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Downtown San Diego Communities

San Diego Downtown Communities

Downtown San Diego is home to seven unique residential districts which are listed below.  Each district offers its own flavor of entertainment, recreation and dining.  With approximately 89 residential developments and counting, downtown San Diego offers a vibrant community for those seeking an urban lifestyle.

Downtown San Diego is served by the San Diego Unified School District.

District specific information below provided by the Centre City Development Corporation’s (CCDC) 2009 Downtown Living Guide.  For current information on Downtown San Diego projects visit their website.

Please see the Interactive Downtown Map provided by the CCDC.

• Little Italy
  • The sloping landscape at the northern edge of San Diego Bay was once home to a highly successful tuna fishing industry and the many Italian families who derived their living from the coastal waters.  Its unique streetscape now offers a lively urban village with single-family homes, condominiums, and apartments.  India Street is alive with restaurants, small cafes, galleries, specialty shops and abundant public art.  The neighborhood also plays host to several popular annual events, such as Art Walk and Festa.  Amici Park adjoins the rebuilt Washington Elementary School, just blocks from a wide variety of new housing for the next generation of residents.
• Cortez
  • One of San Diego’s oldest residential neighborhoods was named after the famous El Cortez Hotel, which has been restored and converted into condominiums.  Views include Balboa Park, San Diego Bay, the Pacific Ocean and the urban scene below.  Victorian-style homes populate the area, along with newer condominiums and apartments.  The hill’s topography separates it from downtown’s hustle, yet its closeness makes it a very desirable address for those who want to live on the cusp of an active urban center.  The character of this neighborhood carries through into its newest linear park, nicknamed “Tweet Street.”
• Columbia
  • Beginning at its namesake pier at the edge of the Columbia neighborhood, Broadway is downtown’s main street, with medians featuring lush foliage and lighted banners.  The surrounding neighborhood of this transportation hub is largely composed of commercial development, with residential opportunities dotted throughout.
• Civic/Core
  • The heart of San Diego’s central business, government and office districts extends from Ash Street to Broadway and Union Street to Eighth Avenue.  The area also features major arts-related venues, such as Copley Symphony Hall and the San Diego Civic Theatre.  Restoration and revitalization of several historic buildings continue to add residential units, public parking, and retail and commercial space.
• East Village
  • At 325 acres, this is downtown’s largest neighborhood.  It will experience the greatest growth in the coming years, including thousands of homes and significant growth of new office/retail space.  PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres, opened in April 2004.  Artist’s lofts, studios, galleries and shops are scattered throughout the area; even former warehouses have been transformed into charming residential units with mixed uses.  The neighborhood contains San Diego City College, the New School of Architecture and two high schools, and Thomas Jefferson School of Law has begun construction here.
• Gaslamp Quarter
  • Gaslamp Quarter is where Alonzo Horton first encouraged downtown’s development in the 1870’s by building a wharf at the foot of Fifth Avenue to facilitate trade with the area’s retail stores.  This 16.5-block neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the 94 structures identified as historically or architecturally significant now house more than 100 restaurants and nightclubs, movie theaters, stores, offices, galleries and lofts.
• Marina
  • Formerly composed of warehouses and vacant lots, this neighborhood now offers a a variety of home types, styles, sizes and prices.  The area stretches between the waterfront, Horton Plaza and downtown’s office towers.  Pantoja Park, Children’s Park, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade and waterfront provide ample open space and are the ideal setting to enjoy San Diego’s mild climate.  Some of the area’s rich cultural history can be found here, including the Chinese Mission Museum within the Asian/Pacific Thematic Historic District, recognizing the contributions of Asian cultures to the city’s development.