In the middle of what should be Hillcrest’s biggest money-making stretch of the year, a long run of green fencing and K-rails tied to the city’s Normal Street/Pride Promenade construction is acting like a wall between shoppers and storefronts. Salon owner Dolly Bakshai told reporters the barricades wiped out customer parking and left both employees and clients scrambling to reach her 5th Avenue shop. Business owners say the stop-and-start work has only added to the confusion and financial pressure just as holiday sales should be peaking.
As reported by 10News, merchants describe the swath of green fencing as a barrier to basic visibility and safe navigation. Bakshai told the station she received no advance warning from the city and said the closures wiped out nearby parking and blocked the usual path into her salon. Other shopkeepers told the outlet that the fencing makes it harder for drivers to spot their businesses and seems to scare off casual walk-up customers.
City frames project as long-term flood fix and public space upgrade
The City of San Diego says the Normal Street work is part of the Pride Promenade project, a public-space makeover that will convert traffic lanes on Normal Street into a pedestrian promenade, add bike lanes, trees and a restored trolley car, and tie into the Eastern Hillcrest Bikeway, according to the City of San Diego. City materials say construction began in February, and Mayor Todd Gloria and other leaders touted the launch as a major investment in the neighborhood. The city also links the promenade work to stormwater improvements intended to help with chronic flooding in the area.
Merchants told 10News that the timing could hardly be worse. Bakshai estimated she could lose 50% to 60% of her revenue over the holiday season and noted that payroll and rent still come due even as customers fall away. The station reported that city officials paused the project and then restarted it in December, and city representatives told the outlet the work is meant to respond to long-standing complaints about neighborhood flooding from both residents and businesses.
Farmers market moved, long-term benefits promised
The Normal Street construction also pushed the Hillcrest Farmers Market to temporarily relocate to University Avenue earlier this year so vendors could keep operating, according to KPBS. The Hillcrest Business Association has helped shepherd the promenade plans and says the finished plaza will bring the weekly market back to Normal Street and host public events, a role highlighted in earlier Hoodline coverage of the inclusive Pride Promenade project.
Timelines, flood-risk claims and what to expect
The city emphasizes that parts of the build are storm-drain and stormwater upgrades meant to cut flood risk, and official project materials list late 2026 as the target completion date for the full Pride Promenade, per the City of San Diego. Some neighborhood reporting and market materials, however, have suggested that certain segments of the work could wrap up as early as spring or early 2026, according to the Times of San Diego. Business owners say that whatever the schedule, they need clearer phases and direct notice so they can plan around temporary closures and disappearing parking…