East Village is a neighborhood in San Diego, California, United States. It is the largest urban neighborhood in downtown San Diego. It is located east of the Gaslamp Quarter and southeast of the Core district and Cortez Hill in downtown San Diego. East Village encompasses 130 blocks between Seventh Avenue east to 18th Street. It is home to more than 700 businesses. History San Diego's East Village was traditionally a series of warehouses and vacant lots. It wasn't until the 1990s that it became a community for artists and social services. Residential aspects of the East Village became a reality in 2005, after Petco Park was established in 2004. The East Village community now has a population of 40,000 (and growing), with most residents living in mid-rise or luxury condominiums and lofts. Continuing urban development and the steady growth of new businesses draws locals from neighboring downtown areas. Urban renewal In the latter part of the 20th century the East Village became known for its vacant buildings, dive-bars, and eclectic dwellings of artists. Prostitutes, drug addicts, and homeless people were common. The neighborhood rapidly gentrified after the opening of Petco Park in 2004, becoming home to many upscale restaurants and trendy shops. It is still impacted by high rates of homelessness. The neighborhood is now a hub of construction including condominium projects and other public spaces, including the recently completed Central Library. The $185 million project, designed by architect Rob Quigley, officially opened September 30, 2013. I.D.E.A. District In 2011, developers David Malmuth and Pete Garcia, revealed a concept for new, innovative development within East Village with a focus on innovation, design, education, and the arts. These four points would serve as the acronym for this proposed district, the I.D.E.A. District. Within East Village, about 38 city blocks were encompassed within the plan. Planned development for the area included 3 million square feet of office and studio space, 600,000 square feet of commercial retail and restaurants, and 2,200 new apartments. The main focus of the project revolved around innovating and creating new tech jobs for the area while being a cutting-edge urban development for the workforce of tomorrow. The first project in this proposal was known as IDEA1, an apartment complex which opened in 2017 to kickstart the project. Another recent opening within the I.D.E.A. District was in May 2022 with UC San Diego's Park & Market. It will serve