Construction Developments Around LV
Plus: Upcoming LV Theatre Arts Program Production, BUNZ in Hotel Circle, Howard Wayne Street Named, Local Sports News, Honoring Bill Walton, and LV Rush Hour Poem
The local landscape in and around Linda Vista doesn’t change at a rapid pace, but we did notice some interesting construction news tidbits developing these past couple weeks, and we wanted to share this news with our readers. Examining the status of local construction projects tells us a little about the state of the entire community.
Let’s begin at the Fashion Valley Mall. It was reported in local news outlets that the JC Penny department store is going away, to be replaced with 850 residential luxury units. We think it somewhat ironic that even though the local area has a need for more “affordable” housing units, the decision has instead been made to replace an “affordable” department store with upscale apartments. It seems that soon there will be nothing that can be identified as “affordable.” In the near future, everything will be labeled “luxury” or “premium” or “first class” or “high end”, which means everything will be expensive. Where will we go for “affordable” clothing once JC Penny is demolished? I guess there is always Walmart.
In addition to 850 units, the plan for that section of Mall property also involves 100,000 square feet of new shops and eateries, and an open-air plaza. They will in all likelihood be “luxury” shops and eateries!
It is the end of an era. Once a retail mainstay, we will miss JC Penny and the store’s weekly sales specials, as well as the plentiful parking spaces on that side of the Mall.
Just down the block from JC Penny, along Friars Road, we saw the beginnings of the huge Riverwalk development starting to take shape over the past few months. However, much to everyone’s surprise, it was reported a couple weeks ago that development construction has been completely halted. The decision was made by the developer based on current interest rates, which makes borrowing expensive and unprofitable for the developer. When will construction resume? Who knows?
It was just a few months ago when we reported in this newsletter about all the progress being made on the development, and all the projected construction to be completed in the next year or two. I guess we will just have to wait a little bit longer for thousands of new people to move into Mission Valley.
Nevertheless, we are still left with the question of whether the construction site’s blue tarp extending down Friars Road will remain. Based on the delay, there are two ways of looking at this blue tarp. We can see it as an eyesore. Or, we can see it as a unique work of art, sort of like one of those creations designed by that avant garde artist Christo, who was famous for wrapping famous landmarks in fabric or plastic. He once wrapped the entire Reichstag building in Berlin. He believed the entire world was a canvas. I say we keep a positive outlook on life and refer to the blue tarp as an avant garde work of art. Should we ever have a cyclist utilizing the bicycle lane that lines the area next to the blue tarp, we can offer to wrap him/her in blue tarp as well.
Back in 2020 we published an article about Amy‘s Tailor and Alterations, the popular Linda Vista seamstress who offered her services out of a nondescript apartment building located at the corner of Dunlap Street and Linda Vista Road. She was the go-to person in the neighborhood for quick alterations. Unfortunately, Amy’s business is no more (at least at this location), and neither is the apartment building. The apartment buildings located on both sides of Dunlap Street have been recently demolished. New apartments will eventually go up. Alas, such is progress.
We hope Amy was able to continue her business at a different location.
Meanwhile, over at the Linda Vista Community Park, volunteers and members of Bayside Community Center and the San Diego Parks Foundation are continuing to make preparations for the grand opening of the Linda Vista Community Garden. Numerous volunteers worked on consecutive Saturdays during the month of May to build the garden. What we have seen of the garden site so far indicates it will be a fun, attractive community gathering spot.
The grand opening for the LV Community Garden is scheduled for Saturday June 8 at 10:00 am.
As you can see from the above news tidbits, construction progress in the local area continues with a combination of fits and starts, grandiose plans, dislocations and disruptions, and the occasional success story. Much like life in general.
