San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood will soon be receiving additional office and retail space, as Kilroy’s six-story mixed-use project begins to take shape at the corner of Kettner Boulevard and W. Hawthorn Street. Currently available for lease, the commercial building, referred to as 2100 Kettner, is expected to be delivered in the coming months.
Taking up a full city block, the building will soon provide 220,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of retail space, according to the property’s website. Office space at the building will average approximately 42,000 square feet office space will average 42,000 square feet 280 parking spaces
In addition to the ground floor shopping and dining, future tenants of the building will have access to a lifestyle fitness studio, lounge areas, flexible outdoor work spaces, outdoor terraces and a rooftop deck. Open stairwells, flexible floor plates and outward facing balconies also will help with airflow while providing tenants with a collaborative work environment, according to the property’s website.
“Designed as a destination for office tenants and the surrounding community, the development will include restaurants, retail and gathering spaces that spill onto the sidewalk creating a dynamic open plaza. The design accommodates a variety of distinct dining experiences on the ground floor that combine to create an ‘urban living room’ garden,” Gensler, the architecture firm tasked with project designs, states on a landing page for the project.
“The upper levels are tailored to the needs of creative office tenants, with private amenities and large floor plates that are flexible, expandable and hackable. Outdoor terraces on each of the upper floors provide shade and allow cool coastal air to circulate throughout the office space.”
The Little Italy location will place future tenants near a variety of retail and dining options. The property also offers waterfront views and is near prime attractions, including the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park and Waterfront Park. Little Italy is also home to many residential towers, with nearby properties including AV8, Allegro Towers, Broadstone Little Italy, Camden Tuscany Apartments and more.
“Little Italy as we see it today has long evolved since the 1920s when over 6,000 Italian-American families planted their roots and toiled to establish San Diego as the center of the world’s flourishing tuna industry,” the property’s site states. “…This hard-working spirit is built into the community’s foundation, strengthened by top-of-class housing, high-street retail, transit, and historic landmarks – it’s no wonder today’s workforce has their eyes set on Little Italy. With the addition of 2100 Kettner and over 1,000 new residential units, Little Italy is positioning itself as the most desired neighborhood in San Diego.”
While 2100 Kettner is Kilroy’s first venture into Little Italy, the company recently announced plans to develop an additional 275,000 square-foot office space on the adjacent block. Located at 2045 Pacific Highway, the site was acquired in June for approximately $42 million. In total, the company is developing 23.6 million square feet across Greater Los Angeles, Greater San Diego, the Pacific Northwest and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Neither Gensler nor Kilroy responded in time to comment on this story.
