Community leaders and city officials gathered Thursday in front of a mound of dirt where a Dixieline Lumber store used to sit on Convoy Street to highlight the planned transformation of the Convoy Asian Cultural District. A 531-unit apartment and mixed-use building will soon be constructed at the site.
District 6 City Council Member Kent Lee, who represents the Convoy corridor, said he hopes the housing will help support the Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned small businesses in the district.
“I think housing is really important for every neighborhood,” Lee said. “I think when we think of many of our core neighborhoods in San Diego that have sort of grown into their identity, having residents living there it's a critical part of it.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria called the project a catalyst for future housing. He said the revitalization will also include repaving 3.4 miles of roads.
“We will start construction on one of our biggest road repair projects yet. The full repaving of Convoy Street. When I say full, I'm not lying. From State Route 52 all the way to the 163 on Kearny Mesa Road, the entirety of the street will be completely rebuilt,” Gloria said.
The Convoy corridor has long been criticized for a lack of parking. Lee said the city has plans to address the issue.
“We know that parking has always been a challenge within the region. The city is working on a new Convoy Parking District that we envision as a way to really think about how we move around the area,” Lee said.
He said there are plans for parking shuttles, other mobility improvements and signage to increase access to the Convoy corridor.
The projects are all part of the Kearny Mesa Community Plan.
Later this year, a gateway sign is going to be put up in the Convoy District to welcome the community and tourists. It's being modeled after other iconic San Diego neighborhoods like Little Italy, Hillcrest and others.
