Background
Many feel that San Diego in Southern California is one of the better parts (if not the best part) of this country in which to live. The Mediterranean style climate is pleasant and conducive. The city sits on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and is within easy reach of many scenic and historical sites – Mexico is just down the road for those interested in visiting. As one might expect, San Diego has built up a reputation for having somewhat expensive real estate (especially on the flat topped mesas, above and inland from the Downtown District, where landed single or double storied residential properties tend to be the norm).
Although the establishment (on May 14, 1769) of El Presidio Reál de San Diego (Royal Presidio of San Diego) marked the beginnings of today’s San Diego City, its hilltop location on a bluff at the western end of the San Diego River valley was never perfect for becoming the center of a city’s activities. It was too far away from the evolving harbor port in the bay and land at the foot of the bluff was a little restricted in size.
What About Those Who Prefer To Be Closer To The Ocean?
Nevertheless, this was the location of the original “Old Town” which remained the heart of the city until the 1860s when one Alonzo Horton suggested and promoted the development of a “New Town” that not only had more land space available but also was in close proximity to shipping using the natural harbor. By 1871, government records were being housed in a new county courthouse that had been constructed in New Town and the area began to permanently eclipse Old Town as San Diego’s main point of focus earning it the official designation of The Downtown District.
However, the likes of shipyards, dockyards, railway terminals, financial institutions and business headquarters are not residential in nature and their presence does tend to restrict land available for residential housing in their proximity. Thus, when the Downtown District stated to decline in the 1950’s and 60’s, the area started to become ripe for urban renewal through redevelopment. This started in the 80’s with the construction of the five-level outdoor shopping mall called Westfield Horton Plaza on 6.5 Downtown city blocks adjacent to the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Current Redevelopment
Horton Plaza opened the way for further redevelopment and the building of quite a number of high raise towers containing New Apartments In Downtown San Diego. One of the most recent examples of these is the soon to be completed Pacific Gate Tower from Bosa Development which will contain 215 individual apartments.
