SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Father Joe’s Villages is planning to purchase a former indoor skydiving site in the San Diego's East Village and transform it into affordable housing.
Officials with Father Joe’s Villages said the organization plans to redevelop the land that was once occupied by the Skydiving Center on 1401 Imperial Avenue and build 176 affordable housing units.
In addition to housing, services such as physical and mental healthcare and employment assistance will be offered at the site.
The land is located not too far from Father Joe’s Villages East Village Campus.
The Skydiving Center opened in 2014, but it went out of business a few years later.
After the City of San Diego bought the property, it was used as a homeless response center.
Father Joe’s Villages President/CEO Deacon Jim Vargas said in a statement:
“Father Joe’s Villages is proud to have been selected for purchase and redevelopment of 1401 Imperial Avenue, which will soon become the future home to hundreds of San Diegans at risk or experiencing homelessness.
Over the years, this property has been evaluated for many different purposes. We at Father Joe’s Villages have found a way to build upon the structure’s strengths to the benefit of the community. By repurposing the existing site while employing high performance building materials, we can scale the building to 15 floors with 176 units of 100% affordable housing. In addition to affordable housing, future residents will have access to wrap-around services that Father Joe's Villages offers, such as physical and behavioral health care, social supports and employment services which will help residents attain self- sufficiency and success.
This project, and the many other affordable housing units Father Joe’s Villages has built, is critical to helping people exit homelessness and find housing stability. We must deploy creative solutions to meet the ever growing need, and this site is just one such example.
We are committed to creating a community that residents are proud to call home, supporting the city’s broader vision for growth and providing diverse living options for residents.”
