Most business owners would be terrified if they were told their building was going to be torn down and the property redeveloped into hundreds of apartments. Mike Drury considered it a blessing.
Drury owns Pulse Endurance Bikes. He has a location in Chula Vista and one along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard near Convoy Street in San Diego. He said he got an email from his property manager earlier this year letting him know the owner intended to have the property redeveloped.
Immediately, I was nervous. I kind of panicked.
JD DeHart, Real Deal Sleep
“We were surprised just because of the location and putting homes in there,” said Drury.
A developer is looking to build 645 homes on more than 13 acres where several businesses currently stand, including Drury’s, according to a city spokesman. The email intended to give all the impacted business owners a year’s advance notice, Drury said.
However, Drury’s lease was up, and the prospect of downsizing was beneficial for him and his family.
“It’s a lot of work with two shops,” he said. “We tried it and found out that we’re happier with one shop.”
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Plus, creating more housing is beneficial in San Diego, even though it’s not typical for Kearny Mesa along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Drury said.
“If it’s more affordable housing for people, yeah, I think it’s a good thing,” he said.
JD DeHart is the owner of Real Deal Sleep, which is right next door to Drury’s old Pulse location. DeHart was surprised when he learned about the decision to redevelop the property.
“Immediately, I was nervous,” he said. “I kind of panicked.”
However, he was optimistic because he still had an entire year to plan the future of his mattress business.
“In a business life, a year is forever,” said DeHart, who has operated Real Deal Sleep in Kearny Mesa for six years.
DeHart agreed with Drury. He said it is unusual for homes to be built along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
Both business owners said there are probably others who are not as optimistic about leaving the location.
NBC 7 contacted the property managers to get more information on the future of the development. A spokesman said he needed to check with his marketing department before releasing any information.
A city spokesman and a spokeswoman from City Councilman Chris Cate’s office confirmed there is a project in the works for the area that includes 645 multi-family units, 11,800 square feet of retail space, and 187,000 square feet of office space. Construction could begin at the end of 2020.
Cate’s spokeswoman added the project would require the city to rezone the area to include residential living. She said this is part of a rare community plan update for Kearny Mesa, adding community plan updates happen roughly once every fifty years.
