After years of planning, state and local officials in California and San Diego say they are close to reaching a long-sought goal: bringing a university presence to Chula Vista, one of the largest cities in San Diego County. The effort is now moving quickly, with leaders aiming to make it a reality this year.
The first phase of what will become a higher education district in the South Bay will center on a new public library designed to expand access to educational opportunities. Known as the Millenia Library, the four-story building will span more than 168,000 square feet and will be located at 1775 Millenia Ave. in eastern Chula Vista.
The lower level of the building will house graduate programs from San Diego State University’s School of Nursing, along with offerings from SDSU Global Campus. The public library itself will occupy the first and second floors.
Plans also call for leasing space for a café or restaurant open to the public in the main lobby. Upper floors will be home to the Chula Vista Training Complex, a 75,000-square-foot facility intended for film and media production.
Creative offices and rentable workspaces within the complex are expected to open this summer, while film production sets could be completed by next year.
The library is being built as part of what officials envision as a future multi-university campus known as the University Innovation District. The large-scale project would cover more than 380 acres of city-owned land and represents the culmination of decades of discussion.
Starting in fall 2026, students will be able to complete bachelor’s degrees in the South Bay through partnerships between Southwestern College and regional universities, including San Diego State University, UC San Diego, and Cal State San Marcos. Initial degree offerings are expected to include nursing, business administration, computer information systems, cybersecurity, industrial and organizational psychology, public health, and neuroscience-focused psychology.
By fall 2027, Cal State San Marcos plans to add programs in bilingual speech pathology and human development.
