Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan EIR

The project involves the demolition of an existing three-story, 66-room hotel spanning 16,640 square feet along with the removal of on-site hardscape, landscaping, and an outdoor pool at 4545 Mission Bay Drive in San Diego. In place of the existing structures, a new four-story hotel will be constructed with 100 rooms and a total footprint of 77,600 square feet, including a 21,876 square foot subterranean parking level beneath the building. The new development will feature guest amenities such as an outdoor pool, garden patios, and lounge areas. The 0.64-acre site is situated within the Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan and falls under multiple overlay zones including Coastal, Transit Priority, Cultural Resources Sensitivity Area: High, and Base Zone CC-3-8, with the location legally described as Lot 2 of Hansen’s Tract. The project is subject to the Coastal Development Permit process and operates within the Pacific Beach Community Plan Area in Council District 1. The environmental review for the project is governed under the Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan EIR, and the application is currently active in the City of San Diego’s planning system, with key staff points of contact including Development Project Manager Emmanuel Cadena and Associate Planner Courtney Holowach. Ketan T. Patel of Palacio Hotels serves as the project representative. The site is located in zip code 92109, and the project is forecasted with a posted date of July 15, 2026. All activities are aligned with the city’s transit-oriented development goals and fall under non-appealable coastal jurisdiction. The property’s designation as a Cultural Resources Sensitivity Area: High indicates the need for careful assessment of potential impacts on cultural resources, while the absence of paleontological sensitivity allows for standard grading procedures in that regard.