San Diego

Readers Fear New Hotel Will Take Parking from College Area Library

A controversial development in the College Area got the green light Tuesday night from the San Diego City Council.

The council approved a four-story, 125-room hotel on a vacant 2-acre lot next to the College-Rolando Library on Montezuma Road blocks away from San Diego State University, but the idea is not sitting well with everyone.

From educational DVD’s to classic movies, Leul Bogale says he can always find what he needs during his twice weekly visits.

“Today there was a Lego activity so I was hanging with my little sister,” the excited 15-year-old said.

One of the big issues concerning people like Eleonora Onody is parking availability for library patrons. They see how the area could benefit, but they’re concerned parking scarcity will keep people like Bogale’s mother from taking their kids to the library.

“With the hotel, I'd say it's going to be more populated,” Onody said. “That's a very busy area. The supermarket is here.”

The library shares a property line with a Ralph’s supermarket, and lies on a street that is already constantly lined with parked cars.

Earlier this year, the president of the friends of the College-Rolando Library sent the City Council multiple letters expressing concerns that the project add density and take away parking.

Since then, hotel developers have agreed to share 25 parking spaces with the library.

While pleased by the compromise, Onody says all in all, she still wishes the vacant land could become a park.

“Especially because the library is here, you might walk in with a book and sit down and enjoy yourself,” she said.

Contact Us