I recognize that with the passage of time, places and faces become unfamiliar. But some changes are still jarring.
Who is that old guy in the bathroom mirror giving me the stink eye? Who’s that husky fella wearing the same clothes I am, walking next to me past the giant window in the bistro? What happened to the neighborhood where I grew up?
That last question presents itself each time I drive through sections of North Park, South Park, Little Italy even parts of downtown San Diego that are not the Gaslamp or East Village.
Over the decades since I’ve been a teen each of those areas has transformed into commercially vibrant, entertainingly appealingly, gradually unaffordable, youth-focused, heavily trafficked hubs of activity.
Any Chula Vistan who wants an exercise in patience building or a glimpse into a possible future for their Third Avenue Village ought to consider driving west on University Avenue between 4 and 6 p.m. on a weekday afternoon. Likewise, they can also try shuttling north to south (or vice versa) on a sunny weekend afternoon along 30th Street in the same part of San Diego.
There they will wait as cars creep along congested streets, watching a steady tide of diners, shoppers and bar hoppers move along the clean, repaved sidewalks. They can make mental note of all the interesting places to eat or grab a cocktail if they decide to return. They can make plans to bring out of town guests for a taste of local nightlife. Or they can devise alternative routes through neighboring streets that will help them avoid the mid-afternoon gridlock.
Ask most people who live or lived in North Park 10, 20 years ago and they will tell you the area has improved. They don’t nervously walk along some of the busier streets at night anymore, and there is also plenty more for them to do — whether it’s brunching at a microbrewery or shopping at a boutique.
Homeowners will tell you the value of their property has increased, as has the value of finding an open parking space on the street; renters will say they see themselves gradually getting squeezed out of their apartments and craft homes. But for now it’s a great place to live.
As Third Avenue creeps toward it’s long — long — anticipated redevelopment goals, as storefronts become homes for microbreweries and eateries that offer more than sweet bread or fast food, and starts appealing to the young, hip and financially-abled residents and neighbors among us, people in and around the area should prepare themselves mentally for a change.
As with most things, positive or negative change is determined by perspective. But it’s change nonetheless. And 10 short years from now don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize where you are when you’re walking or driving down a busy street that used to be empty.
