Traveling to a vibrant downtown El Cajon via Carlsbad, Little Italy and…
The San Diego Union-Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug. 19, 1999; G. Cole Davis

At a banquet given by the grand cardinal of Spain, Christopher Columbus was seated at the most honored place and the table and served with great deference and ceremony. A courtier, jealous of the foreigner's success, asked him rudely whether he thought that if he has not discovered the New World somebody else would have done so. Columbus did not reply at once, but taking an egg in his hand, invited the guests to make it stand on one end. All tried and failed, whereupon Columbus cracked the egg against the table in such a way as to flatten one end. Then he set it standing on the crushed part. The moral was plain to the company: once he had shown the way, anyone could follow it.

Downtown El Cajon recently found itself well begun upon a journey of discovery as it pursued the elusive secrets of successful redevelopment. Rather than drift aimlessly upon a sea of possibilities, Claire Carpenter, Downtown El Cajon Inc.'s executive director, preferred to chart a more direct course for Downtown El Cajon, and she searched the horizon for fellow travelers who might offer insights into how El Cajon might stand its egg on end.

Carpenter didn't have to look far, and on a recent Friday, 15 members of the board of directors of Downtown El Cajon Inc. , plus members of the city staff and one newspaper columnist, piled aboard a bus for an all-day tour of redevelopment areas throughout San Diego County. Arranged by Carpenter, the goal of the tour was simple: for Downtown El Cajon's representatives to talk with their counterparts in other redevelopment efforts; to find out what ideas are or are not working; and to find successful ideas that might find application in El Cajon. On these scores they hit the jackpot.

The tour made stops in Downtown San Diego, Little Italy, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, and Escondido. At each stop, the group was hosted by those involved with their respective redevelopment effort. The exchange of ideas was fast and furious, and more than one of the hosts expressed their surprise and delight. Downtown El Cajon, it appears, is the first redevelopment organization they could remember whose leaders had come out to see first hand the result of the other's efforts. That said a lot about El Cajon and its commitment to successful redevelopment of its historic downtown area.

In each location El Cajon's group learned at least one valuable lesson, which I shall share, but it also gathered some overall perspectives which are indispensable to El Cajon's redevelopment effort. Chief among these was the fact that El Cajon's Business Management District stands alone. In voting to create a management district- the first of its kind in San Diego County- El Cajon's merchants created a structure that is the envy of other redevelopment programs we visited. Here is what we found out:

Downtown San Diego: After a presentation by CCDC's Donna Alm and touring the Gaslamp Quarter, East Village, Cortez Hill, and the Marina Districts, we came away with this key advice: 1) True redevelopment is a long range vision. It does not happen overnight. Downtown San Diego's revival is only just getting going, and it began 24 years ago with a 50-year plan. 2.) It takes money and investment. CCDC estimates some @226 million in public money was invested to get $2 billion in private development money, but it snowballs. For the first 24 years, they have $2 billion in private development, but for the next three years, they project more than $3 billion. 3.) CCDC is fighting to keep city, county and state government offices in the downtown area. They are viewed as a huge asset, not a problem. 4.) Urban residential is an essential component in the redevelopment plan.

Little Italy: Marco Li Mandri of the Little Italy Association of San Diego is an acknowledged expert in redevelopment. His advice: Protect your unique character. Do not "Disneyfy" your unique downtown. DO not seek out the chain stores and corporate boutiques, they only destroy the small business that give the community life and character. Attract small businesses which own and operate in the community, not from a New York boardroom. Revitalize buildings to include technology and internet connections. This draws the professionals. Eliminate parking requirements for downtown commercial redevelopment. Eliminate open space, create a sense of intimacy with zero setbacks and higher density. Put in diagonal parking to reduce traffic and enhance environment. Include plenty of outdoor seating in your streetscape. Spend marketing and promotional dollars freely. Definitely include urban housing to promote a true village environment.

Solana Beach: Even the worst collection of old, ugly buildings can be made vibrant, exciting and upscale with a little paint, creativity and a bold eye for color. Include urban housing and you will always have customers. Promote yourself outside of your community.

Carlsbad: Residential uses are compatible with commercial redevelopment. Merchandise, market and promote. A management district is a powerful redevelopment tool.

Escondido: People will complain about parking no matter what (Escondido has plenty of parking in seven municipal parking lots). A management district gives you resources unavailable under other redevelopment organizations. Everyone agrees they want public art as part of redevelopment; everyone agrees to pay for public art; but no one agrees on what public art is acceptable. Having a major performing arts center in the district is a key asset that draws thousands into the area. Urban housing is a vital component of redevelopment.

One thing above all stood out to me. El Cajon is doing many things right in its pursuit of downtown redevelopment. While Downtown El Cajon Inc., went looking for answers, it wound up providing them as well. It turns out that Downtown El Cajon is doing some things that no one else has thought of. Claire Carpenter is already making arrangements to host other redevelopment groups who want to come see what is happening in our downtown.
This is a compliment of which El Cajon should be proud.