What is happening with our beloved Hillcrest? Where is the shimmer and glean? Where have some of our restaurants and retailers gone? As an 18 year resident of Hillcrest, I am asking myself these questions and dozens more. We have seen so many changes in Hillcrest over the years including a fantastic renaissance over a decade ago. And we have tolerated some civic challenges such as a continuous lack of parking, increased parking fees, transients, traffic and potholes — but what community has not? Hillcrest has been a beacon of pedestrian activity and hometown “community” for a long while. San Diego residents countywide have enjoyed coming to Hillcrest for a night out without having to put up with the Gaslamp craziness. We have opened our doors, opened our community and opened our arms to everyone. We have supported every marathon, 5K, parade and CityFest. We have been the most embracing community of all in the San Diego area.
We need attention of a different kind now. We need our City Council representative to start shining a light back onto Hillcrest. We need to revisit this area and give it spit-shine. We need organizations like the Hillcrest Business Improvement District to spend as much money on day-to-day care of Hillcrest and promotion as it does on CityFest and Taste of Uptown. Where do my business taxes go every year? As a non-storefront business, I pay into a fund for the BID but never get any benefit. Our public trash cans overfill, we have dirty urine-laden bus stops, we suffer from uninspired promotions, and we are losing retailers including Carl’s Jr. How can we lose a Carl’s Jr.? We now have real estate companies gracing our best corner locations.
Hillcrest, the model for gentrification, has been taken for granted. It is precious gem that has been covered with bus and car soot and nearly forsaken. Where is the fresh energy, ideas and excitement? Let’s think “out of the box” and find ways to restore its luster before North Park and other communities lure away the pedestrians that made Hillcrest unique. We don’t need unused blue bicycle racks. We need nice street chairs (like Little Italy) where people can have a seat and people-watch, sip coffee and enjoy the community. We need the trash cans emptied more regularly so that people will not opt to toss their trash in the street. We need fresh ideas for promotions…and create reasons for people to come back to Hillcrest. CityFest is great…but even its music line-up is pretty predictable.
As for our Councilmember, she has had a particularly difficult year to be sure. However, we the residents of District 3 need her to take a stand for all of our communities: North Park, City Heights, South Park, Hillcrest, University Heights, Talmadge and Kensington. We can’t be focused on one or two areas and allow others to be kicked to the curb. Money is tight or scarce, we know that…but creativity is free. The spirit of a community is priceless, but even it can be devalued if ignored.
And as for development, how about all of us making sure that we don’t lose our community character? We are leaving the Uptown Planners unchecked as they give a pass to the developers eyeing our precious community. We could soon lose the La Moderne. We are getting condo towers all over, and we find out about them too late. Where are the community meetings? The Uptown Planners are designated by the City, but there is no outreach done. We have to care. We have to make sure that these development projects are done well and with community concerns addressed. We can’t tolerate or shouldn’t tolerate the eyesore at Sixth/Upas (aka: the pit). For over one year that project (14 stores/14 units on .25 acre) has sat like a landfill. We have to expect in-fill and density but we should also expect quality. We should follow the lead of the new Egyptian and also push for solar panels/renewable energy to be used on our new high-rises. We should expect the best because we are Hillcrest. We have been a gem in this City and we should not settle for being anything less.
This is our community. We should expect the same from those who represent us, all of them, to represent us. We, the people — we, the residents — live, work and play here. So, everyone, please take out a rag and help us dust off Hillcrest before it is too late! GET INVOLVED.
