Projects
74 units
72,090 SF | 8 Levels (7 above grade / 1 below)
Hillcrest/Bankers Hill (San Diego)
Site Acquisition – Entitlement – Design –
Sustainable Materials & Building Systems
John Citrigno
Current Project – In Development
Project Description
The project is a boutique, high-performance multifamily midrise located in the upscale Hillcrest/Bankers Hill neighborhood in San Diego.
The project will deliver 74 thoughtfully designed residences, with the majority consisting of efficiently sized studio and one-bedroom units under 500 square feet to support attainability, complemented by premium larger corner one-bedroom and two-bedroom/two-bath units, as well as luxury penthouse residences on the top floor.
The building is eight levels in total—seven stories above grade and one level below—featuring a full under-building podium garage accessed from the rear alley. The 75′ x 130′ site (9,750 SF) is zoned RM-3-7 with a Housing Solutions Tier 2 overlay, allowing an 8.0 FAR.
The exterior and interior architecture embraces a clean, modern, minimalist aesthetic befitting an urban, luxury-rental experience.
Construction consists of five stories plus mezzanine of Type IIIA wood-frame over three of Type IA concrete podium (two above grade and one below grade).
Aerial drone video available upon request.
Lobby Experience & Ground-Level Amenities
Residents enter into our lobby with 11-foot-ceilings served by two high-speed Otis Gen3 elevators (350 FPM) with convenient stair access.
The lobby, designed by San Diego-based award-winning Tecture Design Studio, includes:
- Business center with free broadband Wi-Fi
- Secure package room with smart lockers
- Resident mailroom
To the right of the lobby is an Arsalun Tafazoli-inspired street-facing resident lounge area offering coffee service, countertop seating open to pedestrian activity, and a furnished patio overlooking the quiet street scene.
The manager’s office and on-site residence, which includes a private patio overlooking the street scene, are strategically located to the left of the entry lobby to provide an active on-property presence, leasing assistance, and timely resident support.
Beyond the lobby are key resident service amenities, including:
- A fully equipped fitness center
- Secure bike storage room with repair bench
- Laundry room with commercial-sized equipment
- Janitorial room
- Pet washroom
- Restroom
The fitness center features a dry sauna with a Himalayan salt wall, as well as a private shower and changing area.
Finishes throughout the lobby, lounge area, fitness center, and roof deck are curated to Class-A standards consistent with the best new multifamily product in Hillcrest/Bankers Hill.
Roof Deck & Resident Amenities
Designed by award winning San Diego-based McCullough Landscape Architects, our large (1,535 SF) roof deck offers dramatic downtown skyline, Coronado Bridge, bay, and ocean views:
And features:
- Outdoor chef’s kitchen
- Two BBQs
- Dining and wet-bar areas
- Covered lounge area with outdoor seating and a fire place
- Open lounge area with fire pit
- Sundeck with outdoor shower
- Free broadband Wi-Fi
Views from the roof deck and upper five floors are unobstructed and preserved by surrounding built-out historic parcels and height-limited zoning, providing enduring “forever views.”
Architecture, Materials & Building Science
Floors 1–3 feature polished concrete floors and exposed concrete ceilings, creating a contemporary industrial-loft aesthetic.
Floors 4–7 will use natural, sustainable flooring with strong LCA profiles (Marmoleum or cork) over Gypcrete or Levelrock (lightweight and a 75% lower carbon footprint than concrete) and a high-performance sound attenuation mat.
Floor/ceiling assemblies are engineered to exceed STC 60 and IIC 65 condominium quality sound attenuation.
The project is designed to meet PHIUS Passive Building standards, incorporating:
- Continuous exterior insulation (CI) to eliminate thermal bridging
- Closed-cell spray foam insulation (R-7.5/inch) sealing the exterior walls
- Hyper-insulated wall and floor assemblies
- Mechanical ventilation with optional filtration
RDH Building Science and specialized acoustical consultants have been retained to optimize building envelope thermal and acoustic performance.
The roof is protected with an 80-mil white TPO membrane for increased longevity and to enhance bifacial solar panel and heat-pump efficiency through reflectivity.
