Sold Nov 2
$1,700,000
Bloch Street
5 bd · 3 ba · 3,132 sq ft
97.2% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
San Diego Neighborhood Guide
University City is a planned community in north-central San Diego, set between Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 just east of La Jolla and north of State Route 52. Laid out in 1960 alongside the new UC San Diego campus, it pairs quiet 1960s neighborhoods along Governor Drive in the south with the busier UTC area to the north, home to Westfield UTC, research employers and the Blue Line trolley. It is known for mid-century tract homes and canyon open space in Rose Canyon and San Clemente Canyon.
Quick Facts
| Area | About 8,700 acres (University Community Plan area) |
|---|---|
| Planning area | University (City of San Diego; Council Districts 1 and 6) |
| ZIP code | 92122 |
| Boundaries | Roughly Interstate 5 and La Jolla/Torrey Pines on the west, Interstate 805 and the Sorrento Valley/Miramar area on the east, and State Route 52 and Clairemont on the south, with Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa to the north and northeast. UC San Diego and Torrey Pines State Reserve sit inside the planning area but outside City jurisdiction. |
| Founded | 1960 (subdivided in June 1960 and formally dedicated in September 1960) |
| Home types | Single-family tract homes south of Rose Canyon; townhomes, condominiums and apartments concentrated around UTC and La Jolla Village Drive |
| Signature style | Mid-century modern and Tract Ranch homes, including William Krisel-designed butterfly-roof houses |
| Price tier | Upper |
| Best for | buyers who want established mid-century neighborhoods, canyon trails, trolley access and a short drive to the coast and the UTC job center |
Jeff’s Take
I’ve sold and leased a lot of homes in University City, and I send first-time buyers here for the mix of condos and mid-century homes near UC San Diego and the UTC job center.
South UC’s 1960s neighborhoods along Governor Drive are quiet; the UTC area to the north is busier, with Westfield UTC and the Blue Line trolley.
Who it’s not for: UTC is growing fast, with a plan for many more homes. If you want a settled, low-change area, focus on south UC or look at Clairemont.
University City vs. Clairemont: University City is a decade newer, with a stronger mid-century modern legacy and the UC San Diego and UTC job centers next door.
What buying in University City often looks like
Say you’re choosing a condo near the trolley. Before we write, I review the HOA’s budget and reserves, check rental rules, and look at what the 2024 community plan update allows on the surrounding lots so you know what’s coming.
Market Snapshot
| Measure | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,725,000 | $1,630,000 | +6% |
| Avg. price per sq. ft. | $840 | $796 | +6% |
| Homes sold | 15 | 7 | +114% |
| New listings | 15 | 17 | −12% |
| Median days on market | 16 | 19 | −16% |
| % of list price received | 98% | 101% | −3% |
| Months of inventory | 1.2 | 1.6 | −25% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92122 (University City), as of October 2026. Source: San Diego Multiple Listing Service (SDMLS) closed sales, compiled by Jeff Brick.
| Measure | Current listings |
|---|---|
| Median asking price | $1,649,500 |
| Median asking price per sq. ft. | $910 |
| Homes for sale | 21 |
| Median days on market (current listings) | 37 |
| Months of supply | 1.8 |
| HouseCanary 1-year price forecast | 1.5% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92122, listings on the market as of November 3, 2026. Source: HouseCanary Market Insights. Asking prices are what sellers are listing for, not final sale prices.
Jeff’s note (Q4 2026): 15 homes sold in October at a median of $1,725,000, up 6% from a year ago. With 1.2 months of inventory, sellers have the edge, so come in with your financing ready.
A Few Recent Sales
Not every sale, just a few recent closings I picked to show what buyers are actually paying in University City / UTC right now. Updated monthly · November 2026.
$1,700,000
Bloch Street
5 bd · 3 ba · 3,132 sq ft
97.2% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$661,500
Charmant Drive
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,037 sq ft
94.6% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass California III
$496,000
Shoreline Drive
1 bd · 1 ba · 597 sq ft
99.4% of list price
Listing courtesy of eXp Realty of Southern CA
$1,120,000
Nobel Drive
3 bd · 3 ba · 1,908 sq ft
94.1% of list price
Listing courtesy of House in SD Inc.
