Condos For Sale in Downtown San Diego

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Lew Breeze began his real estate career in the spring of 1998 in San Diego, joining a premier firm specializing in HUD and VA foreclosures. As the market evolved, he pivoted to RE/MAX Metro at the Mission Brewery Plaza - later rebranded as RE/MAX Real Estate Consultants following new ownership and a strategic relocation to 92101, Downtown San Diego. During his tenure, Lew quickly distinguished himself as the top individual agent in the 92101 market, earning a reputation for exceptional professionalism, market insight, and results-driven service. In 2004, Lew founded his boutique real estate office in Little Italy, further establishing his presence in San Diego’s competitive luxury market. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and personalized, yet casual approach, he cultivates enduring relationships with clients, offering guidance that is both strategic and tailored to individual goals.

After 15 years in real estate sales Lew obtained his California Broker License in 2014 and is now operating independently from his home office at The Grande South in Downtown San Diego, focusing on a referral-based clientele that values discretion, expertise, and a seamless real estate experience.

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Show/Hide for a brief history of downtown San Diego, California, USA. With several interesting links!

Most of the links in this section will open a new page from other websites.

Almost two centuries ago, as California was settling into its new statehood, a government surveyor named Andrew Gray looked out over the wide sweep of San Diego Bay and thought this was where a great seaside city could rise. In 1850 San Franciscan merchant William Heath Davis took that idea to heart. He gathered together a group of partners - José Antonio Aguirre, a wealthy merchant; Miguel Pedrorena, a respected Californio leader; William C. Ferrell; and several others - and together they purchased 160 acres for $2,000. The land came from the heirs of Juan María Osuna, San Diego’s very first alcalde, a Spanish term that combined the duties of mayor, judge, and community leader. With the purchase complete, Davis and his partners laid out their ambitious plan: a brand-new settlement right along the waterfront, close to shipping and trade. They called it New Town - or New San Diego - to distinguish it from Old Town, the original community a few miles inland. But New Town was ahead of its time. Fresh water was scarce near the bay, and most residents preferred to remain in Old Town, where family ties ran deep. Those who did settle by the bay had to haul water by ox cart from a mile or more away. Despite its promise, Davis’s New Town struggled and never fully took root during his lifetime. Still, the vision was planted. A generation later, Alonzo Erastus Horton would succeed where Davis could not. In 1867 Horton purchased just under 1,000 acres of bayfront land for $264 - roughly $10,000 in today’s dollars. With a clear plan in mind, he mapped out a grid of streets and small blocks, deliberately eliminating alleys to maximize the number of corner lots, a clever move that helped spark San Diego’s first real estate boom. Horton’s influence went far beyond land sales. As president of the first Bank of San Diego, he fueled the city’s growth. He also donated land for a small town square, which became Horton Plaza Park. That park still sits across from the site of his proudest landmark, the Horton House Hotel - later replaced by the grand U.S. Grant Hotel. It was here, in what began as Davis’s dream and flourished under Horton’s vision, that the foundations of modern downtown San Diego were laid. Here is a local CBS 8 video from 1981 talking about the history of downtown San Diego.

San Diego's first electric streetlights were installed in downtown in 1886, and 2 years later trolley lines stretched over thirty-seven miles. Fifth Avenue was lined with office buildings, but south of Market Street, the Stingaree district was home to a number of seedy establishments, including bars, gambling halls, and opium dens, offering the city's nightlife. Wyatt Earp, with his Tombstone days behind him, invested in San Diego from 1885 to 1887, owning or leasing four saloons and gambling halls - the most famous being the Oyster Bar, which was located in the Louis Bank Building on Fifth Avenue; The Gaslamp Quarter.

The late 1890's brought a challenging period for San Diego, but the city's resurgence can largely be credited to John D. Spreckels, a visionary entrepreneur who made his fortune in his father’s Hawaiian sugar business. Spreckels played a pivotal role in the city's growth, at one point owning most of the land south of Broadway. He transformed the streetcar system, converting it from horse-drawn to electric, and took control of The San Diego Union and Tribune newspapers, which would later merge in 1992. His contributions to San Diego’s cultural and architectural landscape were equally significant, including the iconic Spreckels Theatre, and the historic Hotel San Diego (Video: Demolished in 2006). In 1927, he also constructed the Bank of America Building at Sixth and Broadway, the last major development in downtown until the 1970's, when the city’s interest in redevelopment reignited.

Here is a link to an excellent video on Horton Plaza, Past and Present (well, even the present is now the past since what was planned is not happening).
Here is a video from 1982 showing buildings being torn down, with some resident's response: CBS Video.
And here is a video from the 1985 Grand Opening of Horton Plaza.
Link to San Diego Magazine 2026 Nostalgic Write-up | Instagram Video
And another link from CBS 8 San Diego, a throwback collection of vintage videos of downtown San Diego.

Here is a copy of The New York Times article from May 22, 1988 by Kathy Shocket: Luring Renters to Downtown: Attracting young professionals with rents ranging from $480 to $850 per month!

For another brief write up on our history visit the timeline on Gaslamp's History.

Here is a link to an old Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) Map, listing many of the then completed, planned, and planned but never built projects from the early 2000s, when most of the Internet wasn't as sophisticated as today. It may be interesting to some to view the developer renderings of the buildings.

I hope you enjoyed the information above! When you're ready to explore the possibility of a new home in San Diego, I would be honored to help you navigate the process. Please text or call 619-846-5889, or email lew.breeze@gmail.com.

Condos For Sale In Downtown San Diego

Asterisk on sq.ft. indicates the Actual Tax Assessor record and differs from the advertised figure. Note: you may find the following helpful: Size Matters: Bosa | Size Matters: Pinnacle | HOA Cost Increases Through The Years

*EPS = Estimated Prior Sales (exact unit).

Comments

Condominium

Neighborhood

Asking Price

Bd/Ba

Sq.Ft.

Unit

HOA*

Car

PPSF

Photos

Listing Company

EPS*

350 W. Ash, repurposed in 2005

Little Italy

$550,000

Loft

674

#903

$737

$816