This blog has moved to Twitter! Check out my twitter feed for the latest restaurant, retail, and cultural news in the neighborhood.

City West’s latest housing development to deliver is Essex Property Trust’s Belmont Station Apartments, scheduled to begin resident move-ins today.

Aside from its historic connections to the old Belmont Tunnel, the development is notable for its generous allotment of affordable housing - 55 of the 275 new residences have been set aside for low-income families.

No doubt a long list of applicants waited to stake claim on one of those coveted units, but a glut of market-rate inventory around Downtown and the property’s isolated location may pose a challenge to lease up the rest.

To sharpen a competitive edge, marketers behind Belmont Station are trying to build a case for its “energy-efficient design and a decidedly green footprint.” A campaign touting low VOC paints, Energy Star appliances, native low-water landscaping and a few other “green facts” is being tossed around the project website — yet strangely, no mention of the greenest of greens: Vista Hermosa Park across the street.

Judging from the hefty building amenities list, maybe they don’t expect people to ever step a foot outside.

-first look: belmont station apartments
-after a decade vista hermosa natural park arrives