$1,625,000
Dirac Street
4 bd · 3 ba · 2,016 sq ft
25000% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$1,710,000
Syracuse Lane
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,604 sq ft
99.5% of list price
Listing courtesy of Realty One Group Pacific
$1,034,000
Renaissance Avenue
2 bd · 3 ba · 1,217 sq ft
98.5% of list price
Listing courtesy of EXp Realty of California
$1,755,000
Bloch Street
5 bd · 2 ba · 2,248 sq ft
92.6% of list price
Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Realty
$1,450,000
Tulane Street
4 bd · 3 ba · 1,689 sq ft
93.6% of list price
Listing courtesy of Realty One Group Pacific
$510,000
Nobel Drive
2 bd · 2 ba · 1,200 sq ft
92.7% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
Sold information from the San Diego MLS (SDMLS®), deemed reliable but not guaranteed. These homes may have been listed and sold by other brokerages; they are shown to illustrate the local market, not as Jeff Brick’s own sales. Want the full list of recent sales or a value estimate for your home? Ask Jeff.
History
Before development, the mesa east of La Jolla was cattle-ranching land. In 1959 a group of investors organized as University Corporation, including Irvin Kahn, Carlos Tavares and C.W. Carlstrom, bought roughly 2,500 acres from the Sawday-Sexton cattle ranching interests. That same year the City’s University Community Study coined the name University City and sketched a community of about 25,000 homes to grow in step with a new University of California campus. The land was subdivided in June 1960 and the community was dedicated that September; UC San Diego was officially established in November 1960. Nearby, a former Marine Corps rifle range was declared surplus in 1962, and Congress transferred 436 acres of it to the University of California. The University City Shopping Center broke ground on Governor Drive in 1962, University Square followed in 1967, and the University Towne Centre mall opened in 1977. Residents formed a civic association in 1969 and pushed in the late 1960s to keep Rose Canyon and San Clemente Canyon from being paved for roads. University City High School opened in 1981 after years of court fights. The City adopted a community plan in 1987 and approved a major update in July 2024, and the Blue Line trolley reached UTC in November 2021.
University City was launched by University Corporation, whose principals included Irvin Kahn, Carlos Tavares and C.W. Carlstrom. Kahn hired Palmer and Krisel, with architect William Krisel, to design a 1960 tract of modern homes on streets such as Stresemann, Lamas, Gobat, Lord Cecil, Award Row, Sandburg, Quidde and Dalen. Around UTC, later projects included Lion Property Company’s The Woodlands townhomes (designed by Dale Naegle, 1970s), McKellar Development’s La Jolla Village Park (1978), Harry L. Summers’ Vista La Jolla (1977) and the Bren Company’s 222-acre La Jolla Colony (begun 1980).
Architecture
South University City is a showcase of early-1960s tract design. City historic context work describes its homes mostly as Tract Ranch and Contemporary, often arranged with cluster planning. The best-known examples are the William Krisel homes built for developer Irvin Kahn in 1960: post-and-beam houses with butterfly roofs, clerestory windows, large walls of glass and decorative concrete shadow block, with a butterfly-roof model on Award Row used in early marketing. Commercial and institutional buildings show the same era’s Modern style, including the University City Shopping Center by Daun and Hoelck. North of Rose Canyon, the UTC area is newer and denser, with 1970s and 1980s townhome communities, condominiums and newer apartment buildings around the mall and trolley stations. A typical street south of Rose Canyon has one- and two-story ranch homes, some with original mid-century details and many updated.
University City has no designated historic district. A City historic context statement prepared for the 2024 community plan update found many Modern-style properties and placed several on study lists, including the University City Shopping Center at 3358 Governor Drive and Curie Elementary School; being on a study list does not make a property historic. The William Krisel tract from 1960 is the neighborhood’s best-known architectural legacy. If a property is ever formally designated, its owner may apply for a Mills Act contract, which can lower property taxes in exchange for preservation and upkeep.
Living Here
Housing splits by geography. South of Rose Canyon, around Governor Drive, streets are lined mostly with single-family homes built in the 1960s, with some townhomes and small multifamily buildings. North of the canyon, around Westfield UTC, La Jolla Village Drive, Nobel Drive and Regents Road, the mix shifts to townhomes, condominiums and large apartment communities from the 1970s onward, including the Bren Company’s La Jolla Colony and newer projects near trolley stations. The July 2024 community plan update allows capacity for nearly 29,000 additional homes, much of it near transit, so new construction will continue around UTC. Many attached communities have HOAs; check fees for each property.
