In February 2022, The National Association of Home Builders honored HomeFed Corporation with the Best Low-Rise Apartment Community award at the Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards for their innovative work on The Residences at Escaya. This standout community blends residential living with urban sensibilities, creating a pedestrian-friendly, village-style experience. At its core is a vibrant “main street” corridor, anchored by a central village green and surrounded by boutique retail, community shops, and sidewalk cafés—all designed to promote walkability and community engagement.
H&A’s Role
Hunsaker & Associates San Diego, Inc. was responsible for comprehensive planning, engineering, and surveying services on this complex 10-acre mixed-use development. Our scope included:
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Design review packages
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Rough and precise grading plans
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Full utility and improvement plans
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Survey and construction staking
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Final design engineering
The development includes 273 residential units, 20,000 SF of commercial space, and 10,000 SF of Community Purpose Facility (CPF) space. Amenities like a recreation area with pool and spa, children’s play zone, Boys & Girls Club, and community plazas reflect the project’s focus on livability and shared experiences.
Project Challenges & H&A Solutions
1. ADA Accessibility in a Sloped Urban Setting:
Many commercial and community areas fronted steep streets, requiring ADA-compliant hardscaping in complex terrain. H&A worked in close collaboration with the architect, structural engineer, and contractor to develop a detailed paving and grading strategy that met all accessibility standards while maintaining the urban character of the site.
2. Grade Management Across a Sloping Site:
With substantial elevation changes spanning the project area, integrating large residential and commercial structures required precision. H&A engineered a tiered roadway and retaining wall system that not only solved grade transition issues but preserved accessible paths of travel throughout the site, ensuring full connectivity between uses.