Why this matters
The project is the first of 11 transit oriented development projects the North County Transit District is planning. It says the projects will add over 2,000 housing units.
The Oceanside City Council gave the green light Wednesday to a years-in-the-making apartment and hotel complex at the city’s transit center.
The project renovates the city’s current transit center at 235 South Tremont, turning it into a complex fit with close to 550 apartment units, a hotel and retail space. It will also include a designated customer service center, public parking and relocates the bus island at the stop. The Transit District said it will cut passenger walk time in half.
Also included in the proposal is a renovation of the nearby North County Transit District headquarters at 810 Mission Ave. into over 200 apartment units. Across the two sites’ 750 housing units, 15% are slated to be offered at affordable rents.
After the vote, North County Transit District CEO Shawn Donaghy said that the project will “improve the customer and employee experience at the Oceanside Transit Center while bringing much-needed housing and economic development to the area. … NCTD is committed to better serving our communities through the redevelopment of our stations, providing a more welcoming introduction to our transit services.”
The project now heads to the California Coastal Commission for final review next year.
The Oceanside project is the first of 11 planned “transit oriented development” projects that the North County Transit District has embarked on to revitalize its stops, something it hopes will help cities with housing crises and increase ridership. Transit District officials said the 11 projects will generate 2,341 housing units (37% of which are affordable), 275 hotel rooms and retail space.
Oceanside’s transit center is a central hub for transit services in North County. It connects communities to San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County and North County inland cities. It is the only station served by the Sprinter hybrid rail, Coaster commuter rail, Amtrak, Metrolink, Breeze buses and Lift paratransit services.
“The vision for a reimagined Oceanside Transit Center is the result of more than three years of public outreach, collaboration and compromise between a diverse coalition of local residents, nonprofits, transit and housing advocates, and of course the City of Oceanside and NCTD,” said Michael McCann, the managing director of project developer Toll Brothers Apartment Living. “Downtown Oceanside has become such a unique destination that deserves a world-class transit center. We’re proud to be part of the team that will deliver a project that benefits not only Oceanside, but the region as well.”
