Bankers Hill Downtown San Diego
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Location
Also known as Park West, Bankers Hill is a well - established neighborhood at the north end of down town San Diego, adjacent to Balboa Park and just south of Mission Hills and Hillcrest districts, starting at Upas Street. Bankers Hills' southern border is Date Street down town and Interstate 5, or San Diego Freeway. The eastern end of the neighborhood borders on Balboa Park, which is home to the famous San Diego Zoo. To the west lies the charming Little Italy district and Lindberg Field, San Diego International Airport.
The location of Bankers Hill offers panoramic views of San Diego's down town area, the San Diego Bay, the airport, Harbor Island, and Coronado Island, as well as Mount Soledad to the north-west.
History
The Bankers Hill area was established in the 1890s and became the home of the affluent professionals of the city, and the grand old homes that have been mostly preserved is a clear sign of this. These homes that are still scattered around the area today include many that have been deemed historic sites, and have been renovated and preserved to their old splendor. The architecture offers cutting edge architectural styles and designs from the 1905 - 1915 eras including designs by renowned architects Irving Gill, William Hebbard, Richard Requa, and Frank Mead, all famous in their day. Many of these old homes have been restored and converted to offices and bed-and-breakfast inns. The areas south of Laurel Street and west of 5th Avenue are mainly residential today, with some street level professional establishments scattered around the area.
Today
New construction projects have been underway since 2009, creating new condominiums along 6th Avenue, facing Balboa Park. The area is densely populated and parking for residents and visitors has become an area problem. Bankers Hill has thus been included in the Uptown Partnership, a quasi-governmental agency that was established to improve the traffic congestion though they don't appear to have had much impact up till now, especially as funding for the project has been slow in coming. Bankers Hill city councilman has therefore recommended a formal parking advisory committee to be created for the neighborhood to ease the parking problem.
Never-the-less, Bankers Hill is a very desirable neighborhood, rich in the history of San Diego and with the special appeal of a great location. The convenience of being central to the down town business community as well as Balboa Park with their museums, art displays, the San Diego Zoo, restaurants, and the famous Reuben H. Lee Space Center. It also offers a beautiful out - door theater, The Old Globe, where plays and concerts are being conducted year round.
Bankers Hill is within walking distance of many of the attractions the down town area has to offer, from bayside walkways, the maritime Midway Museum aboard the USS Midway, docked at the pier in San Diego Bay permanently, theaters, and world renowned restaurants.