CHULA VISTA – Ryan Companies has started leasing apartments in VAYA on Axia, a 340,000-square-foot apartment development with four buildings that cover 8.5 acres in Otay Ranch.

Built as part of the 210-acre Millenia master-planned community in Chula Vista, in partnership with Strata Equity Group, the 340,000-square-foot VAYA on Axia is among the last large multifamily project in the overall Millenia development with 278 apartments in four buildings.

“The Millenia master plan is just a phenomenal place to live,” said Daniel Bertao, vice president of development for Ryan Companies, calling the community a hybrid blend of urban and suburban living.

VAYA is at the eastern edge of Millenia, so “It doesn’t feel like we’re in the center of Millenia,” Bertao said, adding that VAYA tenants have access to the parks and other common amenities throughout Millenia.

“You don’t feel like you’re in this really dense, urban community and, yet, you have the walkability and amenities that come with it,” Bertao said.

VAYA is meant to have a contemporary look with “a dash of timelessness,” Bertao said.
“We incorporated brick into our façade, which is something different, but we think it adds some distinction to the property when many of the projects in Chula Vista, especially Millenia, are stucco boxes,” Bertao said.

The project also has VAYA spelled out in five-foot-tall, neon letters at the entrance, a look that Bertao said was modeled after a similar display in Pismo Beach.

“In the daytime, it’s a really cool opportunity to sort of create a sense of place. Then at night, the letters light up,” Bertao said.

Among VAYA’s amenities are 1,800 square feet of coworking space that is open to the public and has a 150-square-foot podcasting studio with broadcasting equipment.

“It’s a new amenity that we offer to the residents and the community,” Bertao said, adding that there’s no cost for residents to use the coworking space, with memberships available for non-residents, similar to how coworking companies operate.

The coworking area has a variety of workspaces, from private offices to a shared worktable and conference room, Bertao said.

Designed for Sustainability

VAYA connects to the rest of Millenia through the 0.25-acre Axia Plaza, with bridges and public art.

“It really creates an exciting public space that the Millenia community can greatly benefit from,” Bertao said. “Anybody can walk through there and use it.”

Other amenities in VAYA include 482 parking spaces, electric charging stations, a pool and spa, a rooftop deck, pet areas, bike maintenance and storage space, and a two-story fitness center of more than 3,000 square feet, with a kids room.

“We’re really focused on catering to the family demographic down in Chula Vista, so mom and dad can get a workout in, while keeping an eye on their children,” Bertao said.

The roof deck has “unmatched views, basically from Mexico and the Coronado Islands to downtown and Point Loma,” Bertao said.

“It’s phenomenal. You wouldn’t expect that in Otay Ranch,” Bertao said. “We designed it in such a way where we have this turf area on the roof deck, so it allows people to go star gazing at night, hanging out on bean bag chairs.”

The pool area also has an open-air California room, barbecue stations and a kitchenette.
Nearly all of the apartments have balconies.

“We have a handful of units that have oversized balconies that essentially become outdoor dining spaces,” Bertao said.

Three of the buildings in VAYA that are finished are already 40% leased and the final building will be finished in summer.

“We’re really making some good traction there on the leasing,” Bertao said, adding that VAYA is “the most sustainable community in Millenia” with rooftop solar panels and solar panels atop car ports.

Ryan offers electricity generated by the solar panels to tenants at a discount from what they’d pay San Diego Gas & Electric.

While not enough to cover tenants’ total electric bill, “It covers a substantial portion of it,” Bertao said.

VAYA is also all-electric with electric appliances, many of which can be controlled using cell phones, so tenants can preheat ovens while on their way home or check to see if they’ve turned off all their appliances, Bertao said.

“One of our goals with VAYA was to really focus on what makes life easier for our residents, and the electric appliances with WIFI capability is one thing we’re offering,” Bertao said.

Monthly rents range from $2,550 to $5,500, depending on the size of the apartments.

VAYA has 12 one-bedroom apartments, 141 two-bedroom apartments and 15 three-bedroom apartments, ranging from 616 square feet to 1,713 square feet.

In addition to their rent, tenants must pay a monthly parking fee that ranges from $50 to $150.

“We’ve unbundled the parking and treated it a la carte, so it gives residents flexibility,” Bertao said, allowing them to pay lower monthly rents than if parking was included.

So far, tenants are “a blend of professions, from health care to Border Patrol. We’ve seen people who have been downsizing from their homes, looking for the convenience of apartment living,” Bertao said.

Ryan Companies is one of the primary developers within Millenia.

“We’ve done over 750 units within the Millenia master plan,” Bertao said. “We’re always chasing opportunities in Otay Ranch. We’re big believers in South Bay.”

Elsewhere, Ryan Companies plans to break ground in late 2027 on a 373-unit apartment complex in downtown Oceanside.

Ryan Companies
FOUNDED: 1938
CEO: Brian Murray
HEADQUARTERS: Minneapolis
BUSINESS: Real estate developer, designer and manager, and capital markets adviser
EMPLOYEES: 1,800+
WEBSITE: www.ryancompanies.com
CONTACT: 858-812-7910
NOTABLE: Ryan Companies has completed projects in nearly every state in the U.S.