Today, it’s a much sought after location, and to think that they said that the downtown area of San Diego was in decline during the 1960’s and 70’s. But, what actually makes part of a town be known as “downtown” and why does it so often refer to a poorer or less desirable part of town? Personally, I guess it stems from our use of “up” to describe something better than normal? As in “upbeat” or “up market” whereas “down beat” or “down market” generally have somewhat negative connotations.
Downtown San Diego
San Diego has an interesting topography. To the west is the Pacific Ocean but, as you move inland, the land rises in a series of some 200 deep canyons and hills. There are also 3 peaks within the City limits – Cowles Mountain at 1,591 feet high, Black Mountain at 1,558 feet and Mount Soledad at 824 feet. However, the hills between most of the canyons are basically flat on their tops (a feature known as “mesa”). It was on these table top like mesa areas that the better off citizens built their homes – literally an uptown location compared to the downtown coastal area.
The original city center was around Old Town near to the historic Presidio site but this did not have access to the sea and San Diego’s natural deepwater harbor. The historic importance of shipping and marine related business led to the main centers of business, commerce and finance relocating several miles away to what was first known as “New Town”. Later, this become today’s downtown district. However, industries decline and circumstances change and, by the 1960’s the downtown area was no longer such a vital part of San Diego’s existence.
Ocean Front Properties
Even people who are not involved in any sort of marine activity do tend to like to live near to the coast. This is a fact that property developers took into account when looking into reviving the downtown area. Multi-purpose, high rise, luxury apartments and condominiums started rising to change the downtown skyline of San Diego. Often a shopping mall or other commercial activities would form the lower floor(s) of these new buildings.
An example of Luxury Apartments In Downtown San Diego that is nearing completion is Bosa Development’s Pacific Gates Tower. The luxury of its apartments was designed and assured by the world renowned hospitality design firm of Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA).
