy Commission. A hybrid of suburban and urban neighborhoods, this new community is being designed from the ground up to advance the implementation of green and sustainable practices, such as increasing energy and water efficiency and improving indoor air quality into building construction. It will also combine principles of smart growth and new urbanism to create a community that reduces automobile dependency, promotes pedestrian activity, improves air quality, decreases polluted storm water runoff, and is generally more livable and sustainable for people of all income levels.

Chula Vista, CA (PRWEB) November 17, 2008 -- The Eastern Urban Center, a future 210-acre mixed-use community by The Corky McMillin Companies in Chula Vista, is being modeled for a national research project by the National Energy Research Center, its Center for Sustainable Communities, the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the California Energy Commission.

According to Todd Galarneau, EUC project manager for The Corky McMillin Companies, this new urban center in the middle of Otay Ranch is being designed from the ground up to advance these national research efforts and put the new National Energy Research center in Chula Vista on the map.

"We would like the results to go beyond the project or the city," said Galarneau. "The level of progress this project can potentially make goes beyond the San Diego community."

A hybrid of suburban and urban neighborhoods, the EUC will include more than 3.4 million square feet of commercial space (office, civic and retail) and approximately 3,000 multifamily housing units. Located along the recently opened South Bay Expressway between Birch Road and Hunte Parkway, it is a transit-oriented project as rapid bus transit lines are planned that will connect it within minutes to both downtown San Diego and the International Border.

Next door to the Otay Ranch Towne Center regional mall and the future four-year university in Chula Vista, planners in Chula Vista envision this region one day rivaling the scope and prestige of the entire UCSD/Salk Institute/UTC mall and urban center, says Galarneau.

"Smart growth and sustainable planning principles have been thoroughly embraced and are reflected throughout the plan to create a healthy, vibrant community," said Galarneau. "We have been participating in exclusive focus groups with the U.S. Green Building Council to help us with the planning process."

The U.S. Green Building Council, in partnership with the Natural Defense Council and the Congress for New Urbanism, have developed a new rating system, called LEED for Neighborhood Development, to assess projects utilizing environmentally sensitive planning and development practices. Recently named a participant in the LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot program, McMillin has set a goal to have its EUC certified at one of the four LEED levels (certified, silver, gold or platinum).

Existing LEED programs have a proven track record of advancing the implementation of green and sustainable practices, such as increasing energy and water efficiency and improving indoor air quality into building construction. The new Neighborhood Development category will recognize projects that build on these concepts and integrate them with the combined principles of smart growth and new urbanism to create communities that reduce automobile dependency, promote pedestrian activity, improve air quality, decrease polluted storm water runoff, and are generally more livable and sustainable for people of all income levels.

Also identified by the San Diego Association of Governments as one of the eight planned or existing Smart Growth Urban Centers, the EUC will have great visibility and accessibility to residents of Otay Ranch and the entire South County region.

Founded in 1960 by Corky McMillin, The Corky McMillin Companies is building 1,000 homes this year in San Diego, Bakersfield and Central Valley, Calif., as well as San Antonio, Texas; developing five master-planned communities in Southern California, and is the proud developer of Liberty Station, voted Base Redevelopment Community of the Year by the Association of Defense Communities. For more information, visit http://www.mcmillin.com.

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