College Area
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The College Area is a residential community in the Mid-City region of
San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
, United States. The College Area is dominated by
San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...
(SDSU; once known as San Diego State College), after which the area is named. Several neighborhoods in the College Area were developed in the 1930s, with others becoming established in the post-war period. The College Area is bordered on the west by Kensington and Talmadge and on the east by the city of La Mesa.
El Cajon Boulevard El Cajon Boulevard is a major east–west thoroughfare through San Diego, La Mesa and El Cajon, California. Before the creation of Interstate 8 it was the principal automobile route from San Diego to El Cajon, the Imperial Valley, and points ...
is a busy shopping district; additional retail, entertainment and dining establishments are located in a new housing and commercial complex known as South Campus Plaza on College Avenue at Aztec Center. The College Area includes the neighborhoods of the Catoctin Area, Dennstedt Point, East Falls View Drive, Saranac-Mohawk, and an
Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...
neighborhood in the area near Congregation Beth Jacob Orthodox Synagogue on College Avenue. The region includes
Alvarado Hospital Alvarado Hospital Medical Center is a 306-bed acute care hospital located in San Diego, CA, adjacent to San Diego State University. It serves the College Area and is one of only two hospitals serving East County, San Diego. Overview Alvarado H ...
, a 306-bed acute care facility, and the College-Rolando branch of the
San Diego Public Library The San Diego Public Library is a public library system serving the city of San Diego, California. History The San Diego Public Library was established on May 19, 1882, by an elected board of library trustees, one of whom was civic leader a ...
.


History

On August 18, 1948, the "Campus Drive-In" movie theater with a capacity for 900 cars was built at the intersection of College Avenue and
El Cajon Boulevard El Cajon Boulevard is a major east–west thoroughfare through San Diego, La Mesa and El Cajon, California. Before the creation of Interstate 8 it was the principal automobile route from San Diego to El Cajon, the Imperial Valley, and points ...
. The opening night films were
Give My Regards to Broadway "Give My Regards to Broadway" is a song written by George M. Cohan for his musical play ''Little Johnny Jones'' which debuted in 1904 in New York. Cohan, playing the title character, sings this song as his friend is about to sail to Americ ...
and The Kansan. The final two features in 1983 were
The Dark Crystal ''The Dark Crystal'' is a 1982 dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and The ...
and Dragonslayer. In 1961, snack-bar employee Tom O'Leary was convicted of manslaughter for stabbing a patron named Dennis O'Connor to death at the drive-in. The O'Connor family sued the company for wrongful death but did not prevail. The dead man's family became active in city politics and eventually his sister
Maureen O'Connor Maureen O'Connor (born August 7, 1951) is an American lawyer and judge serving as the chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. She was elected to the court in 2002, becoming chief justice in 2010. Prior to this, O'Connor served as an associate ...
was elected
mayor of San Diego The mayor of the City of San Diego is the official head and chief executive officer of the U.S. city of San Diego, California. The mayor has the duty to enforce and execute the laws enacted by the San Diego City Council, the legislative branch. ...
in 1986. Three neon drum majorettes wearing
Indian headdress A modern-day dog soldier wearing a feathered headdress during a pow wow at the Indian Summer festival in Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 2008. War bonnets (also called warbonnets or headdresses) are featherwork, feathered headge ...
es from the Drive-In are preserved in the
Vons Vons is a Southern California and Southern Nevada supermarket chain owned by Albertsons. It is headquartered in Fullerton, California, and operates stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners. It was owned by Safeway Inc. and headquartered in ...
shopping center at this location and one large one is preserved in the College Grove Shopping Center in Rolando Park.


Geography

The College Area lies on a plateau known as
Montezuma Mesa Montezuma or Moctezuma may refer to: People * Moctezuma I (1398–1469), the second Aztec emperor and fifth king of Tenochtitlan * Moctezuma II (c. 1460–1520), ninth Aztec emperor ** Pedro Moctezuma, a son of Montezuma II ** Isabel Moctezu ...
which overlooks Interstate 8. The neighborhood's borders are defined by Montezuma Road/Collwood Boulevard to the southwest, Interstate 8 to the north, 73rd Street to the east, and El Cajon Boulevard to the south. A large canyon opens up in the center of the SDSU campus known as Aztec Bowl and descends toward Alvarado Creek in Mission Valley. Canyon Crest Drive snakes down through the canyon from 55th Street to College Avenue.


Transportation

MTS (Metropolitan Transit System) operates the
San Diego Trolley The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operating in the metropolitan area of San Diego. It is known colloquially as "The Trolley". The Trolley's operator, San Diego Trolley, Inc. (SDTI), is a subsidiary of the San Diego Metropolitan Tra ...
Transit.511sd.com
/ref> to SDSU Transit Center and the Alvarado Medical Center trolley station, both of which are in the College Area. The trolley station at SDSU, as well as a bus plaza, make up the SDSU Transit Center. Bus routes 11, 11A, 14, 936, and Rapid Bus 215 go to the Transit Center, to name a few. Transfers are made from the SDSU trolley subway station located at the Transit Center, underneath the bus plaza. Riders can go up to the bus plaza via elevator or stairs. As of October 12, 2014, the SDSU Transit Station serves as the starting point for MTS Rapid Bus Route 215. A high-frequency, limited-stop service runs between San Diego State University and Downtown San Diego via El Cajon Boulevard and Park Boulevard. This route provides a convenient transit option for visitors and nearby neighbors from downtown San Diego, North Park and Hillcrest to shop and dine in the busy commercial corridor.


Traffic

The College Area is accessible from Interstate 8, State Route 94. Surface streets entering into the College Area include 70th Street (accessible from I-8), College Avenue (accessible from I-8 and SR94),54th Street and Montezuma Road (accessible from I-8). Built in July 2005 there is also a mass transit connection by MTS San Diego Trolley accessing the SDSU on-campus underground station. Traffic can be high during the day, however local residents and City officials work together to increase pedestrian and bicycle routes and modify the street infrastructure to alleviate any congestion in the area as the population grows in the neighborhoods.


Education

The College Area is home to one traditional elementary school, one private K-8 school, two alternative K-8 schools, and SDSU.


Elementary schools

* Hardy (
San Diego Unified School District San Diego Unified School District (formerly known as San Diego City Schools) is the school district based in San Diego, California, United States. It was founded in 1854. As of 2005 it represents over 200 institutions and has over 15,800 employee ...
)


K through 8

*Blessed Sacrament Parish School


K through 12

*
San Diego Unified School District San Diego Unified School District (formerly known as San Diego City Schools) is the school district based in San Diego, California, United States. It was founded in 1854. As of 2005 it represents over 200 institutions and has over 15,800 employee ...
** Language Academy ** Tubman Village Charter


Colleges and universities

*
San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...
* Platt College


References


External links


City Council District 9 Neighborhood: College Area

College Area Community Council

Alvarado Estates

College View EstatesRolando Community Council

Rolando Village
located in San Diego's College Area, 92115
San Diego State University

''The Daily Aztec''
community newspaper
College Area Business District
{{Coord, 32, 46, 18.59, N, 117, 4, 8.18, W, type:city_region:US_dim:3900, display=title Neighborhoods in San Diego Urban communities in San Diego College Area (neighborhood)