Copyright timesofsandiego
Anyone who heads down Fletcher Parkway will notice the abandoned gas and smog station at Jackson Drive. It’s been empty for more than ten years. Residents and local businesses are eager to see something there. “It’s a waste of space,” said Manuella Fatho, an employee at Petrino’s Greek Restaurant across the street. She and other residents have called the vacant lot “ugly” and “an eyesore.” In September 2023, Cushman & Wakefield SoCal Retail Advisors announced on their Instagram page that they were leasing the property to QDOBA, a growing Mexican restaurant chain. More than two years later, the property remains abandoned. Remnants of the previous business, La Mesa Auto Spa Smog Test & Repair, are still visible — its sign remains along with a boarded-up building that has fallen into disrepair. City of La Mesa records show that the business license expired nearly 10 years ago. A statement from city officials said that when the gas station closed, San Diego County “conducted site investigations to ensure that any soil contaminants were identified and properly remediated.” The statement added that the county determined that the site was in compliance in 2012, suggesting that the business vacated the property at least 13 years ago. Oscar Villaseñor of nearby El Azteca Taco Shop said that another Mexican restaurant was more competition for them, but he didn’t seem too concerned. Having been there for almost 30 years, he said: “We have our customers backing us.” Issues at the site Fatho said the empty lot attracts unhoused people. There have been broken windows, she said, and she’s noticed the police there at night. The city confirmed that residents have reached out with concerns about maintenance of the property, and the La Mesa Police Department has encountered unsheltered individuals in the area. Manuel Guajardo, who is contracted by the owner to clean up the site, said he visits the property about once a month. “They contract with us to try to keep it presentable,” said Guajardo. “Last week it looked so bad, so ugly.” He said there was a lot of trash and three unhoused people there. The city said police refer anyone they find there to the Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement team for assistance, and that the property owner has been responsive in keeping the site compliant. According to PropertyShark, the property sold in February 2019 to 8303 Parkway Drive LLC, which is not listed as a registered business in San Diego. Cali Quest Corp., which owns QDOBA, has submitted a project design for the site which was ratified by the City Council in August. Grading plans are currently under review; however, building plans have not yet been submitted. However, a spokesperson for QDOBA said: “This location is on hold.” They offered no further details. A green wish Fatho said she would love to see a community garden at the site. She said the area is full of concrete, and needs more green foliage. “It would be so nice to make it feel more like a community,” she said. “It’s so much hotter here than in other parts of the county, adding more green would help out so much.” She also raised concerns that a restaurant would increase traffic in the area, which is already a congested junction. The city said that the property is located in a General Commercial zone, intended for retail businesses, offices, and services. Fatho said the only way it would become a green space is if people push the city for it. “They want money,” she said, “but the problem is that we want a city to live in.”