Upcoming Community Event
One Normal Night Coming to LV Rec Center
The Linda Vista Theatre Arts Program is getting ready for its next production at the Linda Vista Recreation Center (7064 Levant Street). As described by director K.J. LeCesne, “One Normal Night is a delightful romp that celebrates the creepy and kooky nature of family dynamics. In this lively musical adaptation inspired by Charles Addams' beloved characters, chaos ensues when Wednesday, the mischievous force of nature, finds herself head over heels for a charming, intelligent young man from Florida. As the Family prepares to host a dinner for Wednesday's "normal" boyfriend and his parents, the stage is set for a night filled with laughter, surprises, and perhaps a few near-death experiences. Secrets will be exposed, marriages threatened, delicious chaotic anarchy! Will they all make it out of this dinner alive?”
The Linda Vista Theatre Arts Program always delivers with a highly entertaining production full of great acting and singing.
Check out the below flyer for ticket purchasing details.
BUNZ for Burgers…and Breakfast
As you know, we are always on the lookout for reasonably priced fun places to eat good food. We are not always successful. Sometimes they are fun, fewer times they are reasonably priced, but more often than not the food is good.
While perusing the Friday “Night and Day” section of the Union Tribune, we came across an article highlighting the 33 top burger joints in San Diego. We fully expected Linda Vista’s own Mr. Peabody’s to be there and were disappointed to see it not make the list. However, while reading the article, we noticed a restaurant called Bunz that did make the Top 33. We recalled seeing the restaurant somewhere in Hotel Circle, but had never eaten there. We do not eat burgers, but noticed that Bunz also served breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. It appeared there was something we could try and breakfast didn’t seem to be so expensive, so off we went.
Bunz is located at 475 Hotel Circle South, next to Days Inn by Wyndham. It is a very spacious restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining. Since it was a cold morning, we opted to eat inside and were seated immediately. The staff was very friendly. Breakfast is served Sun–Wed 7 to 12 and Thur-Sat 7 to 11. Their breakfast menu includes omelets, French toast/pancakes, breakfast burritos, border bowls, American breakfast bowls and breakfast sandwiches. It also features many sides. You can view the entire menu (breakfast, lunch, dinner, on their website.
Steve ordered the breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheddar cheese, pinto beans and asked for it without sausage. It was $9.99. I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich which included two fried eggs, cheddar cheese on a burger bun and left out the ham. We enjoyed our breakfast very much. Steve’s burrito was large and overflowing with goodies. He commented that the guajillo sauce it came with was mild and very good. My sandwich was excellent. The bun was large and the two eggs were cooked just the way I like with the yolk oozing out. I also got coffee which was refilled without my asking. We had a leisurely breakfast and it was so filling that we skipped lunch. If you haven’t been to Bunz, give it a try. I am sure their hamburgers are excellent or they wouldn’t have made the top 33 list, but it was breakfast time, and the Carnivore Sidekick was nowhere to be found so early in the morning, so we can’t comment on the meat. I did, however, enjoy the bunz.
Howard Wayne Street Named
We are happy to report the honorary street naming ceremony for the late Howard Wayne, a distinguished and long-time Linda Vista resident, was held this past Saturday morning. The honorary street name sign now hangs at the intersection of Morena Boulevard and Buenos Street in the Morena District.
Approximately 50 people were in attendance for the ceremony.
Howard Wayne passed away in November 2023.
“Howard’s passion to make a positive impact wherever he went and with everything he did was an inspiration for so many in the community, myself included,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo at the ceremony. “He truly loved his community, and his community loved him. I’m grateful to be able to celebrate Howard with an honorary street naming in his home neighborhood of Linda Vista.”
Howard Wayne served as a Deputy Attorney General, State Assemblymember for the 78th District, and Chair of the Linda Vista Planning Group. As Assemblymember, one of his most important accomplishments was passing AB 411, which is related to coastal water-quality testing programs.
Local Sports News
We wish to recognize the sports accomplishments of two local teams.
First, we wish to congratulate the Francis Parker School girls softball team for winning the San Diego CIF Division V championship. The team finished the season with a record of 22-3, and a 10-2 championship victory over Castle Park High on Saturday May 25.
