Boulevard on the rebound

North Park has been witnessing a re-birth over the last several years. Being a native, I remember a very different place than the one I see now. Part of that is because of the long-term work of dedicated volunteers like Tony Lawrence and Don Taylor, who contribute to this community in ways most people don’t even realize. But a big part of the story is the work of a business community that continues to come up with creative solutions.  Adams Avenue continues to thrive with Jim Schneider encouraging businesses to be responsible, and Elizabeth Studebaker has, through North Park Main Street, helped to create a climate along University and 30th Street that makes it a desirable place for business owners and patrons.
And contrary to long-held beliefs and misconceptions, El Cajon Boulevard has begun to remake itself as well. Beryl Foreman and Gary Webber of the Boulevard Business Improvement Association (BIA) are helping to transform El Cajon Boulevard into the type of place that people want to visit and in which businesses want to invest.  Through creative regulatory changes like seeking approval of sidewalk cafes as part of the city’s Public Right of Way program and encouraging businesses to keep their storefronts and sidewalks well-kept, the Boulevard BIA is helping drive important changes in the area.
Our Councilman (Todd Gloria) and his staff work virtually non-stop to support the efforts of the community and for increased public safety and infrastructure resources needed to help this renaissance continue. And we have new leadership in our local community park in Vicky Hara and CaSandra Palmer-Thodile that are helping to accelerate The Boulevard’s resurgence by improving the neighborhoods close to the Boulevard.
Residents and business owners have begun to see the vision that the Boulevard BIA has and I, for one, am glad to see so many finding ways to support and encourage positive developments along El Cajon Boulevard.  I am hopeful that discussions with the San Diego Music Foundation and others will encourage live jazz, blues and other music genres to make El Cajon Boulevard an additional part of North Park’s thriving arts and cultural scene. My wife and I chose North Park when we returned to San Diego because it is central, pretty walkable, diverse and has a real historic character. And I hope your paper will help share the efforts of the Boulevard BIA and others in helping enhance a core part of this community.

Omar T. Passons
President, Board of Directors
North Park Community Association