OCEANSIDE — Residents have started moving into the first apartment community in El Corazon Park, marking another milestone in the development of the Oceanside property.
Developer Sudberry Properties announced on Jan. 28 that leasing is underway at the recently completed Luma at El Corazon, a 268-unit apartment complex at 3546 Village Commercial Drive.
The large-scale apartment complex is adjacent to the newly opened Frontwave Arena and the El Corazon Senior Center and is half a mile from the Rancho del Oro Sprinter Station.
The development features 23 three-story buildings comprising 113 one-bedroom, 120 two-bedroom and 35 three-bedroom apartments.
According to the developer, Luma was designed in alignment with Oceanside’s broader architectural theme inspired by Irving Gill, a leader of the 20th-century modernist movement. Gill, known for his work in the region, designed Oceanside City Hall, the original Fire Station 1, Crown Heights Community Center and the former Blade-Tribune newspaper building, now home to the Blade 1936 restaurant.
Luma’s architecture “reflects the clean angular lines, ground-level arches and breezeways Gill is known for,” according to the developer.
Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment starts at $2,790.
Sudberry is also the master developer behind El Corazon, a 465-acre property primarily owned by the city. The developer purchased land for the arena and apartments from the city in 2021. Sudberry also owns another 51-acre portion of the El Corazon property along Oceanside Boulevard, where additional commercial development is planned, including research facilities, a gas station, drive-thru restaurants, a car wash and a convenience store.
El Corazon, meaning “the heart” in Spanish, is centrally located in Oceanside. The property was gifted to the city in 1994 by the Silica Sand Mining Company and has been the focus of long-term planning since the City Council launched a development plan in 1995.
In addition to the apartments, senior center and arena, El Corazon is home to the William A. Wagner Aquatic Center, SoCal Sports Complex and a green waste and composting recycling facility.
Luma’s opening coincides with the Oceanside City Council’s recent decision to create a plan to officially designate El Corazon as parkland and determine how tax revenues from residential and commercial activities will fund future development and maintenance.
The city has worked with consultant Schmidt Design Group for the past three years to design Park Site 1, the first of nine planned park sites within El Corazon. City officials expect to present the Park Site 1 proposal to the City Council later this year.
Luma’s debut follows the September 2024 opening of Frontwave Arena, a 7,500-seat, 170,000-square-foot venue that now serves as the home of the San Diego Sockers and San Diego Clippers while hosting concerts, family shows and other events.
