|
|
Central San Diego : Downtown San Diego Real Estate
Downtown San Diego Communities 
Downtown San Diego at a Glance
Central San Diego Golf Courses
History of Downtown San Diego
The last 3 decades have brought massive redevelopment and expansion to Downtown San Diego. Already regarded as a diverse urban community, Downtown San Diego now boasts an influx of lively young hipsters who enjoy the dynamic lifestyle it provides. New and revamped condominiums and townhomes designed by celebrated architects and builders like Jonathan Segal, Bosa Development, AW Horton, and Austin  Veum Robbins Partners have decorated the Downtown San Diego silhouette with thoughtfully designed low-rise infill projects to architecturally brilliant skyscrapers. Within the Downtown area, one can enjoy world-class shopping, entertainment, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, Petco Park, and civic attractions—all within walking distance, though many enjoy the occasional Pedi cab or trolley ride on the recently enhanced San Diego Trolley lines! The Greater Downtown area encompasses the world-famous San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park with its historic assortment of eclectic museums, theatres, restaurants, and open public spaces where you can meet a friend for a picnic or watch one of hundreds of street performers. Cross the bridge to quaint Coronado Island, a beautiful and exclusive bedroom community, or head over to Little Italy for a taste of real Italian culture. Known for a tolerant, friendly attitude, the Uptown neighborhoods of Bankers Hill and Hillcrest are a fun-loving mix of trendy boutiques, art galleries, wine shops, and restaurants. If you want to enjoy an exciting urban lifestyle, or want to acquire a condominium or townhome for investment purposes, Downtown San Diego is the place for you!
From the several hundred unit high-rises to row-homes, town homes and converted loft space, downtown has housing and lifestyle options for all.
top
Downtown San Diego at a Glance:
- Petco Park, home to the San Diego Padres, opened in downtown San Diego in April 2004. In its inaugural season, over 3,000,000 people went downtown to see the Padres.
- 92101 has an estimated population of 21,223, and a median age of 39.4 years
- Estimates indicate the population for 92101 will grow to 35,298 by the year 2020
- Downtown arts organizations include: Broadway San Diego, San Diego Opera, San Diego Performing Arts League, San Diego Repertory Theatre, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Theatres, The Globe Theatre, 4 th & B, and the House of Blues
- Downtown is home to over 200 restaurants and 90 bars and nightclubs
- Over 5,000 businesses and 75,000 people working downtown
top
Central San Diego Golf Courses:
San Diego Golf Courses:
Balboa Municipal Golf Club
Eighteen Hole Course
- Public, 27 hole, 6267 yards, par 72, course rating: 71.1, slope: 127, ph: 619.239.1660
Nine Hole Course
- Public, 27 hole, 2197 yards, par 32, ph: 619.239.1660
Mission Valley Golf Courses:
Riverwalk Golf Club
Friars/Presidio Course
• Resort, 27 hole, 6627 yards, par 72, course rating: 71.6, slope: 123, ph: 619.296.4653
Mission/Friars Course
• Resort, 27 hole, 6383 yards, par 72, course rating: 70.5, slope: 120, ph: 619.296.4653
Clairemont Golf Courses:
Tecolote Canyon Golf Course
• 18 hole, 3161 yards, par 58, course rating: 55.6, slope: 91, ph: 858.279.1600
top
History of Downtown San Diego
 Andrew Gray once noted the bay was a good place for a seaport city.
In 1850, developer William Heath Davis and his associates, with the dream of relocating the center of social and economic center of San Diego and creating a thriving seaport city, purchased 160 acres of waterfront land up to what is now Front and Broadway, and named it New Town. After initiating development of a few structures, New Town's growth was stymied by tough economic times. Davis' town became known as Rabbitville, after its main inhabitants.
Arriving in 1867 from San Francisco, Alonzo Horton decided he would build a new downtown on the site of Davis' failure. Horton purchased more than 800 acres at an auction for some 33 cents an acre. Two years later, he would pay $4,000 for a 160 acre parcel needed to sew up the section known as Horton's Addition (Middletown and Bankers Hill area).
Horton created a grid of streets with small blocks, doing away with alleys, for a larger number of corner lots that would be more valuable. He then spent approximately $50,000 to build a wharf at the end of 5th Avenue, which makes this and adjacent streets the backbone of the city. Horton sold $5,500 worth of commercial and residential lots in one day. The real estate boom was on, and New Town was soon established as the physical, social and economic center of San Diego.
Soon Ah Quin, who would become the most influential member of San Diego's important multi-cultural Asian heritage, arrived in San Diego aboard a four-masted schooner carrying everything he owned on his back. With diplomacy and his mastery of the language, Quin found work as a labor contractor for the Southern California Railroad. Quin became the unofficial mayor of San Diego's Chinatown.
San Diego's first real estate boom ended in the late 1880's as the population dwindled from 40,000 to 16,000.
John D. Spreckles came to town in 1887. Spreckles was responsible for a great deal of Downtown San Diego's growth in its early years. He purchased the streetcar system and changed it from horsepower to electric power. He established the Spreckles theatre, bought both the Tribune and Union papers, and many significant buildings--including the Bank of America building, which would be the only building of notable size until the mid 1970's.
George Marston, perpetuating the civic vision of Alonzo Horton (the founder of the San Diego Historical Society who established both Presidio Park and the Anza Borrego Desert State Park), put up $10,000 to allow the city's park commission to hire Samuel Parsons to prepare a comprehensive plan for Balboa Park. The park covers 1200 lush acres and contains some of the most fantastic architecture ever assembled in one place. This beautiful landscaping is the legacy of botanist Kate O. Sessions, who planted trees from all over the world in the park during most of her adult life. Downtown was finally realizing the dream Alonzo Horton had for the beautiful seaport town. By the turn of the century, New Town, with more than 300 buildings, had replaced “Old Town” as the center of San Diego commerce.
After a stagnant state for the better part of the 20 th century, the latest boom for downtown started in the 1970's when (then mayor) Pete Wilson recognized Downtown San Diego's potential. Made up of distinctive neighborhoods, Downtown offered a variety of lifestyle opportunities. Wilson created the CCDC to carry out his vision, to eliminate the physical, social and economic blight that had encumbered the region since the boom of the turn of the century and after. An emphasis on residential development has been a major part of the reshaping of downtown, where a major portion of the city's total housing production is now being constructed. 30 years later the new vision has become reality.
top
Ginn and Shirley is a part of the Nuvilla Network. See Nuvilla's inventory of Downtown San Diego Condos and lofts. |
|
