Sunday,
November 19, 2006
A Sophisticated "Little
The
ANNOTICO Report
The
Italians didn't move to the Suburbs. They stayed and improved, and were
discovered.
It's
The Old Country, With New Condos
By
Irene Lechowitzky
Special to The Times
November 19, 2006
Once the humble home of immigrant fishermen, today
Beginnings
At the end of the 19th century, Italian and Portuguese immigrants thrived here
as commercial fishermen; the area became known as the "tuna capital of the
world."
But the tuna boom eventually fizzled, and the industry and the jobs dramatically shrank. The construction of
Interstate 5, starting in the 1950s, cut through the community and displaced
many families. Over the next few decades, the area declined, but even then a
few Italian restaurants and Our L a! dy
of the Rosary church kept the flame alive.
Now this neighborhood is in the midst of a renaissance, thanks to a
private-public partnership formed in the 1990s.
Drawing card
This historic district covers about 50 square blocks with India Street as its
center and home to most of the hip restaurants, shops and the landmark
establishments from the early years.
There's plenty of curb appeal with sidewalk piazzas, fountains and hanging
flower baskets. New residential development is within easy walking distance.
You can still hear conversations in Italian on street corners, at cafes and at
Our Lady of the Rosary, built in 1925 and the spiritual heart of the community.
Mike Ciampa, a real estate agent for 92101
Residential, which sells primarily downtown
Insiders'
view
"Bo t! h my home and office are in the
neighborhood," Ciampa says. "We love the
intimate feel of the area. We can walk wherever we need to be."
For almost 10 years, Anthony Davi, a San Diego-based
tour guide and writer, has been taking people on walks that showcase the
historic sites and culminate with lunch at a local restaurant. "I lived in
Little Italy in the mid-1980s when the area wasn't so trendy," Davi says. "While much has changed from a
redevelopment standpoint, much remains the same in Little Italy. There are more
weddings than ever and daily Mass continues as it has since 1925 at the
magnificent Catholic church."
The neighborhood merchants still speak in the dialects of
Good news, bad news
Little Italy is a major hub of the
But not everyone is pleased with certain aspects of the area's development. "Apartment building constr u!
ction has dwarfed us and our
neighbors," says Stacey Himmel, owner of India
Ink, a stationery store. "We used to be able to see the sun set over the
harbor, but now a building blocks the view."
Other problems include the scarcity of parking and finding housing to
accommodate larger families. Much of the new construction is of one- and
two-bedroom units.
Housing stock
Condos are the big story here. The original smaller homes have been squeezed
out in recent years by urban development. More than 2,000 condos, town houses
and apartments have been built in the last decade with 700 slated in the next
couple of years. Some development is mixed use: retail on the ground floor and
residences above.
"Whether you are 60 or 20, the reason to live here is always the
same," Ciampa says. "It's a small ethnic
neighborhood in the middle of a big downtown."
As of mid-November, there were about 105 properties for sale in Little
At the low end, there's a one-bathroom, 552-square-foot studio with city views
listed for $285,000. For $1,799,900, there's a two-bedroom, two-bathroom,
2,150-square-foot condo with city views. Listed single-family houses include
one with three bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms in 1,132
square feet for $549,000 and a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,232-square-foot
house for $1,960,000.
Report card
Children attend
Sources:
littleitalysd.com; http://www.cde.ca.gov ; http://www.92101residential.com ; Centre City
Development Corp., http://www.CCDC.com .
http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate
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