Project Description
RICK was the lead civil engineering consultant for the development of Civita, a 230-acre site located in the heart of San Diego, California. After many years, the project site was transformed from an aggregate quarry site into a dense, mixed-use development. RICK provided multi-service and multi-phase civil engineering work, which included preparation of improvement and grading plans, infrastructure master planning, and design for a recycled water/sewer/storm drain system that included low impact development (LID) water resource and water quality engineering, hydromodification and detention basin modeling, traffic engineering, final design of various neighborhoods of condominiums and apartments, extensive transportation improvements to nearby City streets, and a Caltrans interchange upgrade.
The multifaceted design details included urban streetscape and landscape designs, custom Civita manhole covers and signage programs, and a LED “CIVITA” sign located at the entryway. RICK engineered in a way to create a walkable community that included wider sidewalks, parkways, and trails. Within the Civita community, four city parks are either in the design process or completed, and these parks offer a multitude of recreational, community, and civic activities for the Civita communities. One-third of the project is dedicated open space, consisting of trails, parks, and public spaces—further establishing Civita as a walkable, recreational-based community.
The use of innovative materials, technology, and construction methods supported conservation and sustainability in managing energy, waste, and water usages. To conserve energy, the project provided solar power as well as low-voltage LED lighting and drought-tolerant landscaping with high-efficiency irrigation.
Civita was awarded a “Gold Certification” by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for the LEED-Neighborhood Development Pilot Program. The purpose of this designation is to promote a sustainable community, as seen in RICK’s design to recycle water treatment to reuse on-site sewage and create recycled water to irrigate the parks and open spaces in the community.