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University Heights
University Heights is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the City of San Diego. It is located on the southern rim of Mission Valley between SR-163 and I-805. San Diego's first trolley took visitors to the Mission Cliff Gardens and the Harvey Bentley Ostrich Farm located at the end of Park Boulevard.
In addition to supplying feathers for women's hats and dresses, the ostrich farm allowed early San Diego residents to ride the huge birds. San Diegans came to the park in droves to picnic and enjoy the views of Mission Valley. There was dancing in the pavilion and a merry-go-round. The park closed to visitors in 1929, and the land was sub-divided into homes in the 1940s. The new Trolley Barn Park was built in the style of the original park.
University Heights is a pedestrian friendly area with retail shopping and residential areas in easy proximity of each other. It is home to a diverse group of entrepreneurs and professional who enjoy its urban environment.
There are a number of historical architectural gems located here that have been restored and preserved. Community activism created Trolley Barn Park, set up a successful Graffiti Busters program and renovated the aging commercial strip. Ostrich Feather awards are given to the best gardens and for community volunteerism.
University Heights is one of the neighborhoods considered part of the Uptown Community; other neighborhoods include Mission Hills, Middletown, Hillcrest and Park West. The area is also close to the medical complex that includes Mercy Hospital and UCSD's Hillcrest facility.
The footbridge spanning over Washington St. connects Hillcrest to University Heights. It has quotations from many people who have influenced the history of San Diego, including landscaper Kate Sessions, children's book author Dr. Seuss and Irving Gill. Architect Irving Gill's words are reiterated on the bridge, "What idle or significant sentence will we write with brick and stone, wood, steel, and concrete upon the sensitive page of the earth?"
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