Daily life in south University City centers on two neighborhood shopping centers on Governor Drive, Standley Park and its recreation center, Doyle Park and its off-leash dog area, and canyon trails in Rose Canyon and San Clemente Canyon. Up north, Westfield UTC adds a regional mall full of shops and restaurants, and the surrounding offices, medical centers and research campuses make the area a major employment center. UC San Diego brings lectures, sports and arts events, and La Jolla’s beaches are a short drive west.
Getting Around
Walk Score: 54 (Somewhat Walkable) for University City overall; walkability is higher near UTC than in the residential streets south of Rose Canyon. Source: https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/University_City · Transit Score: 49 (https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/University_City) · Bike Score: 60 (Bikeable) (https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/University_City)
University City is served by San Diego Unified School District. Public schools in the community include Curie, Doyle and Spreckels elementary schools, Standley Middle School and University City High School, which opened in 1981. UC San Diego sits at the community’s northwest edge, and the independent La Jolla Country Day School is nearby. School assignments follow attendance boundaries, so confirm schools for a specific address with the district.
Rose Canyon Open Space Park, San Clemente Canyon, Standley Park and Recreation Center, Doyle Park and Recreation Center (with an off-leash dog area), La Jolla Colony Park, Marcy Park, University Gardens Park and University Village Park, with Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve to the northwest.
Explore University City / UTC
Public and charter schools closest to the heart of University City / UTC.
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
School assignment depends on the exact address, so confirm the schools for any home with the school district. Source: California Department of Education, 2024–25 school sites. Report cards link to the official California School Dashboard.
Green space, trails and play areas in and around University City / UTC.
Park data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are approximate, measured from the center of University City / UTC.
University City sits on the mesa between Interstate 5 and Interstate 805, about midway between downtown San Diego and Del Mar. La Jolla and UC San Diego lie to the west, Clairemont is across State Route 52 to the south, and Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa are to the north and east. Rose Canyon divides the older residential south from the UTC commercial and research district to the north.
Local Favorites
Neighborhood Italian restaurant
3945 Governor Dr, San Diego, CA 92122
Directions →Pizzeria and sports bar
4150 Regents Park Row, Suite 100, La Jolla, CA 92037
Directions →Regional open-air shopping and dining center
4545 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA 92122
Directions →Photos, ratings and links from Google Maps
FAQ
Partly. University City has an overall Walk Score of 54, and walking is easiest around Westfield UTC and near the two Governor Drive shopping centers. Most residential streets south of Rose Canyon are quiet and better suited to driving or biking for errands.
South University City is a calm, established neighborhood of 1960s homes, parks and canyon trails, with everyday shopping on Governor Drive. The UTC area to the north is busier, with a regional mall, offices, research campuses and the trolley.
Public students attend San Diego Unified schools including Curie, Doyle and Spreckels elementary schools, Standley Middle School and University City High School. Confirm assigned schools for any address with the district.
Downtown San Diego is roughly 15 to 20 minutes away by car without traffic, and the Blue Line trolley runs from UTC to downtown. La Jolla’s beaches are a short drive west.
Yes. The community dates to 1960, and a tract designed by William Krisel for developer Irvin Kahn features butterfly roofs, clerestory windows and post-and-beam construction. There is no designated historic district, so most homes are not under historic review.
Yes. The 2024 community plan update allows nearly 29,000 additional homes, focused largely around UTC and the trolley stations, while the older single-family areas south of Rose Canyon are expected to stay largely as they are.
Both grew up as post-war planned communities with ranch-style homes and canyon trails. University City is newer, closer to UC San Diego, La Jolla and the UTC job center, and has trolley stations, while Clairemont is larger and closer to Mission Bay.
Work With Jeff
Jeff Brick, San Diego REALTOR® at Compass, DRE# 02156850. Million Dollar Service at All Price Points. Call or text 858-324-4448.
Nearby neighborhood guides: Mission Valley · Clairemont · Tierrasanta · Allied Gardens / Del Cerro · San Carlos
Header photo: belisario (Flickr) (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
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