Amenities Similar at Office Park Sites

All but five of the 20 largest office parks in the San Diego area are in the North County, according to a guide published by the San Diego Economic Corp.

The kinds of businesses may vary from manufacturing to research and development--18% of San Diego County’s industrial space and 9% of its office space are located in North County, said Colleen Foley, a consultant with the Goodkin Real Estate Consulting Group at the San Diego office of KPMG Peat Marwick. But what doesn’t vary is the parks themselves.

Highway access for ease of commuting is almost always a consideration when these parks are sited for development. Virtually all parks are located within eyeshot of a freeway or major thoroughfare.

Another uniform trait is the covenants, conditions and restrictions, “CCRs,” which among other things can mandate architectural detail and landscaping.

Open space, sometimes required by community zoning, is common as are “greenbelts,” lawns and mini-parks.

What distinguishes the parks from one another? For some it’s the degree of convenience known as “freeway close.” Proximity to Interstates 15, 5, or Highway 78 is said to make a difference.

Another attraction is day care. When available, it is on a for-profit basis provided by one of the development’s tenants. But price is often not a consideration--simply having a child care facility at a park can be a much-touted advantage.

Jogging paths and athletic fields for softball, volleyball and other sports are often available. At one location, there’s even an equestrian trail.

A sampling of what’s out there:

Campus Point Industrial Park, 180 acres, Campus Point Drive, San Diego. Tenants include Nissan Design. Access to interstates 5 and 805. Amenities include walking and jogging trails. Employee population: about 3,000.

Carlsbad Airport Centre, 300 acres, Palomar Airport Road and Camino Vida Roble, Carlsbad. Tenants include Machine Industries. Access to I-5. Amenities include an ornamental pond and waterfall and mini-parks. Employee population: about 2,000.

Carlsbad Research Center, 560 acres, Faraday Avenue at El Camino Real, Carlsbad. Tenants include Chrysler Pacifica. Access to I-5. Amenities include a jogging loop, mini-parks and an ornamental lake with picnic areas. When completed, 17,000 employees projected.

Carmel Mountain Ranch Business Park, 379 acres, Rancho Carmel Drive and Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego. Tenants include TRW. Access to I-5. A connector road to I-15 is planned. Amenities include a softball field, a day-care center, and an adjacent golf course and retail shopping center. A 5,600-unit housing development is planned. When completed, 11,600 employees projected.

Corporate Research Park, 130 acres, Sorrento Valley Road, Vista. The project, targeted for corporate office space, is still being developed. Access is to I-805.

East Gate Technology Park, 230 acres, Towne Center Drive, San Diego. Tenants include Revlon Corp. Access is available to I-5 and I-805. Amenities include jogging trails and park benches. Employee population: less than 1,000.

4-S Ranch Business Park, 235 acres, I-15, San Diego. Tenants include Alcoa Defense Systems. Access directly to I-15. Amenities include ocean views. An adjacent housing development is planned, as is development of retail and convenience stores. When completed, 8,000 employees projected.

Lusk Mira Mesa Business Park, 720 acres, Mira Mesa Boulevard, San Diego. Access is available to I-805. Tenants include Home Federal. Amenities include a jogging trail. A retail shopping center is planned. Employee population: about 20,000.

North County Industrial Park, 170 acres, Business Park Drive, Vista. The project, targeted for industrial and manufacturing use, is still being developed. Access to Highway 78. Employee population: about 4,000.

Oak Ridge Business Center, 568 acres, 2440 Grand Ave., Vista. Tenants include Times-Mirror Cable Co. Access to I-5 and Highway 78. Amenities include on-site day care. Employee population: about 2,000.

Pacific Corporate Center, 125 acres, Pacific Heights Boulevard, San Diego. Tenants include the San Diego County Credit Union. Access to I-15 and I-805. Amenities include a jogging trail adjacent to Los Penasquitos Preserve, outdoor lunch areas and ocean views. When completed, 13,000 employees projected.

Palomar Airport Business Park, 350 acres, El Camino Real, Carlsbad. Tenants range from high-tech enterprises to light industry. Access to I-5. Amenities include day care. Employee population: about 4,500.

Parkway Business Centre, 260 acres, South Poway Parkway. The project, targeted for heavy industry use, is still being developed. Access to I-15. Amenities planned include four mini-parks and a jogging trail.

Pomerado Business Park, 379 acres, Pomerado Road, Poway. Tenants include the United States International University. Access to I-15. Amenities include an equestrian trail and mini-parks. When completed, 20,000 employees projected.

Rancho Del Oro Technology Park, 812 acres, Oceanside Boulevard, Oceanside. Tenants include International Defense Products. Access to I-5 and Highway 78. Amenities include day care, a 25-acre park with barbecue pits, a volleyball court, and a basketball court. It is adjacent to 4,400 housing units. When completed, 10,000 employees projected.

Rancho Vista Business Park, 80 acres, Poinsettia Avenue. Tenants include Webbtrend Graphics. Access to Highway 78 and I-5. Amenities include hiking trails and ocean views. Employee population: about 1,600.

San Diego Corporate Center, 102 acres, high bluff drive, San Diego. Tenants include Fujitsu systems of America. Access to I-5. Amenities include running tracks, courtyards, fountains and covered parking. A health club, restaurants and a hotel are planned. When completed, 6,600 employees projected.

Torrey Pines Science Park, 280 acres, Torrey Pines Mesa. Tenants include Spin Physics, a division of Eastman Kodak. Access to I-5. Amenities include deer watching and jogging trails. Employee population: about 3,000.