Second, congratulations are in order for the University of San Diego baseball team, which won both the West Coast Conference (WCC) regular season championship with a record of 20-4 , as well as this past weekend’s WCC championship tournament. The team now advances to the NCAA DI regional tournament being held at UC Santa Barbara this weekend. The USD Toreros will open regional play on May 31 against the University of Oregon.
Honoring a San Diego Hero
We have humorously mentioned on several occasions in this newsletter that there are no statues of famous people in Linda Vista. But there has long been a prominent statue just outside the Linda Vista borders, across Friars Road in Mission Valley. A statue of basketball great Bill Walton stands in front of the entrance to the Mission Valley Y. This famous San Diegan was certainly deserving of a statue. His spectacular exploits as a Helix High, UCLA, and NBA basketball star earned him the distinction of being one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. Later, while residing here in San Diego and working as an ESPN basketball announcer, he became a great advocate for the city of San Diego. An activist since his days at UCLA, he became well known in recent years for his support of certain projects addressing the needs of our city’s homeless population.
Walton suffered extreme pain from numerous sports related injuries, and as a result, he was a frequent visitor at the Mission Valley Y where he took advantage of aqua therapy. He credited the Y with saving his life. I once saw him there. Well known as a big music fan, he pointed at the T-shirt I was wearing, which displayed an iconic Led Zeppelin album cover, and commented “Hey, that was a great band.” I enjoyed the moment. After all, as a high school and college student growing up in the L.A. suburbs I used to religiously follow his John Wooden-coached teams as they completely dominated college basketball in the early to mid 70’s. Both his talent and enthusiasm for the game were a joy to behold. During the past few years, I also happened to catch him a couple times at the beach as he rode his bicycle on the Mission Beach boardwalk. He seemed to be a constant San Diego presence. We wrote about him most recently in our August 17, 2023 issue when he showed up at a Clairemont Recreation Center to shoot hoops with kids and support a local political candidate.
We mourn his passing, which occurred this Monday. He was a true San Diego hero.
Poetry Corner
Linda Vista Rush Hour
Linda Vista Rush Hour
The afternoon procession begins
just around 4:00 pm.
Waves of windshields and headlights,
crawl down Linda Vista Road.
They stop,
then turn left down Ulric Street.
Or continue down the hill.
What prompts this curious commuting trajectory
through our friendly backwater neighborhood?
I imagine some tired worker bees have united,
formed a common front, to exit the hive
by way of an alternate route.
Free to modify the queen bee’s instructions,
they aim to avoid SR-163
for as long as possible.
What are we to think of their workweek incursion?
They seldom stop to say hello,
or ask what is happening in the ‘hood.
We residents must appear to them as props,
like plastic figures positioned in a village train set.
But I say, give our guests a break.
They can’t wait to get home.
Unlike us, who are already there.
Through tinted windows, we see their solemn faces,
further aggravated by pauses
at Burroughs, Comstock, and Tait.
I am tempted to stand at a stop light,
tap on their doors, and ask…
How was your day?
Did the boss treat you right?
(Is the local gang graffiti a turn off?)
Can I suggest stopping at the corner Pho shop?
Take home a taco from the local food truck?
Don’t take their indifference personally, I insist.
The working life is hard. And these twilight time visitors
have lost out on the work-at-home lottery.
They deserve our sympathy, maybe even a cheer.
Picture us standing on the curb
and generating a long undulating
community wave for the visiting team,
until the last one departs our roads.
Better yet,
someday we should hire a singer,
perhaps with a guitar,
to serenade our late afternoon company;
offer them a merry note to end the day.
Encourage their return.
“Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again.”
Add a twangy banjo.
“Y’all come back now,
Ya hear?”
As they steer past our favorite Thai restaurant…
The rest of us will chime in as a chorus…
“Car commuting worker bees, away you drive,
For tomorrow you return to the hive.”Subscribe to the Linda Vista Update
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The Linda Vista Update is a weekly digital newsletter that publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities.
Christine, thanks for the comment on the poem.
Steve Rodriguez
I love the poem about commuter traffic through the neighborhood. So true, so true.