Azalea Park...? (San Diego: apartment complexes, condo, houses) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

mar2p · 01-20-2010, 12:38 AM

I posted another thread to get information on Fairmont Park, but some houses in Azalea Park seem to be nice, too. Does anyone have information about the area? Any information/comments/opinion is welcomed! FYI, I want to purchase a house in the area, and hopefully get a roommie. I currently live in UTC and work in downtown La Jolla - but I want to move to somewhere that has more 'residential feel' and is close to Golden Hill, where my boyfriend lives. Thanks bunches!

NYSD1995 · 01-20-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mar2p

I posted another thread to get information on Fairmont Park, but some houses in Azalea Park seem to be nice, too. Does anyone have information about the area? Any information/comments/opinion is welcomed! FYI, I want to purchase a house in the area, and hopefully get a roommie. I currently live in UTC and work in downtown La Jolla - but I want to move to somewhere that has more 'residential feel' and is close to Golden Hill, where my boyfriend lives. Thanks bunches!

My brother lives way back in a canyon in that neighborhood. He says it's fairly quiet back there but doesn't really like living there. It's better than much of City Heights... but it's pretty sketchy, especially on Poplar and Fairmount which is the main entry into the neighborhood. Don't let the name fool you, it's still City Heights. Have you looked east of 54th street? Those neighborhoods are much nicer. He says he won't walk around his neighborhood but feels OK walking to Fairmount park to get to Chiquitas (there is a small bridge that crosses the freeway).

mar2p · 01-20-2010, 11:14 AM

Thanks again for your valuable information! Actually, Hollywood Park (same thing as Azalea Park??) was on the edge of my allowable limit, geographically, so your comment relieved me from including the community as one of my top choices. I prefer a place in the metro area but west of I-805. My first choice so far has been Fairmont Park since I find some houses comfortably within my budget, but if I want to find North Park/South Park/Golden Hill, I will definitely have to change my plan to select a condo - which I do not want. I know, many places will be so much 'different' from University City/La Jolla, and it's good to listen to what other people may tell me than what I see by merely driving by.

NYSD1995 · 01-20-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mar2p

I know, many places will be so much 'different' from University City/La Jolla, and it's good to listen to what other people may tell me than what I see by merely driving by.

Just know it is an inner-city area. You will have to accept the good and bad that comes with it. The bad includes a broad daylight mid-day drive-by murder on the crowded corner of Fairmount and Poplar not even a month ago. I can tell you that I don't even like driving over to my brother's house and I live in a neighborhood with some pretty skeevy areas nearby too. At least Fairmount Park you can enter / exit the neighborhood via 94 /Home ave exit and really never have to go into the rest of City Heights.

sdurbanite · 01-21-2010, 11:26 PM

Poor Azalea Park....it seems like a proud neighborhood, but it never really took off. I remember back in the 90's when the neighborhood made national news and was featured on CNN for actively trying to recruit gays to move into the neighborhood, so it can help with it's gentrification process.

Here's a link to some of those articles that were printed in the LA Times and SD Union Trib. back in 1993.

Azalea Park in the News

NYSD1995 · 01-23-2010, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

Poor Azalea Park....it seems like a proud neighborhood, but it never really took off. I remember back in the 90's when the neighborhood made national news and was featured on CNN for actively trying to recruit gays to move into the neighborhood, so it can help with it's gentrification process.

Here's a link to some of those articles that were printed in the LA Times and SD Union Trib. back in 1993.

Azalea Park in the News

It's still a proud neighborhood and there are a ton of gays in the neighborhood. But it never really gentrified. The big downside to the area is the housing stock. There are some decent postwar ranches but there are a lot of 1BR shacks too. There are some blocks that are actually really nice (Manzanita) and then others that are not. Without the vintage housing stock there is not a whole lot to gentrify.

sdurbanite · 01-25-2010, 12:00 AM

I drove thru Azalea Park on my way home from downtown today and you're right about the housing stock. I wonder if that 50's(?) style will ever be desirable again? A plus is that once you get off Fairmount, there doesn't seem to be alot of the nasty apartment complexes that litter much of City Heights. I did find Chiquita's, though!

desert_tortoise · 04-01-2010, 02:36 AM

I know this thread has kind of trailed off, but my wife has shown interest in this area in case we, by some miracle, make it to SD.. I'd be interested in hearing more about this neighborhood, especially given the contrast between the tone of the comments above with this recent article that seems to depict a somewhat involved/active community.. The article uses the word "paradise", which in light of the comments above I guess should be seen as a relative term?
Voice of San Diego: "Trash Scavengers Prompt Action in a City Heights Enclave"

kettlepot · 04-01-2010, 03:05 PM

By City Heights standards, Azalea Park has a pretty involved community and as a neighborhood it is probably as good as City Heights gets. I think it is actively trying to keep the areas problems at bay, but it will always be a constant battle.

1) As Sass & SDUrb said, the housing stock was never particularly nice, so there's not a lot to gentrify. Therefore, it has limited upside potential besides normal price appreciation.

2) It's a small area, so even the parts of the neighborhood that are furthest away from the rest of City Heights still face some impact from issues with crime, scavengers, trash, and homeless.

3) It can't even claim to be close by some other nice area that it can latch onto to pull itself out of the City Heights hole it's in.

If you are looking for low cost housing in an older metro neighborhood, I would check out Cherokee Point. It's closer to oncoming path of rehabilitation and gentrification. Of course even better would be to get to the west of the 805 into North Park & South Park, or look to parts of Normal Heights.

sdurbanite · 04-01-2010, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kettlepot

If you are looking for low cost housing in an older metro neighborhood, I would check out Cherokee Point. It's closer to oncoming path of rehabilitation and gentrification. Of course even better would be to get to the west of the 805 into North Park & South Park, or look to parts of Normal Heights.

Yes, Cherokee Point is another sleeper and I agree it has a better chance of gentrifying faster because of it's proximity to North Park/South Park. IMO, better housing stock and streets than Azalea Park. Most of the houses look small and are of the 2 bed/1 bath variety. A plus that there are still streets that are apartment-free.