| Mira Mesa | |
|---|---|
| — Community of San Diego — | |
|
Mira Mesa
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | County of San Diego |
| City | City of San Diego |
Mira Mesa is a large suburb that is part of the city of San Diego, California.
Mira Mesa is bordered by Interstate 15 to the east, Interstate 805 to the west, the Los Peñasquitos Canyon to the north and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, to the south. The west end of Mira Mesa is a business and technology park, often referred to as "Sorrento Mesa". This area is a major employment area for San Diego.
Contents |
Around the time of World War II the area now called Mira Mesa was used by the United States Army as a test area. Just west of U.S. Route 395 (now Interstate 15) was a Navy auxiliary landing field that was known locally as Hourglass Field because the layout of the runways was a single piece of asphalt in the shape of an hourglass. The Navy also used the surrounding area as a bombing range.
Starting in 1969 there was a housing boom in the area that now extends from the I-15 freeway in the East to I-805 in the West and is approximately 10,500 acres (42 km²). It was one of the earliest areas of urban sprawl along the I-15 Corridor. Hourglass field became the site of San Diego Miramar College and Hourglass Field Community Park. The area was built so quickly that it was lacking schools, shopping centers, or other services for its thousands of residents. In 1971 Pete Wilson started his political career running for mayor with the slogan "No more Mira Mesas!" as a promise to stop quick, unplanned growth in San Diego.
Since its inception, Mira Mesa was largely influenced by the military located at adjacent NAS Miramar. Mira Mesa was the northernmost "real community" of San Diego, and was separated from the rest of the city by NAS Miramar for many years. For nearly 30 years the Navy's Top Gun School was located here and most of the pilots made their homes in Mira Mesa.
As of the late 1990s, the Mira Mesa area has undergone extensive expansion to accommodate the thousands of new residents attracted by its close proximity to major employers like UC San Diego, MCAS Miramar, Qualcomm, and dozens of biotech and pharmaceutical companies[1]. Several commercial and industrial centers have been built within the Mira Mesa area.
Mira Mesa has a significant concentration of Asian-American residents. Their presence has added to the diverse shopping available in Mira Mesa, including groceries and shops offering Filipino, Vietnamese, and Indian goods.
Established in the 1950s as a residential area to support Naval Air Station, Miramar, Mira Mesa has grown into the largest community in San Diego.
The community has business and residential zoned areas, providing shopping and recreational opportunities as well as business buildings with technology facilities and office space. There are a variety of ethnic cuisines and restaurants, as well as more traditional dining. There are eight community parks, teen and senior centers, an ice arena, an aquatic complex, multiple shopping centers, and a state-of-the-art movie theater.
The community has a median income of approximately $63,000/year.[2]
The area is situated on the southern edge of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and the northern boundary of MCAS Miramar.[2]
The community has approximately 80,000 residents, including students, hi-tech employees, families, and single people alike.[2] There are over 23,000 homes in the community, averaging 3.09 people per household. The median age is 32.4 years old.[2]
The 2000 census counted: White (Not Hispanic or Latino) 40.8%, Asian 37.6% (including 20.7% Filipino and 7.8% Vietnamese), Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 11.1%, African American/Black 5.4%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.6%, Native American 0.5%[3].
Public transportation is provided by the San Diego Transit and the Metropolitan Transit System, through buses and DART (Direct Access to Regional Transit) shuttles.
A train station serves Mira Mesa in Sorrento Valley and is served by the Coaster commuter train, of the North County transit district. The Coaster links Mira Mesa to Downtown San Diego, and north to coastal communities like Solana Beach and Oceanside.
Main highways include: Interstates 805 and 15.
According to the City of San Diego Council Minutes - Sept. 9, 1997, faith in alleviating the Mira Mesa Blvd. traffic problem was put in the completion of east-west running State Route 56 to the north of Mira Mesa Blvd. The minutes state, "(SR 56) is expected to substantially reduce the non-neighborhood cut-through traffic demand on (Mira Mesa residential streets)." SR 56 construction started in 1999 and was scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2004. This was delayed, and with the opening of SR 56 north of Mira Mesa complete in early 2006, there has been a noticeable drop in residential traffic, especially on Calle Cristobal.
Medical, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical
Technology
Construction
Commercial and Retail
Mira Mesa girls softball, 12 and under, won the state championship 1999, 2005 and 2006.[4]
The Chargers Youth Football and Cheer organization, Coach Roger Dixon, was recognized by the San Diego Chargers with their Community Quarterback award in 2011 recognizing his extraordinary dedication to the children in the community.[5]. The Mira Mesa Chargers is a non-profit organization that teaches the fundamentals of football and cheer to kids 5-15.[6]
Mira Mesa has two fire stations and is served by the San Diego Police Department Northeastern Division.[18]
Fire service is provided by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Fire Station 38 which is located in the Mira Mesa area. The station is in the 5th Battalion district.