Here's a recent article I wrote this month for San Diego UrbDeZine
What is San Diego’s Identity?
The City of San Diego at 1.3 million and counting according to 2014 data, and notably the 8th largest city in the country, is unique at best and honestly still a small town. Planners, politicians and policy makers to name just a few, are in constant pursuit of definition for this city and our region. Ironically, this pursuit has been going on for the past 100 years with the first Panama-California Exposition in 1915.As the story goes, arguably one of San Diego’s most notable architects, Irving Gill was originally selected as the assistant architect of record. The prime architect selected was New York firm, Bertram Goodhue. Shortly into the endeavor Gill resigned. Apparently he was pushing for a style that he felt exemplified Spanish-influenced, progressive California. The New York team had in mind a temporary version of the then-popular Spanish Colonial style.
Over and over again, the question has been asked, what makes this city unique, what can we truly call ours? For many, it’s what we are not. San Diego is not L.A. and I have seen some cringe when we are compared, by outsiders, to Orange County.