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Little Italy has been a stable ethnic business and residential community
since the 1920's. Today, Little Italy represents Downtown San
Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. At one time,
more than 6,000 Italian families lived in Little Italy and toiled to build
San Diego into the center of the world tuna industry.
With the decline of the tuna industry on
the West Coast and the destruction of 35% of Little Italy due to the
construction of Interstate 5, Little Italy suffered nearly thirty years of
decline. In the early 1990's, established property owners and family run
business owners decided to take their fate into their own hands.
Today San Diego’s Little Italy is on the brink of rebuilding its
greatness. New Italian American and non-Italian business owners alike are
seeking retail and professional space. Creative builders and architects
are building beautiful new developments and the local redevelopment agency
is funding more than three million in street improvements on the main
commercial corridor, India street. The Little Italy Association has
aggressive plans to bring the story of Little Italy to its visitors
through public art displays. Little Italy, San Diego is serving as a model
for the handful of Little Italys remaining throughout the country.
Source:
www.littleitalysd.com
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