It Must Be Spring!
By Dixie Hall, Mission Hills BID president and DixiePops owner
The weather gods heard our plea and responded with sunny skies and starry nights. Warmer days are with us and flowers are in bloom. Yes, it must be spring! With hopes of moving into the next Tier of these pandemic times and the re-opening of indoor spaces to higher capacities, there really is reason to believe that happier times are right around the corner.
New businesses have opened in Mission Hills, including Vaatika Salon at 1605 West Washington Street, and Casa Salon at 3991 Falcon Street. New restaurants are preparing to open, including What de Health Thai at 928 Fort Stockton Drive, and Fiori Pizza at their new 811 West Washington Street location, as well as the long-awaited La Puerta on Goldfinch at 4020 Goldfinch Street that is ready to open when mandates allow for functioning indoors. My own business DixiePops re-opened on February 19 at its new 301 West Washington Street location. We have added Shave Ice to our Ice Cream and Ice Pops. And, yes, we still offer free Pup Pops made especially for your best pal.
Sadly (and frustrating) on February 11 the twenty-two, non-metered parking spaces on lower West Washington Street near India Street, used by minimum wage earners at the International Restaurant Row businesses, were removed without warning and replaced by a painted bicycle lane and No Parking signage. Our Business Improvement District and Mission Hills Parking Advisory Committee, joined by the International Restaurant Row Parking Advisory Committee, whose businesses and parking spaces fall within the Mission Hills Business Improvement District, have worked diligently with the regional transportation planning authority known as SANDAG and the succession of mayors and councilmembers to create a protected and safe multi-modal pathway up West Washington Street to the West University Avenue exit. We enthusiastically support a safe bike lane, along with a pedestrian pathway/sidewalk, and parking for up to twenty vehicles, which will serve as a safety buffer for the bike lane. These long awaited improvements, combined with a hillside retaining wall will create a wonderful asset for our community.
Unfortunately, due to an abundance of legally required processes, some resulting in multi-year time delays, this SANDAG project will not begin until 2023. Have you used the new bicycle lane? Please let us know at MissionHillsBID @gmail.com if you feel safe cycling in it. If you feel the parking should be or should not be returned, let us know this too.
Last month the Mission Hills BID kicked-off its “Ask An Expert” speaker series with a PPP Round 2: What You Need To Know presentation by attorney Bradley Lebow, partner at Dunn DeSantis Walt & Kendrick. It was an information filled session for those who received funding, as well as those looking to apply. And there was plenty of time for both advanced questions and live questions and answers.
Join us via Zoom at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 17 as we continue the Ask An Expert speaker series “Homelessness Impacting Businesses” with a presentation by experts in the field of bringing outsiders inside; from street living to having a roof over their head. The San Diego Housing Commission, County of San Diego Homelessness Services and PATH (https://epath.org/), which is the acronym for People Assisting The Homeless will be represented.
PATH has been helpful to businesses in Mission Hills with both rapid response assistance and revisits to those living on our sidewalks and on our doorways, with the goal of developing a trusting relationship that will result in sobriety, work, and a home. Joining the BID as this month’s Ask An Expert co-hosts are the Old Town San Diego Chamber/BID and the Presidio Sentinel. Please go to http://missionhillsbid.com/meetings-and-agendas/#march to register for this speaker series presentation and receive the link to join us on Zoom.
If you love the Mission Hills business neighborhood and have ideas and time to help promote it, the Mission Hills BID needs you. Don’t be shy – you might also meet some new friends – I know I have. For the most up-to-date information and news on what’s happening in Mission Hills visit our website at MissionHillsBID.com.
Category: Business, Local News, Restaurants
