SAN DIEGO — American Assets Trust Inc., a San Diego-based REIT, has acquired Pacific Ridge, a 533-unit apartment complex near the San Diego coastline, for $232 million. The sale is one of the largest multifamily transactions in San Diego history, according to Berkadia, which brokered the transaction.
Pacific Ridge is a Class A luxury community located on 15 acres with unobstructed ocean views. Carmel Partners developed the 577,147-square-foot property, which opened in 2010.
Outdoor amenities include Moroccan-styled common areas, lounges, two saltwater pools and spas, an outdoor grill and dining pavilion, yoga deck, bocce court, fire pits, jogging trail and dog walk. Indoor amenities include a wine bar, coffee bar, demonstration kitchen, fitness center, tanning studio, board sport and bicycle storage, saltwater aquarium and concierge.
The property is located near San Diego International Airport, SeaWorld San Diego and Petco Park, home of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres.
Berkadia cited a declining unemployment rate — falling 60 basis points year-over-year to 4 percent at the end of February — as a reason for San Diego’s attractiveness as a market. Ed Rosen, John Chu, Kyle Pinkalla and Erin Dammen of Berkadia represented the seller, identified only as “a San Francisco-based entity,” in the transaction.
“Pacific Ridge was a high-profile deal in an extremely desirable location,” says Rosen. “Our data shows that asking rents in San Diego are up 4.9 percent from the first quarter of 2016. We anticipate that this increase, coupled with the property’s prime location across the street from the University of San Diego’s campus, will help create long-term stabilization and rent growth for the property.”
— Jeff Shaw