Boulevard News – November 2017

The Blvd Holiday Vintage & Makers Market

Saturday, December 9th, The BLVD Market has been canceled.

African Caribbean Market Volunteer Make-Over

On Sunday November 12th, 2017, the Live Well Community Market Program team implemented a complete market makeover at African Caribbean Market on El Cajon Blvd in City Heights. There were 65 volunteers present along with market owners Christian and Grace Bempong, and stakeholders including the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association.  The project included stenciling and painting the façade of the market and interior back wall, planting new landscape greenery, and building benches.

This project engaged small businesses and residents together to improve the market and beautify a small section of El Cajon Blvd. It also supported the creation of social gathering spaces in front of the market and adjacent beauty salon to create a more welcoming look and feel to a neglected area of the block. It is the hope that these improvements increase small business patronage, particularly related to accessing good affordable food in City Heights. Additionally, this project contributes to maintaining City Heights’ rich culture of diversity and helps to promote El Cajon Boulevard as a green, walkable/bikeable, and economically thriving small business corridor.

Special thanks to our UCSD CCH Community Health Specialist, Kate Mahoney, and our Director of Urban Food Environments, Elle Mari, for leading the charge on this community building project! 

African Caribbean Food Market – 4811 El Cajon Boulevard

Urban Life Cafe Holiday Party – Eat, Drink, Be Merry!

Mobility Study Progress

In response to a request from community members, The Mid-City Community Parking District contracted with Linscott Law & Greenspan, a local transportation planning firm, to create a Bicycle Accommodation Plan for El Cajon Boulevard (west of Highland) and 30th Street (Upas to Adams.)

Design guidelines include no net loss of parking. Any loss in parking will be mitigated on side streets. The implementation should also cause minimal negative impact for business owners and residents.

Project Goals:

• Instill economic revitalization
• Ensure safe and friendly streets
• Increase pedestrian activity
• Advance transportation choices
• Increase parking options

Preliminary designs have been developed and a survey was conducted to see how people get to El Cajon Boulevard and 30th Street and what changes they would like to see. The design and survey results were presented to a focus group consisting of El Cajon Boulevard Business owners. This is the first step in a series of outreach efforts to get feedback from the community on possible changes.

Two cross-sections were developed for El Cajon Boulevard. One involves removing one lane and the other will decrease current lane widths. No parking would be lost in either plan.   

The consensus from the focus group was that speed is a huge factor on El Cajon Boulevard and infrastructure is needed to make it a safer street. Everyone was in favor of removing a travel lane and adding bike infrastructure. There were differing opinions on where the bike lane should be (next to sidewalk or between the parking and travel lane.) There was also a question whether angled parking could be included on certain sections of the corridor. Many participants pointed to the opportunity coming with all the new residents that will be moving onto The Boulevard and expressed the need make the area more walkable.

North Park Main Street and Adams Avenue Business Association are currently conducting focus groups as well.  The next step in the process is to continue outreach and develop a survey that will be distributed at local businesses. Once community listening is completed, the feedback will used in developing a final design.

 Trashy Hour