National City (San Diego, Chula Vista, Vista: crime, houses, neighborhoods)

[SD Observer]

As a relative newcomer to this area I find myself interested in the history and trends in SD and the suburbs.

Can anyone tell me a little about National City. And when did take a nose dive economically ? When did it become a gang-ridden and high-crime town ?

Are there some nice parts of the town ?
Is it true that it was a primarily military residential town ?

Hoping some South Bay residents can answer these questions.
JKsouthbay88 are you reading this ?

Finally, any predictions for National City's future ?

[jksouthbay88]

I'm readin it.But I know little of NC.It was supposed to be a military residential town from what I heard back in Middle School.

Umm predictions?Sounds crazy but NC came from this crap-whole to a place no one would say where it is at currently 12 years ago.NC can become a pretty fair city in the future(10 years from now) and I do see it getting better than where it is at.Then there's CV but that's another story.

[SD Observer]

Originally Posted by jksouthbay88

I'm readin it.But I know little of NC.It was supposed to be a military residential town from what I heard back in Middle School.

Umm predictions?Sounds crazy but NC came from this crap-whole to a place no one would say where it is at currently 12 years ago.NC can become a pretty fair city in the future(10 years from now) and I do see it getting better than where it is at.Then there's CV but that's another story.

Thanks for your input. I thought you might know about NC, since you live right next door in Chula Vista. Good to hear that NC is moving up rather than down in status.

Your last sentence about Chula Vista seems less positive. What do you think about CV in the next 10 years ?

[AFTERSHOCK]

there are definetly nice areas in national city, i've been to them, they tend to be east of highland ave.

[sav858]

Sorry I can't help you much with the history of National City but I recently discovered this series on PBS called "Wonderland" where this guy goes around and profiles all the different communities and suburbs of San Diego. It talks about the history and all, it's a great series to learn about San Diego. Not sure if they have done one on National City but I've seen ones on Mission Beach, Gaslamp, Ocean Beach, and Encinitas so far. Try to check it out if you're interested, I'm not sure if they have regularly scheduled times, i just set my DVR and it records it. It seems to air mainly on weekends though.

[SD Observer]

Thanks JKsouthbay88, Aftershock & SAV858 for your input.

[Sassberto]

Journal of San Diego History
National City : Local History

National City has been working class for most of the 20th century with ey, in almmployment centered around the military, shipbuilding and the ports. Port cities have always been somewhat hardscabble.

The "ghetto", appeared in this country in the 70's with the rise of the drug culture and the urban riots of the 60's. Most places that became what you would consider "gang ridden" or "crime ridden" today were fairly safe places in the 1950's.

[bunky3301]

Originally Posted by SD Observer

As a relative newcomer to this area I find myself interested in the history and trends in SD and the suburbs.

Can anyone tell me a little about National City. And when did take a nose dive economically ? When did it become a gang-ridden and high-crime town ?

Are there some nice parts of the town ?
Is it true that it was a primarily military residential town ?

Hoping some South Bay residents can answer these questions.
JKsouthbay88 are you reading this ?

Finally, any predictions for National City's future ?

SD Observer,

I'm kind of like you as far as interested in different parts of San Diego. Especially while living in Chula Vista/Eastlake we would frequent National City for different reasons. It had the closest Chuckee Cheese's for the kids, had two car alarms installed and frequented various other businesses as well there.

I would sometimes drive around some of the western neighborhoods and even though the houses and the neighborhoods were run down you could see alot there was alot of history there. Some of the old house's looked very interesting and would make nice renovation projects one day when the revitalization takes hold.Thank god they have the Mile of Cars area which I'm sure helps bring in revenue. I think National City could be a nice place again someday, but I think its going to take more like 20 years instead of 10 years.

As far as Chula Vista I think JKsouthbay was talking about the West side of Chula Vista. Now I also think that area has even more potential than National City , and the time frame if investors come in(along with some city planning) could be more like only 10 years away. At least I hope so.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by bunky3301

SD Observer,

I'm kind of like you as far as interested in different parts of San Diego. Especially while living in Chula Vista/Eastlake we would frequent National City for different reasons. It had the closest Chuckee Cheese's for the kids, had two car alarms installed and frequented various other businesses as well there.

I would sometimes drive around some of the western neighborhoods and even though the houses and the neighborhoods were run down you could see alot there was alot of history there. Some of the old house's looked very interesting and would make nice renovation projects one day when the revitalization takes hold.Thank god they have the Mile of Cars area which I'm sure helps bring in revenue. I think National City could be a nice place again someday, but I think its going to take more like 20 years instead of 10 years.

As far as Chula Vista I think JKsouthbay was talking about the West side of Chula Vista. Now I also think that area has even more potential than National City , and the time frame if investors come in(along with some city planning) could be more like only 10 years away. At least I hope so.

I agree with everything you put!And that's tough for me to do.If NC was built as it's own city instead of Military-town,NC might have been just as good or even better than Chula Vista.I was talking about the west of the 805 thing but if you think about it,that is the heart of CV and it's history.But even out east I can picture things falling off.And here's the main reason.Lack of jobs.For a city of a qtr.million people there are only 6 huge shopping areas that attract a large number of people.(2 in Eastlake,the mall area,Pal.Brodway,East H corridor,TC Road corridor)All of my friends and people I know say that CV is nothing but a bunch of houses,we lack a real downtown and have a handful of amenities(Amp,water park,nature center)Because of no jobs in the general CV area,I'm seeing all of the Chula Vista area fall off real soon.Things like the water front development and Chargers Stadium would make this place maintain it's "high" standard of living that it's residents believe.But that's the problem.People down here can't accept the fact that the entire S.Bay mega-region has 515,000 aprx people and want to keep it "small town" when it is not,the long time residents want no growth and no "new traffic" while newer or younger residents would want a sky-scraped downtown or a Stadium,any type of large development.Another reason is that lots of 3-6 people households can't afford San Diego in general.They get a check divide it on bills,food,gas,but the check is so small they can't even save money to try to get out of here.And that's a CV-wide,even county wide problem.So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, 15 years instead of 10 or 20.

[eastsandiegobornandraised]

I always hated nasty city since I was a kid...especially yardage town lol(moms used to drag me there with her every other weekend). Congested and crowded as hell, aint much appealing about National City