SDSU Mission Valley's residential and retail development begins to take shape

The first thing San Diego State University built after taking control of land in Mission Valley was Snapdragon Stadium.Then came the SDSU Mission Valley River Park. Now, on the other side of a privacy fence on the east side of Snapdragon Stadium, a new structure is emerging.

The early framework of the structure can be seen from Friars Road, nearby freeways, residences in the area and those at Snapdragon Stadium. When finished, the building will be Avalon Mission Valley, featuring 621 apartments and 30,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by a grocery store.

“SDSU Mission Valley was designed to be a live, work, play environment,” Gina Jacobs, associate vice president of SDSU Mission Valley Development, told NBC 7. “And this will be the first residential, retail space on site at SDSU Mission Valley.”

Avalon Mission Valley, along with events at Snapdragon Stadium, will help pay for the next phases of SDSU Mission Valley, including more housing and retail, a hotel, more parks, plus research and innovation spaces.

SDSU leased the ground the new structures are located on to AvalonBay Communities.

“The developer will pay SDSU a ground lease. Over time, the revenue generated by that will help us reinvest on the site and on the Mesa, and really create new revenue streams for the university,” Jacobs said.

Avalon Mission Valley is expected to be completed in early 2028.

After Qualcomm Stadium was demolished, there were serious doubts that SDSU could build anything in Mission Valley. Many thought that between environmental challenges, high construction costs, legal challenges, the general challenges of building in California and the fact that San Diego State was a large, public university would hamper SDSU’s efforts, but six years later, and the first phase of SDSU Mission Valley can see the finish line.

“SDSU had a vision for this site, and we had our mind set on achieving that vision, and it wasn’t just SDSU’s vision, it was the communities vision for what they wanted to see here in Mission Valley,” Jacobs said. “We always believed in ourselves and believe that we would be able to keep this land, that is public land in public ownership and be the next public steward for this property.”