PROPOSED HOME DEPOT FACES OPPOSITION
Some concerned about traffic and demolition of Scottish Rite Center
The first Home Depot proposed for Mission Valley is facing opposition from nearby businesses concerned about traffic congestion and the possibility Camino Del Rio South may become a new “big box” district.
Those objections are in addition to complaints from historic preservationists that Home Depot plans to demolish the 64-year-old Scottish Rite Center building, former site of the upscale Bowlero bowling alley.
Supporters say the area needs another home improvement center and contend traffic wouldn’t be significantly worsened. They also note that elements of Bowlero’s “Googie” architecture would be part of the new Home Depot’s entrance.
City officials say it makes sense to locate big box retailers in Mission Valley south of Interstate 8, because they don’t fit well north of the freeway, where pedestrian-friendly areas are planned around the trolley line.
Critics say that distinction wasn’t made clear when the City Council approved a new growth blueprint in late 2019 for Mission Valley.
Members of the San Diego Planning Commission expressed concerns last week about traffic and whether city officials have been transparent enough with Mission Valley residents and businesses about the future of Camino del Rio South.
But the commission eventually voted unanimously to forward the proposal to the City Council for approval this spring.
“It’s a tough project, and I know it will have impacts to the neighborhood, but I also think it will have positive impacts,” Commissioner Kelly Moden said. “We definitely need more home improvement options in the area.”
The proposed Home Depot will be the 21st store the national home improvement company operates in San Diego County. Mission Valley has been served by nearby locations in Grantville and near the sports arena.
Lowe’s operates a home improvement store near the eastern edge of Mission Valley, next to IKEA.
The proposal includes demolishing the 64,000-square-foot Scottish Rite Center building and a 7,000-square-foot building that is part of a small car dealership on the 14-acre site.
They would be replaced by a 40,000-square-foot version of the Rite Center, which would be two stories and would no longer have an event space, and Home Depot, which would occupy nearly 300,000 square feet.
The company is proposing a 107,000-square-foot building, an 18,000-square-foot garden center, and a 155,000-square-foot multilevel parking garage along Camino Del Rio South.
In December, the Mission Valley Community Planning Group voted 14-4 in favor of the project.
Last week, several members of Local 135 of the United Food and Commercial Workers urged the planning commission to reject the project, primarily based on concerns it would worsen Mission Valley’s already congested traffic.
“It’s a traffic nightmare waiting to happen,” said Chris Lopez, a member of the union, which is headquartered in a nearby building.
Three intersections of particular concern are the Mission Center Road/I-8 interchange, Texas Street at Camino Del Rio South, and Texas Street at Madison Avenue in nearby University Heights.
But the union’s concerns about the project go beyond traffic to include truck deliveries, safety, air pollution and the quality of jobs provided by Home Depot.
“It’s a single-use, big-box retail store providing low-paying jobs,” said Todd Walters, Local 135 president. Tom Reasoner, an official from a nearby special needs school called the Institute for Effective Education, said school officials share the same concerns, especially about traffic and safety.
Linda Hawk, business manager for the nearby First United Methodist Church, said the project would adversely affect the church and a school located on its campus.
“We do understand that this site may be developed and general traffic will increase, but the Home Depot represents a significant impact,” she said.
Bruce Coons, leader of the Save Our Heritage Organisation, said his group lobbied city officials to preserve the Bowlero building, which was a popular bowling alley from 1957 to 1964.
“A lot of people have fond memories of it,” said Coons, characterizing Bowlero as a great example of a mid-20th century bowling alley. “They should have reused it — they should still reuse it.”
Some planning commissioners criticized Home Depot’s effort to incorporate some of Bowlero’s design into the entrance to the new building as unattractive, but Commissioner Vicki Granowitz praised it.