More than 20 years ago, H.G. Fenton Co. had a vision that called for the transformation of a 200-acre former mining site in Mission Valley into a cohesive urban community where people could work, live, shop and play.

Today, that community -- known as Mission City -- is an example of urban planning at its best, with architecturally integrated residential, office and retail development; well-thought-out transportation; and a brand new library -- attributes that are expected to draw close to 3,000 new homebuyers and renters over the next two years.

"Mission City really broke new ground with the city of San Diego as one of the first master-planned mid-city communities that included a vision for residential, retail and office development," said Mike Neal, president and CEO of H.G. Fenton Co. "The property had been one of our oldest and most successful gravel mining operations. As we looked to the future, the question became, how can we maximize the use of this land and create something that will benefit San Diegans for generations to come?"

A several year master-planning effort began in which H.G. Fenton Co. looked at the needs of San Diego then, and what the projected needs of the city and its residents would be in the future. "This was a tedious and evolutionary process; we realized that building out a project of this size would take years and that we would need to be attentive to changing trends," Neal said.

In 1984, the Northside Specific Plan was approved, paving the way for Mission Valley's first significant office and residential development in years. Mission City Corporate Center represented the first phase, beginning construction in 1988. Over the next two years, the three-building project added 200,000 square feet of Class A space immediately west of Qualcomm Stadium.

Jefferson at Mission Valley, a 670-unit apartment complex located at Northside Drive and Friars Road followed in 1996, with JPI developing the community on land entitled and zoned by H.G. Fenton Co. The success of these residential and office projects spurred H.G. Fenton Co. to take another look at the plan in 1996.

"We really wanted to maximize the integrity of the development area, and create a very special community that would be a place where people would want to live and work," Neal said. "Over the next two years, we re-tooled the specific plan, lowering density and adding approximately 500,000 square feet of retail. The plan was renamed Mission City and was approved in 1998."

In 1999, Archstone Communities built Archstone Mission Valley a 736-unit residential project located at Fenton Parkway and Friars Road.

In addition, Fenton Marketplace also came on line, with Sudberry Properties serving as developer, bringing in a strategic mix of tenants that included an Ikea and Costco (Nasdaq: COST), as well as a variety of services and restaurants. The center includes a San Diego Trolley stop, as well as a library that was built on a 2-acre site donated by H.G. Fenton Co.

"Fenton Marketplace really marked the transition of Mission City from a nice place to live and work, to a community that had the synergy and infrastructure needed to make it one of the city's most desirable places in which to live or work," Neal said.

Today, Mission City's evolution continues with the development of Escala, a master-planned residential community being built on 90 acres of land that H.G. Fenton Co. sold to Shea and Continental Homes in 2002. The site is located on the north side of Friars Road, between Northside Drive and Fenton Parkway.

"Escala is a very special project that is being built on a gradually sloping canyon above Mission Valley and that ultimately will total approximately 780 homes," said Neal. "Shea and Continental have worked diligently in the planning of this community to ensure that it integrates well with the surrounding area, and that it also provides residents with a real sense of community. They have accomplished this by developing six distinct but cohesive neighborhoods that offer homebuyers a variety of plan options to meet their needs."

Escala will feature gated entry access and Tuscan-style architecture with subtle variations to the six neighborhoods. The centerpiece of the project is a 5,000-square-foot recreation center designed to resemble an Italian Vineyard estate. Residents will have access to a large swimming pool, fitness center and landscaped grounds with walking trails, barbecues and picnic areas.

Sales for Escala are under way and moving briskly. First phase move-ins are scheduled for later this year.

The 90 acres of land that H.G. Fenton Co. sold to Shea and Continental were part of a 113-gross-acre parcel. H.G. Fenton Co. retained ownership of the remaining 16.5 acres, with plans to develop a 396-unit apartment community called Portofino that will complement Escala while providing much-need for-rent housing.

"The transformation of this area has been remarkable and is an undertaking we are truly proud of," Neal said. "Portofino is very special to us because it represents our first foray into private residential development -- working with Archstone Communities -- and is the first project in Mission City that we will retain ownership of after its completion."

Recognizing the growing demand San Diegans have for quality housing near their places of work, H.G. Fenton Co. entered the multifamily market in 1998, with the acquisition of Tierrasanta Ridge and Scripps Landing. Since then, six other apartment acquisitions have followed, bringing the company's residential portfolio to 2,117 units. Portofino will increase that number to 2,513 units.

"With Portofino, we are once again expanding our residential portfolio, but this time with a community that we have been instrumental in planning," Neal said. "This is very exciting for us since we have a long-term commitment to every project we own and a desire to provide our business tenants and residents with a variety of product options to meet their needs now and in the years to come."

The 396-unit, gated apartment community called Portofino, as depicted in the rendering above, will include units ranging from 730 square feet to 1,375 square feet.

Portofino features an Italian hillside theme, with Tuscan-style architecture that complements neighboring Escala. It also includes 5.5 acres of designated open space with amenities including a trail system for walking, biking and jogging. There will also be a clubhouse, resort-style pool and spa, business center and fitness center.

Portofino will offer gated entry access and a variety of plans to meet the needs of single residents to couples and young families. Residences will range from loft-style floor plans with approximately 790 square feet, to one-, two- and three-bedroom plans ranging from 730 square feet to 1,375 square feet.

All residences will be well-appointed and some will include garages. The clubhouse, pool and spa will sit atop a bluff, with the pool and spa extending outward over the canyon below and offering views of the trail and park area.

Architects Orange designed Portofino, and Wermers Construction is the general contractor. Landscape architecture is by Gillespie Design.

"Escala and Portofino represent a key element of the vision we had many years ago for Mission City as a vital business, residential and retail community," Neal said. "We believed that for a community like Mission City to be successful, it needed to be thoughtfully planned from the outset, setting the stage for a cooperative effort between the public and private sector. Most importantly, it needed to be comprehensive and combine all of the elements that make the crucial difference between developing a project and developing a community. We chose the latter approach."

Grove is president of The Grove Agency.

Related Link

H.G. Fenton Co.: www.hgfenton.com