From Street Culinary To Roadside Parties, Gaslamp Quarter Has Them All

Approved by:
Paige Master, Gainesville Weddings in Gainesville Florida

The Gaslamp Quarter is a small downtown neighborhood in San Diego, California know for its rich history and vintage buildings, many of which are even now in use with active tenants including dining places, stores and nightclubs. This strip of more or less 38 acres in land area was originally planned to be the leading business district in the downtown San Diego during the late 1860’s. In that period, San Diego has a successful economy which eventually attracts group of gamblers and prostitutes. In 1912, number of complaints from the citizenry hard-pressed the city government to reduce the proliferation of nightclubs in the area. Pornographic theaters and saloons again emerged throughout the district between 1950 to 1970. To fully conserve its historic aesthetic, residents and the city government teamed up and initiated final measures to cleanse the district in 1974.

Subsequently in 1980, yet another history is about to become written when Gaslamp Quarter is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. And then on, Gaslamp Quarter took back its long gone glory, now, not as a red light district, but one of the major sights in San Diego. Numerous enhancements and rehabilitations were initialized to further urbanized the district. The Gaslamp Quarter Foundation was shortly established to manage the redevelopment and rehabilitation process. This non-profit charitable organization, which was subsequently called The Quarter Historical Foundation by 1996, aided to educate not just the San Diego residents but also the guests and vacationers, regarding the rich historical heritage of the district with the assistance of its more than a hundred volunteers.

Back in1986, the Gaslamp Archway idea was conceived along 5th Avenue and L Street to serve as an emblem of declaration, not only for the Gaslamp Quarter but for the entire city of San Diego, for their resilient devotion and perseverance to a continued redevelopment. The plan initially started in 1988. The archway was designed by Arch. Harman Nelson and was constructed by Roy Flahive. And in 1989, the project was officially completed and stood proud for its fame and its wonderful residents.

Wholesome and family-friendly business establishments started out to emerged which undoubtedly suggests that the district’s image has changed. In the latest database of  http://www.iStayGreen.org – the directory of eco friendly hotels- would you imagine that there are nearly 200 hotels on or in close proximity to the vicinity of Gaslamp Quarter not to mention lines of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, lounges, boutiques, art galleries and stores. Unmistakably, You might also choose to stay in one of the posh La Jolla Resorts that are just miutes from downtown San Diego. Gaslamp Quarter is starting to make its own identity in the field of local and international tourism as one of the leading destinations in the United States.

At present, magnificent events are being held in the district like The San Diego Restaurant Week – a twice a year cooking celebration, The Fallback Festival and the Children’s Street Faire – celebrated every November, Michael John Houge Memorial Golf Tournament – a fund raising golf tournament held every May, The San Diego Film Festival – voted as one of the most popular film festivals in the US; The Poinsettia Bowl Battle of the Bands, The 5th Avenue Auto Showcase, The KiFM Jazz Music Festival Memorial Day Weekend – held every Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend, ShamRock St. Patrick’s Day Festival – street party turned green as they celebrate the festival every the 17th of March and of course who could ever forget the Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration- celebrated every March. And do not worry about where to stay, there are many San Diego hotels in the area to choose from which suits your style.

A little trivia about the district’s name: The name “Gaslamp” came from the words “gas lamps”. The place started to be called “Gaslamp Quarter” when four new gas lamps were fixed in the corner of Market Street and 5th Avenue before the start of the 1900′s. This very same location and intersection today features a “Pedestrian Scramble”, very similar to a much larger Hachiko Square in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.

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