2025 UC San Diego NAIOP Team

A team of eight students from the Urban Studies and Planning Department at UC San Diego competed in the annual NAIOP San Diego University Challenge on May 1st, 2025. This was the 15th year of competition in San Diego and UC San Diego's 14th year as a participant.

For more about the competition and our team's proposal, scroll through this web page.

NAIOP 2025 Team Photo

Image: 2025 UC San Diego NAIOP Team. Pictured from left to right: Paul Gherini (Lead Faculty Advisor), Christy Han, Jake Lopez, Andras Lengyel (Co-Captain), Dasha Okolysheva (Co-Captain), Theo Clausen, Tajené Smith, Edgar Sandoval, Phu Dang, Bailey Kim (Advisor).

About the NAIOP University Challenge

NAIOP (the Commercial Real Estate Development Association) is one of North America’s leading commercial real estate organizations. It provides advocacy, education, mentoring, student scholarships, business and networking opportunities. It has local chapters across the country including one here in San Diego, NAIOP San Diego.

NAIOP chapters across the country sponsor an annual competition, the University Challenge, to provide students with an opportunity to compete in a head-to-head real estate competition. Here in San Diego, teams from UC San Diego, the University of San Diego and San Diego State University compete to develop the highest and best use for an actual development site in San Diego County. Teams address issues such as financing, sustainable development, market analysis, affordable housing, site design, transit-oriented development, community benefit, entitlements, feasibility and investment returns. A judging panel of nine senior level commercial real estate professionals serves as a mock investment committee. Each team must defend their development proposal privately in front of the committee and then present it to an audience of real estate professionals, industry leaders, university faculty members and fellow students.

About this year's site

The case study for NAIOP University Challenge 2025 was University Square. This 20 acre in-line shopping center is the nexus of retail activity in the city of San Diego. Located in close proximity to SDSU and surrounded by single-family residential, this site is complemented by easy-access public transportation, plenty of parking, and a variety of retail shops that make for a comprehensive retail experience.

About this team's proposal

Rooted in resilience and designed for community, Chollas Grove transforms a 20-acre strip retail center in Mid-City San Diego into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood where people can live, shop, and connect.

Anchored by a relocated Food 4 Less and surrounded by new neighborhood favorites like Aztec Brewery, Gen Korean BBQ, and Somi Somi, Chollas Grove turns what was once an ocean of parking into a lively walkable district full of energy and character. At its heart is a network of pedestrian “catwalks,” inspired by Rolando Park’s historic walkways, weaving through 180 for-sale townhomes and 18,000 square feet of green space.

Chollas Grove brings new life to San Diego’s missing middle housing market. The community offers a range of thoughtfully designed townhomes, from starter studios to multigenerational duplexes and live/work units, giving residents the opportunity to own, build equity, and grow roots in the neighborhood they love.

By preserving high-performing retail and introducing attainable ownership housing, Triton Capital’s vision creates both economic stability and long-term neighborhood value. The project’s phased strategy maintains steady income while opening new opportunities for growth, ensuring the development strengthens the community from day one.

Every element of Chollas Grove celebrates Mid-City’s history and spirit, from the citrus trees that nod to the area’s agricultural past to the cactus-inspired branding that represents resilience and growth.

Team Info

Andras Lengyel (Co-Captain)
Dasha Okolysheva (Co-Captain)
Christy Han
Edgar Sandoval
Jake Lopez
Phu Dang
Tajené Smith
Theo Clausen

Acknowledgements

FACULTY ADVISORS

Paul Gherini, Lead Faculty Advisor
Bailey Kim, UC San Diego
Mirle Bussell, Ph.D, UC San Diego
Feiyang Sun, Ph.D, UC San Diego
Susan Peerson, FAICP, UC San Diego
Matthew Boomhower, UC San Diego
Nathan Moeder, UC San Diego
Michael Shenkman, UC San Diego
Robert Campbell, UC San Diego

INDUSTRY ADVISORS
Marc Brutten, Brixton Capital
Eric Li, Brixton Capital
Mark Mandala, Brixton Capital
Taal Safdie, Safdie Rabines Architects
Ricardo Rabines, Safdie Rabines Architects
Jeff Graham, UC San Diego Real Estate
Michael Peterson, CBRE
Steven Bossi, Atlantis Group
Robert Abbasi, RTI Bridge Loans
Eric Burger, Burger Construction
Selena Nichols, Burger Construction
Colin Pancrazi, Intersection CRE
Paul Marra, Keyser Marston Associates
Michael Tactay, Keyser Marston Associates
Paul Barnes, Shea Homes
Jordan Selva, Shea Homes
Tony Pauker, Brookfield Properties
Eli Griffen, Sheppard Mullin
Jeffrey Forest, Sheppard Mullin
Laura Burns, Whiting Turner
Dave Davis, D.F. Davis Real Estate

ARCHITECTS
Erick Modén, DGA
Michael Lukacs, DGA
Kyle Duvernay, DGA