El Cajon Blvd Mid-City TAP Report
“THE STITCH”
In September of 2023, the San Diego-Tijuana district council was approached by a previous TAP partner – the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association (ECBBIA). Since the completion of the previous TAP project in 2016, the district represented by the ECBBIA has changed dramatically and the client was interested in revisiting the 2016 report with updates based on current site conditions – notably, the significant increase of completed and in-process residential development. El Cajon Boulevard’s span through much of the City of San Diego is characterized as having three parts: West End, Central, and East End. The Central portion, which the ULI TAP panel nicknamed “The Stitch” due to its location connecting multiple distinct neighborhoods, spans the Interstate 805 overpass to the Interstate 15 overpass. It is primarily populated by car lots and car services, low-rise commercial buildings, grocery stores, and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. The TAP work and recommendations focus on the following key questions:
- How can the Association establish a unique and compelling brand identity for El Cajon Boulevard that is distinct from the neighboring commercial districts in Normal Heights and North Park?
- How can the Association support new housing and economic development while balancing the interests of its current diverse resident and business population?
- What are potential redevelopment opportunity sites in this area and how best can the Association promote them to interested investors and developers for positive community outcomes?
Report Summary: In September of 2023, the San Diego-Tijuana district council was approached by a previous TAP partner – the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association (ECBBIA). Since the completion of the previous TAP project in 2016, the district represented by the ECBBIA has changed dramatically and the client was interested in revisiting the 2016 report with updates based on current site conditions – notably, the significant increase of completed and in-process residential development. El Cajon Boulevard’s span through much of the City of San Diego is characterized as having three parts: West End, Central, and East End. The Central portion, which the ULI TAP panel nicknamed “The Stitch” due to its location connecting multiple distinct neighborhoods, spans the Interstate 805 overpass to the Interstate 15 overpass. It is primarily populated by car lots and car services, low-rise commercial buildings, grocery stores, and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. The TAP work and recommendations focus on the following key questions:
- How can the Association establish a unique and compelling brand identity for El Cajon Boulevard that is distinct from the neighboring commercial districts in Normal Heights and North Park?
- How can the Association support new housing and economic development while balancing the interests of its current diverse resident and business population?
- What are potential redevelopment opportunity sites in this area and how best can the Association promote them to interested investors and developers for positive community outcomes?