University City history...
University City was subdivided in June 1960. Carlose Tavares, Irwin Kahn, C.W. Carlstrom, and Lou Lessor made up the leaders of University Corporation. The first lots and model homes were on Pennant Way, Soderblom, Stresemann, and Honors Drive. Originally U.C. was a master planned community of 2500 acres acquired in 1959 from Sawday-Sexton.
Originally University City was supposed to serve as a residential haven for the University of California, San Diego employees and students, where both college presidents and janitors would be able to live in the same community. Instead, U.C. became a middle class community that celebrates its children and neighborhood, supportive of schools, sports leagues at Standley Park, and several houses of worship. The community is far different from the original goals of the planners in the 60’s.
By 1970, according to the Union/Tribune, U.C. boasted a population of 12,551 and 3,502 housing units. Four-bedroom homes were selling for $25,000 in the late 60's.
In 1976 U.C. homeowners voted to assess each home with an additional $300 tax to make sure Standley Park would have special amenities.
In 1984 the Union Tribune chose University City as a subject in its series on “Exploring San Diego,” where the paper focused on a front page, in depth article on a community. The lead paragraph by writer Jay Johnson read: “You expect to see Wally and the Beav at the corner, chucking a baseball back and forth, waiting for Eddy Haskel and another episode of harmless disaster.” Yes, U.C. was seen as a community of “residents who have a history of thinking alike and pulling together for a common cause.”
In the late 1960’s the community supported saving the two major canyons, Rose Canyon and San Clemente Canyon, threatened by road building and development.
In 1976, University City High School was finally approved after some hard work and lengthy court battles opposing a minority of University City residents who didn’t want the high school near their homes or near Miramar Naval Air Station. UCHS finally opened in 1981.
The Golden Triangle label, referring to the 805 and 5 and 52 freeways carving out the community, was given to University City in 1984 when traffic, new residences in North U.C., and high density fears began. At the same time, University City Community Association was born under the guidance of Bob Vilven, who still lives here and is master of ceremonies of the U.C. Celebration on July 4th, an event that also began in 1984.
Turn the clock ahead to 2008 and you see many changes to U.C., but the community still remains the same in many ways. The community association, which was dormant for several years, was revitalized in 2001 and has been a voice for the community. The newsletter comes out once a month now. The street banner project has been established. Standley Park continues to act as a town hall as well as a site for activities and athletics, classes and meetings.
University City is “more than a neighborhood,” and families continue to enjoy the small town feel of South U.C., while looking to North U.C. for urban entertainment and shopping. The University of California, San Diego is still an important neighbor to us.
One of the first model houses on Honors Drive
One of the newer houses in the Est end of Governor Dr
Care about U.C.