On August 18, 1948, the "Campus Drive-In" movie theater with a capacity for 900 cars was built at the intersection of College Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard. The opening night films were Give My Regards to Broadway and The Kansan. The final two features in 1983 were The Dark Crystal and Dragonslayer. In 1961, snack-bar employee Tom O'Leary was convicted of manslaughter for stabbing a patron named Dennis O'Connor to death at the drive-in. The O'Connor family sued the company for wrongful death but did not prevail. The dead man's family became active in city politics and eventually his sister Maureen O'Connor was elected mayor of San Diego in 1986. Three neon drum majorettes wearing Indian headdresses from the Drive-In are preserved in the Vons shopping center at this location and one large one is preserved in the College Grove Shopping Center in Rolando Park.
Geography
The college area lies on a plateau which overlooks Interstate 8. The neighborhood's borders are defined by Montezuma Road/Collwood Boulevard to the southwest, Interstate 8 to the north, 73rd Street to the east, and El Cajon Boulevard to the south.
Transportation
MTS operates the San Diego Trolley to SDSU Transit Center and the Alvarado Medical Center trolley station, both of which are in the College Area. The trolley station at SDSU, as well as a bus plaza, make up the SDSU Transit Center. Bus routes 11, 11A, 14, 936, and Rapid Bus 215 go to the Transit Center, to name a few. Transfers are made from the SDSU trolley subway station located at the Transit Center, underneath the bus plaza. Riders can go up to the bus plaza via elevator or stairs. As of October 12, 2014, the SDSU Transit Station serves as the starting point for MTS Rapid Bus Route 215. A high-frequency, limited-stop service runs between San Diego State University and Downtown San Diego via El Cajon Boulevard and Park Boulevard. This route provides a convenient transit option for visitors and nearby neighbors from downtown San Diego, North Park and Hillcrest to shop and dine in the busy commercial corridor. All mass transit routes noted enable visitors from the San DIego region to explore San Diego State University's beautiful campus and enjoy the leisure, arts and culture provided by this institution of higher learning.
Traffic
The College Area is accessible from Interstate 8, State Route 94. Surface streets entering into the College Area include 70th Street, College Avenue and 54th Street and Montezuma Road. Built in July 2005 there is also a mass transit connection by MTS San Diego Trolley accessing the SDSU on-campus underground station. Traffic can be high during the day however, local residents and City officials working together to increase pedestrian and bicycle routes and modifying the street infrastructure to eleviate any congestion in the area as the population grows in the neighborhoods.
Education
The college area is home to one traditional elementary school, one private K-8 school, two alternative K-8 schools, and SDSU.