Collectively, these measures yield:
- Lower energy consumption
- Superior resident comfort
- Healthier indoor air
- Reduced turnover
- Higher NOI/value creation relative to cost
Smart Home Technology
All residences include:
- Smart keyless dual-deadbolt entry
- Smart WiFi enabled thermostats
- Room-level temperature control (2BR units)
- AT&T gigabit fiber (existing to property)
- Cat-8/data ports and USB charging outlets
- Dimmable LED lighting
Unit Design
All residences feature:
- Private balconies or Juliettes
- 9′ ceilings (Penthouse units have 18′ great rooms with 8′ lofts)
- Recessed lighting with smart dimmer switches
- Roller shades with blackout lining
- Whisper quiet multi-speed modern white ceiling fans
- White quartz kitchen and bath countertops
- Contemporary cabinetry with pantry storage
- Stainless steel sinks with quiet InSinkErator Evolution disposals
- Energy efficient Energy Star™ appliances
The premium kitchen appliance package (best-in-class) includes:
- Bosch Induction range
- Bosch convection wall oven
- Bosch whisper quiet dishwasher
- Frigidaire French-door refrigerators (36″ in large units; 31″ in studios/1BRs)
- Optional in-cabinet or countertop microwave
- The premium kitchen appliance package (best-in-class) includes:
All bathrooms feature:
- Large-format tiled tub/shower surrounds
- Deep European style soaking tubs
- Full-height tile showers in primary en-suite bathrooms
- Sleek, minimalist wall-mount dual flush toilets
- Ultra quiet 100+ CFM smart exhaust fans
- Premium satin nickel fixtures
Studios and one-bedrooms include full-size WiFi enabled stacked washers/dryers; larger units include full-size side-by-side washer/dryers.
Closet systems are thoughtfully planned, with coat closets at entries, linen closets in bathrooms, and full-sized wardrobe closets, including walk-in closets in select layouts.
Water Quality & Mechanical Systems
All incoming domestic water is whole-building filtered to remove chlorine and contaminants, providing naturally soft, healthier water—enhancing resident health and delivering a rare quality-of-life upgrade not found in most competing properties.
Hot water is generated by high-efficiency electric heat pump boilers, preheated by solar thermal for up to 50% energy savings. A smart, well-insulated recirculation design ensures near-instant hot water at fixtures, which saves water and enhances sustainability.
Space conditioning utilizes a state-of-the-art value engineered hybrid approach:
- Ephoca AIO ducted heat pumps for the studios and 1BR efficiency units
- High-performance VRF mini-splits for the larger 1BR, 2BR and Penthouse units
The first floor lobby/gym/common areas are conditioned by a centralized VRF system, allowing zone-level optimization and heat recovery, minimizing waste.
Parking & Mobility
Although not required under Complete Communities, the project provides thirty five (35) parking spaces within a gated, alley-accessed under-building garage utilizing a mechanical parking system. Spaces rent for $150–$200/month depending on width, and EV charging.
Additional mobility options include three (3) spaces for motorcycle or scooter parking, also with EV charging support. And the project is exploring implementation of an EV car-share program with convenient access from the alley.
Sustainability & Energy Systems (Net Zero-Aligned)
An 82,000 kWh/year bifacial solar PV system with leading-edge battery storage is being designed with the goal of reducing common-area house electrical loads to Net Zero. AI-managed distribution of excess capacity during SDGE Peak hours will be utilized to reduce resident utility burdens and improve retention.
Battery storage includes:
- Basement level battery room for robust capacity solar energy storage/distribution
- Code-required emergency systems backup (90-minute elevator/life-safety)
Neighborhood Character
The project is not on a through street, offering a quiet, safe residential experience with abundant on-street parking—rare in urban-core San Diego. In fact, none of the Complete Communities multifamily projects recently built, under construction or planned, enjoy such a location.
The neighborhood consists of well-maintained historic homes, restored Victorians, and multimillion-dollar residences.
Location Advantages
- Walking distance to Hillcrest and Bankers Hill dining, cafes, nightlife, services, and Balboa Park amenities
- Minutes from Downtown, Little Italy, the airport, and beaches
- Elevated, unobstructed views in all directions from upper floors
- No competing new midrise within the immediate area
Developer Contact
John Citrigno
Founder/Managing Member
Cirius Green Development
3919 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104
Toll-Free: 800-951-9501
iPhone: 408-314-3815
john@ciriusgreen.com
107 units
Treehouse Apartments | 115,453 SF (8 above grade / 1 below)
Bankers Hill (San Diego)
Site Acquisition – Entitlement – Preliminary Design
Danny Fitzgerald / Chris Roberson
Built by ECON Construction for Raintree Partners, 2025
94 units
Casa Verde Apartments | 61,200 SF | 7 stories)
North Park (San Diego)
Site Acquisition – Entitlement – Preliminary Design
Danny Fitzgerald / Chris Roberson
Built by Premium West for Champion Development Partners, 2023
44 units
72,090 SF | 5 Story
Aurora Apartments | 657 W. MacArthur Blvd (Oakland)
Site Acquisition – Entitlement – Preliminary Design
John Citrigno / Chris Porto / Carlos Plazola
Built by Affirmed Housing, 2021
Testimonial
“I worked with John on the design and preconstruction of a 74-unit multifamily midrise development in the Hillcrest/Bankers Hill area of San Diego. He made it his mission to become well-informed on all aspects of entitlement, design, permitting, construction materials and technology, constructability, and project costs. He was always prepared, asked good questions, and consistently provided insights that helped guide the project forward, informed by decades of multifamily real estate experience and a deep understanding of sustainable, high-performance building design.”
Geoff McMillen, Preconstruction Manager
ECON Construction