Park your car in the U.S., fly out of Mexico
Planning to visit family in Mexico City or relax at a resort in Cabo? It’s now easier to catch a flight out of Tijuana International Airport thanks to the new Cross Border Xpress terminal that just opened in Otay Mesa.
The CBX terminal lets airport-goers bypass the busy San Ysidro entry point and avoid the unpredictable wait times. Travelers can park or get dropped off at CBX, check in for a flight and then walk through an enclosed pedestrian bridge that leads right into Tijuana Airport.
Pedestrian Bridge to Tijuana Airport Opens, Yard House Closes Downtown
The pedestrian bridge is restricted to ticketed passengers and will be free to use from now through December 18. Afterward, there’s a toll of $18 each way.
Tijuana now has the only airport in the world with a terminal that spans across two nations. The project cost $120 million to build and was funded by Otay Tijuana Venture, a group of private investors made up of board members of a Mexican company that operates a dozen airports and Chicago real estate mogul Sam Zell.
The CBX terminal is expected to serve around 2 million travelers every year.
Tracking Turnover
Yard House leaves downtown
Yard House’s closure on Fourth and Broadway is no longer temporary: The owners announced their decision on Wednesday to permanently shutter the bar and restaurant.
A sewage leak and flooding prompted the initial closure on November 1. The damage was so extensive that some residents in the lofts one floor above the restaurant were displaced.
“We’ve made the very difficult decision to close our downtown San Diego location,” Craig Carlyle, president of Yard House, said in a statement. “This was never our original intent, but after evaluating the situation we determined it was no longer feasible to operate from this location.”
The chain restaurant had occupied the busy Gaslamp corner for 12 years. There is no word on what will become of the 20,000-square foot space. “Half-yard” glasses of beer can still be enjoyed at the company’s Mission Valley location, which opened last fall.
60-year-old bakery closes
Sad news over in East County: Grove Pastry Shop, a bakery in Lemon Grove that has been a neighborhood institution for more than six decades, went out of business.
Owner Teresa Johnson told the Union-Tribune she was priced out of a new lease for the Main Street property, which was set to increase by 30 percent, and that the building is now up for sale.
Along with the bakery’s closure, the community could lose a piece of public art. A five-panel mural depicting the city’s history—which won an award from the governor’s office last year—takes up one side of the building. The Lemon Grove Historical Society said a new owner could possibly raze the property, and they are looking at ways to preserve the mural.
Despite the closure, Johnson is still baking the customized wedding cakes that Grove Pastry Shop was known for, and is taking orders through artisticweddingcakesbythegrove.com.
News Bites
*Gawk at photos of a Rancho Santa Fe mansion that Qualcomm Co-Founder Andrew Viterbi just put up for sale for $60 million.
Pedestrian Bridge to Tijuana Airport Opens, Yard House Closes Downtown
Manchester Pacific Gateway will span nearly 14 acres and have a waterfront park, offices, retail and hotels. | Image courtesy of Manchester Financial Group
*Civic San Diego just gave the green light for the Manchester Pacific Gateway complex to be built downtown. Covering eight blocks from Broadway to Harbor Drive at a cost of $1.3 billion, it’s the most expensive project in downtown San Diego’s history.
*Stone Brewing Co. made its debut in Berlin, Germany on Monday. It’s the first American craft brewery to set up shop in Europe.
Pedestrian Bridge to Tijuana Airport Opens, Yard House Closes Downtown
Travelers can walk from the new Cross Border Xpress terminal in Otay Mesa right into Tijuana International Airport through an enclosed pedestrian bridge. The bridge crosses over Via de la Juventud Ote Highway. | Photo courtesy of The Clay Company
