San Diego’s Facelift: From Suburbs to Big City

Since the year 2000, San Diego has experienced a 76% increase in its downtown population, the 2.6 square miles along San Diego Bay. This large post-recession influx of people brings with it a changing landscape, as the city moves away from suburban gated-communities towards big city development.

The co-CEO of Zephyr, a San Diego-based high-end housing developer, says the population wants to be able to walk rather than drive. Following its large Navy presence during World War II, redevelopment of downtown was kick-started with Horton Plaza and the Convention Center in the mid-1980s. One of the many developments currently underway is a 41-story luxury condo building with a screening room, boat-share program, and pool that will go on the market starting at $1.4 million.

Much like downtown Los Angeles, downtown San Diego is a mecca for development, as contractors give the city a facelift to satiate the population’s demands for a work-live-play culture.