Citrus Bay Community Brings New Homes to Chula Vista
New Life for a Familiar Location The Citrus Bay community in Chula Vista, California, is nearly complete and now open for sales. Located behind the Chula Vista Center, the development sits on the former Sears site, a spot many locals remember fondly. While it’s sad to see Sears gone, this new project brings fresh opportunities for families and individuals looking to live near shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Townhomes Now Selling Developer Cal West Living has started pre-sales for the two- and three-story townhomes at Citrus Bay, located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and I Street. More than a dozen homes have already been purchased, highlighting the strong demand for new housing in the area. “These homes combine traditional design with modern features you don’t often find in older homes on the west side of Chula Vista,” said Matt Thorne, partner and Chief Operating Officer of Cal West.
Citrus Bay offers six floor plans ranging from 1,102 to 1,776 square feet. Homes feature up to three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and two-car garages. Prices start in the high $500,000s for one-bedroom units, in the low $600,000s for two-bedroom units, and in the mid-$700,000s for three-bedroom homes.
Citrus Bay Community residents will enjoy a private recreation center with a pool, lounge area, and restrooms. Additionally, Cal West is developing a public park on the northeast corner of I Street and Fifth Avenue, adjacent to the Chula Vista Center. The half-acre green space will include play areas for kids, shaded picnic tables, benches, fitness equipment, and walking paths.
Although the city typically requires nearly two acres of parkland for a project of this size, the urban layout made a larger space impractical. Still, because Cal West is both funding and maintaining the park for its first 20 years, the city has approved the plan. The park will be called Citrus Bay Park, a name that reflects Chula Vista’s history of citrus farming. The estimated $1.8 million park is expected to be completed within the next 12 months.
A New Chapter for Chula Vista: In 2023, Cal West acquired the former Sears building, which had closed in early 2020. Demolition took about four months. I personally remember flying my drone over the site during that time; those photos are still on my Instagram for anyone interested in seeing the project’s early days. As you may recall, I initially posted about this project in March 2024; you can view the video here. There will also be a new SHARP Medical Center, but I will save that for another post.
Marciel Paras, a longtime Chula Vista resident and Citrus Bay Community sales rep, says the project comes at an exciting time. With the whole Chula Vista bayfront revamp underway and a planned makeover of the Chula Vista Center, the area is poised for growth.
In February, Los Angeles-based developer Primestor acquired the Chula Vista Center for $86 million. They announced plans to refresh the 32-acre site, which includes Macy’s, JCPenney’s, and the AMC Theater. However, we’ve yet to see any visible changes. Many locals I have spoken with had expected summer events or upgrades, but so far, it has been quiet. We will keep you updated on any changes as we become aware of them.
Are you excited for this new development in the area? Be sure to visit them on Instagram to see more photos and videos of the new homes.
