Downtown Construction

All Downtown El Cajon Businesses OPEN During Construction

The City of El Cajon has started the Main Street and Magnolia Avenue Corridor Improvement Project. The project will include new landscaping, street lights, additional crosswalks, and new sidewalks. During this time the local merchants will be open for business and they can use your support!

Check out to the Downtown Business Directory to learn more about the business diversity Downtown El Cajon has to offer, and then take a walk down Main Street to check out local shops and restaurants.

Downtown El Cajon Gets New Sidewalks!

Construction Update

Approximately two dozen local merchants attended the City of El Cajon Construction Update Meeting held at Mangia Bene Ristorante Italiano on Friday, January 25th. The City of El Cajon has contracted Scheidel Contracting and Engineering, Inc. for the Main Street and Magnolia Avenue Streetscape Improvements, which include decorative sidewalks, street trees, trash receptacles, benches, and more. Contractor Jeffrey Scheidel described the company's experience in working with downtowns and presented details about the construction.

The construction team will work from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm starting on February 4th. The estimated completion date for Main Street is May and for Magnolia Avenue is August. Mr. Scheidel said this is the best estimated timeline for construction but to be conscious that poor weather conditions may cause some delays. Construction will begin at the southeast corner of Main Street and Magnolia Avenue and move east. Once the south side of East Main Street is complete, the construction will move counterclockwise; work will move to the north side of the street and move west towards Magnolia Avenue. Restaurant owner Lenny Donato expressed satisfaction with this plan since it means construction work will not impact the restaurants until after Valentines Day, one of their busiest days of the year.

Construction updates will be available to merchants via the City of El Cajon website and a construction hotline where updates will be recorded weekly. The hotline number is (619) 441-5524. The City of El Cajon Senior Inspector for this project, Taylor Coffroth, will work directly with business owners to ensure that minimal business disruption takes place. He may be contacted at the City of El Cajon Department of Public Works at (619) 441-1653.

The El Cajon CDC is working with area business owners to address parking and directional signage concerns. Anything business owners would like to do to help provide customers with accurate information about streetscape interruption to normal business access is encouraged. Some downtown property owners have agreed to open their parking lots for public use during the construction. El Cajon CDC created and delivered parking maps to business owners to distribute to their clients. El Cajon CDC welcomes merchant input at the Merchant Promotion Committee meeting on March 11 at 8:30 am at Pasteur Cafe located at 165 East Main Street.

Click here (PDF) for more information on the construction.

Parking Strategy

El Cajon CDC and Walker Parking Consultants are partnering to develop a parking strategy considering: maximization of on-street parking, parking requirements for new developments, transit routes and schedules, the elimination of auto trips, parking structures' location and development, employee designated parking, and shared parking.

For more information contact Edith Saldivar, Economic Development Coordinator, at (619) 401-8858.

New Alternative Parking Maps for Your Business

With merchant feedback, the El Cajon CDC has designed a new color-coded parking map (PDF) for businesses to distribute for free. Business owners can place this postcard sized parking map on their counters as well as mail it to clients on their mailing list. The back side of the parking map is blank to allow each business to create a personalized message.

Ideas on how to personalize the back side of your map:

• Add your logo and catch your customers' attention with phrases like: "Our Back Doors are Open for Business" or "We Appreciate Your Business" or "Construction Specials for a Limited Time Only"
• Use space to inform customers about public improvements with phrases like: "Improving Your Downtown to Enhance Your Shopping Experience" or "More Trees, New Benches, More Trash cans in Your Downtown" or "Creating a Charming and Unique Downtown for Your Pleasure"
• Include information about promotions or coupons such as: "Bring this postcard and receive 15% off your next purchase" or "Here is a list of the unique items you will find at our store" or "Construction Lunch Specials are _____, ____, and _____"

To order your FREE copies of the parking map contact Edith Saldivar, Economic Development Coordinator, at (619) 401-8858. Please include your business name, contact name, contact information, and the number of copies you would like to order. We will do our best to expedite your order!! Call us TODAY!

Thank you to all that contributed to the parking map. We will continue to welcome everyone's input on ways we can assist businesses at future Merchant Promotion Committee meetings. The next meeting is on Tuesday, April 8 at 8:30 am at Mangia Bene Ristorante.

Remember, while the parking on Main Street is timed (two hour limit) there are several locations around Downtown El Cajon that provide free parking. Your business is sure to be just a short walk from these lots. Click here (PDF) to download the Downtown El Cajon parking map.

New Public Safety Facility to be Built in Downtown El Cajon

A new state of the art Public Safety facility will be built at Magnolia and Park adjacent to City Hall in Downtown El Cajon. Click here (PDF) to see the City’s current development plans.