For nearly 30 years, The City of Chula Vista has pursued a vision of creating a University Innovation District on over 383-acres of city-owned land in Eastern Chula Vista. A project history and background is available to be viewed here which summarizes the City's many efforts to realize the vision over the years. The City intends to recruit and co-locate a unique mix of academic partners in an environment different than a traditional university campus. Instead academic institutions, including a four-year university, will integrate with commercial, retail and residential functions in an urban, mixed-use setting. This will provide a collaborative learning and research environment for engaging students, faculty and corporations in the creation and application of knowledge for cross-border economic, social and cultural development. The University will offer a globally desirable range of academic, entrepreneurial, and urban amenities to attract the talent and investment that will sustain a world-class educational-innovation ecosystem.

The site is situated next to an 11,375-acre ecological preserve, less than two miles from the United States-Mexico international border, and is adjacent to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center — all of which provide unique opportunities for the University and Innovation District. The site is close to quality full-service master planned communities and features incomparable views and access to future high-frequency transit and amenities. The University Innovation District is planned to be California’s next great university.

A recruitment process has begun to identify appropriate institutions to locate within the City's UniverCity. For more information, please contact Special Projects Manager, Adrianna Hernandez at adhernandez@chulavistaca.gov.

Project Highlights

• Over 553 acres dedicated to a bi-national, multi-institutional University Innovation District, The UniverCity at Chula Vista 
• Located in thriving San Diego County urban area near U.S.-Mexico border
• Project is entitled to accommodate
  • 4M square feet of academic space for 20,000 students and 6,000 faculty/staff
  • 2M square feet of innovation district uses for 8,000 jobs
  • 1.6M square feet of onsite student and faculty living
  • 2M square feet of market rate and affordable residential 
  • 160 acres of beautiful open space preserve surrounding the University property
• Phase 1 Under Construction! Deliverable Fall 2025

Phase 1: Millenia Library & UniverCity Phase 1

Funding from the City of Chula Vista and State of California Library has been secured to construct a state-of-the-art 168,000 square foot Class "A" office building that will launch the first phase of the University Innovation District. Construction has begun and will be completed Fall 2025.