54-unit complex for military veterans OK’d

ESCONDIDO — On Wednesday the City Council unanimously approved a 54-unit affordable apartment complex for military veterans and their families.

Six apartments are already on the site. They’re historical adobe structures built by the Weir Brothers Construction Company on the corner of South Escondido Boulevard and 15th Street.

The apartment complex is the only known commercial building and apartment complex designed and constructed by the company.

They will stay in tact and serve as an office and laundry building for the apartment complex just approved.

Two three-story buildings will be built in an l-shape.

Veteran’s Village owns the property and is looking to house veterans and their families.

The units will be available to those who make 60 percent or less of the area median income.

There will be 84 parking spaces, which is consistent with the general plan.

A commercial building will also be built on the corner of the property to give veterans vocational training.

“The overall program of Veteran’s Village is vocational training,” David Ferguson with Veteran’s Village said. “(The commercial space) works out very well.”

As part of the agreement, Veteran’s Village agreed to install sidewalk along 15th Street between Maple and Broadway and along the perimeter of the apartment complex.

The project went through approval quickly, Ferguson said.

It took about a year.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the project with the stipulation that the two apartment buildings change colors.

The commission wants to see more earth tones. They were originally white to serve as a backdrop to the historical adobe buildings on the site.

Councilmembers John Masson and Olga Diaz both said they like white.

The Weir Brothers Construction Company built adobe homes throughout Escondido, making it the city with the highest concentration of adobe structures in the country, aside from New Mexico.

The California Environmental Quality Act determines the six adobe structures, built in 1961, are eligible for historic listing under local, state and national levels.

There will be 11 one-bedroom apartments, 32 two-bedroom apartments and five three-bedroom apartments.

There is a North County Transit District bus stop very nearby.

All of the councilmembers were in agreement that it’s a great project.

“It’s a great urban living project. It’s a great service to the veterans and their families,” said Mayor Sam Abed. “I like this project.”