SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District

SDSU Mission Valley is delivering on its promise to boost San Diego’s economy. Since opening in fall 2022, the lively Snapdragon Stadium has achieved LEED Gold certification and hosted more than 150 events, including sold-out concerts, Aztec football games and pro soccer matches. Further growth is on the horizon, with the green light given to the first residential and retail developments and a Major League Soccer team set to arrive in 2025.

A short trolley ride from SDSU, the first phase of the Mission Valley Innovation District is planned to open in 2026. The Innovation District will facilitate new opportunities for students to pursue internships, contribute to new discoveries and connect with successful business leaders.

SDSU selected LPC West as the developer for the initial Innovation District project. This will include a parking garage, entrepreneurship hub, and two buildings dedicated to research labs and offices, comprising 315,000 of the total 1.6 million square feet for innovation.

Rendering courtesy of LPC West; Design: Lever / FPBA / JCFO; Image by E Studio Nod

Intended to foster collaborative and transdisciplinary partnerships, two of the multistory research buildings will house local companies, nonprofit organizations and SDSU researchers. They will collaborate to transform basic and applied science into marketable products aimed at combating diseases and addressing health injustices.

Located just south of the stadium, the upper floors of these buildings will have exclusive and exceptional views of Snapdragon Stadium's Bashor Field.

Rendering courtesy of LPC West; Design: Lever / FPBA / JCFO; Image by E Studio Nod

The entrepreneurship hub will be built between the two research-oriented buildings, next to a lush courtyard. It is the planned home for San Diego’s newest startup accelerator, Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU, and SDSU’s award-winning startup incubator, the Zahn Innovation Platform (ZIP) Launchpad. Constructed of mass timber, the hub will serve as a dynamic gathering place for founders, community members and campus partners.

In addition to the entrepreneurship spaces, employees, faculty and students will be able to mingle and exchange ideas in the café, fitness center, meeting rooms, and open spaces in and around these initial Innovation District buildings.

Rendering courtesy of Schmidt Design Group

These open spaces include the recently opened river park, which lies between the elevated trolley line and the San Diego River. This 34-acre park is designed to facilitate recreational opportunities for students and visitors while restoring the native ecosystem and naturally absorbing and filtering stormwater runoff. Throughout the park, visitors can discover art and interpretive signage that highlights the site’s Kumeyaay origins and the surrounding riparian environment.

 

Explore leasing options at the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District