Downtown San Diego has been undergoing an urban renewal since the early 1980s, beginning with the opening of Horton Plaza, the revival of the Gaslamp Quarter, and the construction of the San Diego Convention Center. The Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), San Diego's downtown redevelopment agency, has transformed what was a largely abandoned downtown into a glittering showcase of waterfront skyscrapers, expensive live-work loft developments, Five-Star hotels, and many cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. This hip urban lifestlye has struck a cord with San Diegans and has been thriving ever since. 

Downtown consists of 9 districts:

Banker's Hill

Columbia

Core

Cortez Hill

East Village

Gaslamp

Horton Plaza

Little Italy

Marina