What used to be a quiet, shuttered Sears parking lot next to Chula Vista Center is officially turning into something a lot more cheerful. On Thursday, Chula Vista city leaders joined developer CalWest to break ground on Citrus Bay Park, a half-acre, citrus-themed pocket park that will sit at the center of the new Citrus Bay townhome community on the former Sears parcel near the mall.
City planners describe the ground-breaking as the first visible sign of new public open space tied to the broader Chula Vista Bayfront transformation, a long-range plan that mixes parks, housing and resort-style amenities along the shoreline. The park’s play areas and color palette are designed to nod to Chula Vista’s citrus-growing past, with orange- and lemon-shaped play features and a large focal tree intended to anchor community gatherings.
Park design and amenities
In a city news release, the City of Chula Vista said Citrus Bay Park was designed with community input and developed in coordination with the Parks and Recreation Department. The city describes the park as a half-acre space that will include orange- and lemon-inspired playground elements for younger children, open lawn areas, walking trails, shade structures with barbecue spots, a central gathering plaza, fitness equipment and a large focal tree.
According to the City of Chula Vista, the concept is meant to honor the South Bay’s agricultural history while functioning as a compact public square where neighbors can meet up, relax and play.
Housing next door
The park is directly tied to the Citrus Bay residential project, a CalWest-led conversion of the roughly 13.35-acre former Sears site into 244 for-sale townhomes in two product types. According to CalWest, the plan includes both two-story motor-court homes and three-story attached residences, with homes ranging from about 1,800 to more than 2,000 square feet.
CalWest materials state that the project will also feature a private recreation center and pool for residents. Company and partner updates say pre-sales are underway and construction is moving forward, with the half-acre public park planned to serve as the community’s shared green space at the heart of the development.
Where Citrus Bay fits in the bayfront plan
Citrus Bay Park is one small piece of the much larger Chula Vista Bayfront vision. The master plan covers roughly 535 acres and, according to the Port of San Diego, calls for about 230 acres of parks, open space and habitat restoration. Of that, roughly 130 acres are specifically planned for new parks and public access.
Per the Port of San Diego, those parks are expected to be linked by promenades, bikeways and trails that create more continuous public access along San Diego Bay. Officials say the goal is to balance habitat restoration with recreation and economic development for the South Bay.
Mayor’s take and community use
"Citrus Bay is the largest new homeownership community built on the west side of Chula Vista in over 30 years," Mayor John McCann said in a statement to the City of Chula Vista.
City officials say the pocket park is intended to be a public gathering place for both new Citrus Bay residents and neighbors who already frequent the nearby mall and transit lines. Planners emphasize that community input helped shape the park’s layout and features, with safety, shade and active play highlighted as top priorities during the design process.
From Sears to homes and park
CalWest materials note that the Sears store on the site closed in early 2020 and that the company acquired the roughly 13.35-acre parcel in 2023. As part of the project approvals, the development was required to provide public parkland, and the half-acre Citrus Bay Park fulfills that obligation while townhome construction and supporting infrastructure work continue.
According to company and city representatives, construction of Citrus Bay Park is scheduled to move forward this year as the broader bayfront buildout keeps adding trails, plazas and new destinations across the South Bay waterfront.
