As recently as the 1980s, the ever-popular Gaslamp Quarter, Embarcadero, Cortez Hill, Little Italy and award-winning Horton Plaza were all part of what used to be a run-down collection of neighborhoods scattered throughout downtown San Diego.

Today it's the Ballpark District's turn to undergo a Renaissance. One of the leaders in this effort is CityMark Development with M2i, a seven-story mid-rise complex that offers a collection of upscale lofts and a retail center soon to be under construction. M2i will give new meaning to the word flexible, and provide sophisticated homebuyers with myriad choices in a vibrant urban setting.

"The Ballpark District is now the hottest location in downtown San Diego," said Rich Gustafson, president of the San Diego-based urban residential development firm. "M2i and its surrounding neighbors are in the middle of an unprecedented building boom, with new retail centers, a proposed new library and, most important, upscale urban homes going up just a few steps away from Petco Park, which will open next April. The idea of entertaining friends on M2i's rooftop deck before ambling to the Gaslamp Quarter or to Petco Park is one of the many alluring possibilities too compelling to resist."

Just for openers, said Gustafson, M2i will offer 36 spacious and free-flowing floor plans from which to choose, which will enable home buyers to put in their own interior walls almost wherever they want. Other eye-catching features include interiors towering as high as 14 feet, complemented by expansive, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of downtown and beyond.

With move-ins scheduled for mid-2005, the lofts at CityMark Development's M2i will offer a combination of design, location and urban lifestyle.

"M2i represents the best combination of innovative and modern interiors and exteriors, featuring sleek lines, exposed concrete surfaces and metal cladding, offset by blended color accents that have the necessary warmth and welcome all homebuyers want," Gustafson said. "It's the ultimate in urban sophistication, offering a building that goes beyond the usual stucco and wood construction materials that dominate so many other urban residences.

"Residents will instantly become charter members of the newest neighborhood in the city's grand plan to revitalize downtown," he said. "The Ballpark District will be as energetic as the Gaslamp Quarter, but with its own identity and landmarks, situated in a quiet and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. Residents will be far from the lively crowds, but close enough to reach'em if they want."

Spanning an entire city block bounded by Market Street, Island Avenue and 10th and 11th avenues, M2i will consist of 230 lofts ranging from 542 square feet to 1,889 square feet, featuring private decks and a vast selection of upgrades. Interior amenities include skylights, spacious kitchen islands with granite tile countertops, breakfast bars, maple cabinetry, cast-iron dual sinks, Grohe plumbing fixtures and General Electric appliances.

Other amenities include striking lobbies, a fully equipped exercise facility, a landscaped courtyard, secure underground parking and walk-up entrances from the street for selected lower level residences.

M2i's lofts are priced from the $200,000s to the $600,000s, with move-ins slated for mid-2005.

Related Link

CityMark Development: www.citymarkdev.co