How is the area of La Mesa/Mt. Helix? (San Diego: middle-class, home) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

wkreuder · 08-02-2007, 09:05 AM

I am looking at an appartment in La Mesa at the base of Mt. Helix. I was wondering if anyone could let me know how the living is there? My office is going to be in La Jolla but im a conslutant and will be going out to various client sites. Am I in for a nasty commute? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

NYSD1995 · 08-02-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wkreuder

I am looking at an appartment in La Mesa at the base of Mt. Helix. I was wondering if anyone could let me know how the living is there? My office is going to be in La Jolla but im a conslutant and will be going out to various client sites. Am I in for a nasty commute? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

It's a nice area. Easy access to La Mesa village which has small shops and is walkable. It's an older, solidly middle-class area with wealthier people up in the hills. No cookie-cutter tracts, massive chockablock complexes, big box stores, or 90mph surface streets to be seen.

Commute will be OK in the AM but going home you will hit traffic on i-8 east from Waring Road to El Cajon.

wkreuder · 08-02-2007, 10:35 AM

Thanks for the tip. Im looking for slightly cheapter living that in La Jolla and Del Mar and found some places in Craigslist with 2 bedrooms for $995.00.

jselby · 08-02-2007, 11:37 AM

Sassberto said it well in epitomizing La Mesa. Depending on where in La Jolla you are working, the commuter will differ; however, the commute to East County tends to be better than some of the Northbound or Southbound commutes. We have a small little bunch up along the 52 East in the afternoon, but only from the 15 to Santo road where the fwy. narrows. Or if you are taking the 8 then it knots up for a short span from Mission Gorge to College. I take that commute a couple of days a week, so I'm pretty familiar. As commutes go, eastbound is probably the best.

jksouthbay88 · 08-02-2007, 04:16 PM

Great.A little close to the SESD/ESD area but it's still great.The commute might be one of the best.The 94 and the 54 have minor slowing for a few exits but it is nothing like the 805,5,or the 8.From that area it might be best to 94West to the 5North.

tande1n5 · 08-03-2007, 02:33 PM

I'd say La Mesa is a "best price" area in San Diego in terms of what you get for the money. There's cheaper places to be found, as well as fancier, but as for the whole package of good community, safe, and for as cheap as possible, La Mesa's it. The side south of the 8 you're talking about actually feels a bit like a medwestern town, but the north actually does have some postwar tract housing and Grossmont center for your big box stores.

As far as the commute, 8 will be good most of the time, but if you catch it on a bad time or during an accident or something, just take the 52 to the 128 instead and you'll be fine.

Not to mention that Mount Helix has some awesome views. On a nice day, I love to grab a cup of coffee and just park up there and have a look for a while... I think it's a bit of a lover's lane at night though for the local kids haha. Once I was up there at night and saw that I was cramping some people's styles by just hanging around and enjoying the city lights lol.

NYSD1995 · 08-03-2007, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jksouthbay88

Great.A little close to the SESD/ESD area but it's still great.The commute might be one of the best.The 94 and the 54 have minor slowing for a few exits but it is nothing like the 805,5,or the 8.From that area it might be best to 94West to the 5North.

Saying Mount Helix is close to SESD is like saying Eastlake is close to Spring Valley, isn't it?

shannon94 · 08-03-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Saying Mount Helix is close to SESD is like saying Eastlake is close to Spring Valley, isn't it?

You beat me to it!! lol

jselby · 08-04-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jksouthbay88

Great.A little close to the SESD/ESD area but it's still great.The commute might be one of the best.The 94 and the 54 have minor slowing for a few exits but it is nothing like the 805,5,or the 8.From that area it might be best to 94West to the 5North.

Yeah, or Kensington is close to City Heights, Rancho Santa Fe is part of Mira Mesa. Banker's Hill is close to Golden Hill or Sherman Heights. You guys are funny!

AFTERSHOCK · 10-15-2007, 05:23 PM

I hate La Mesa because I am jealous of it. How did La Mesa happen to avoid the disease that plagues the rest of East County - u know El Cajon, Spring Valley and Lemon Grove?
La Mesa thinks it is so great...and its true. There is not one square inch of bad territory in La Mesa - none. No gangs exist there and I could count on one hand the number of run down streets there are ( and even on those few streets, there is no crime).