 |
When he arrived in 1867, Alonzo Erastus Horton was not the
first to be attracted by San Diego's natural beauty, but as
the historical father of contemporary San Diego, he was certainly
the most influential. Horton bought and sold or developed
most of the land that is now downtown San Diego. Named after
his namesake Horton Plaza Park, which houses the Horton Park
Fountain and is near the bronze statue of the man himself,
this neighborhood is where the redefining of Downtown began.
The Horton Plaza Redevelopment Project was adopted in 1972
to spearhead the transformation of downtown from the center
out. The first development was the six and one-half-block
Horton Plaza retail/entertainment center, which ingenuously
houses over 140 shops and restaurants in a colorful labyrinth
connecting seven open-air split levels. This shopping center
is now a local landmark and a tribute to the creativity and
history of San Diego. High-rise luxury condominiums and mixed-use
residential and retail developments followed. Today, the Horton
Plaza neighborhood includes a Westin Hotel, the Meridian condominium
tower, Horton Fourth Avenue apartments, the SBC and NBC office
towers, Spreckels and Balboa theaters, and the Federal Courthouse
& Office building.
Residential opportunities may be limited, but this 15-block
district puts residents at the center of Downtown's activity.
The area includes luxury condominiums and apartments amidst
high-rise office buildings, retail, hotels, theaters and restaurants.
Upcoming developments include the 460-room Hotel InterContinental
and the Balboa Theatre restoration.
|
