MARINA DISTRICT SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA

Marina District San Diego

Imagine a day when there are no clouds in the sky, it’s warm and sunny, and you get some time to yourself. You are resting on the grass under the shadow of a tall tree while the temperature is somewhere in the middle of the seventies. Behind you, in Seaport Village, you can hear the faint noises of children laughing at the buskers and performing for them. As a sailboat cruises through the clear waters of San Diego Bay, you notice sails flapping in the breeze. A youthful mother is seen jogging past and pushing a double stroller at the same time.

High above them, two colorful delta kites are seen communing with nature. You hear a gentle breeze rustling the leaves above you, and at that moment you’ve arrived at a heavenly place. Residents here extend warm greetings to you as you enter the Embarcadero Marina Park North. The genuine vibe is felt throughout the Downtown Marina District of San Diego.

The Past History of the Marina District

Alonzo Horton, in 1869, made great strides toward realizing his dream of relocating Downtown San Diego from Old Town to New Town. This location on the waterfront was chosen to construct a new wharf at the end of 5th Avenue. That wharf was one of the first things he did when he was still trying to make his vision a reality. As a direct result of this, New Town flourished and became home. He achieved the results he had envisioned: people flocked there because of the accessibility to shipping and not too close too Little Italy fishing. By 1913, the Broadway Pier had been constructed as the first commercial pier.

Just two years later, in 1915 and 1916, San Diego played host to the Panama-California Expo. This helps San Diego to garner attention as the first Pacific U.S. port of call for ships that had traveled through the newly constructed Panama Canal. In a short amount of time, the neighborhood was completely populated by empty lots and warehouses. The area at the time is reminiscent of the East Village neighborhood next to Gaslamp Quarter was early on. You would never guess it by looking at some of the most luxurious and costly real estate in San Diego today, but the city formerly had far more modest beginnings.