It takes more than a developer's proposal to turn deserted offices into homes. Even in Escondido, where a surge in empty office buildings has led the city to regulate them with fees. Between the empty offices …
November 19, 2024
Articles by Sheila Pell
Escondido planners nix office building switch to apartments
Imperial Beach renters scramble
The notices to vacate keep coming for tenants of Hawaiian Gardens and Sussex Gardens, neighboring apartment groups on Imperial Beach Boulevard.Over 100 low-income, elderly and disabled tenants are facing eviction, and many showed up at …
November 12, 2024
Will Carlsbad re-open door to drive-thru eateries?
Carlsbad's long standing ban on new drive-thru restaurants is back on the table as the city continues to receive requests to build them.According to the Carlsbad Community Development Department, the number of commercial property owners …
November 5, 2024
The vicious cycle of Escondido's abandoned buildings
A glut of empty shopping centers, storefronts, office buildings, and warehouses in downtown Escondido shows no sign of stopping.Along Grand Avenue, businesses have been leaving at a rate of over 500 percent in the last …
October 29, 2024
Encinitas giving up on sidewalk benches
Another round of bench sweeps in Encinitas marks the latest effort to make public space unwelcoming to the homeless. Or, as businesses see it, welcoming to others.In response to complaints about trash and "loitering," the …
October 22, 2024
El Cajon eases up on bars to bring nightlife to downtown
It's been decades since El Cajon banished new bars from its downtown — now it wants to bring them back. Faced with a night life that's been nodding off for years, the city is eyeing a …
October 15, 2024
Vista imagines car-free downtown
To draw more visitors to downtown Vista, city council members are considering closing certain streets to cars so that bikes, feet and skateboards can take over the asphalt.A proposed pilot program, planned around events like …
October 8, 2024
USD more than doubles student housing in Linda Vista
The University of San Diego is preparing to increase the number of beds for full time students from 1,262 to 3,101.Planning commissioners last week praised the private university for being "proactive" on housing, and voted …
October 1, 2024
Encinitas to scan entire city for historic buildings
As San Diego considers relaxing rules around historic properties to make it easier to build more housing, Encinitas is exploring the creation of citywide historic districts.The idea, introduced last week by councilmember Joy Lyndes and …
September 24, 2024