The $27 million Pride Promenade project along Normal Street broke ground in February 2025, and is expected to be completed later this year.

SAN DIEGO — Major construction on the long-awaited Pride Promenade in Hillcrest will bring some changes to this year’s San Diego Pride celebrations, while some nearby businesses say the ongoing work has taken a toll on their customer traffic.

The $27 million Pride Promenade project along Normal Street broke ground in February 2025, and is expected to be completed by late 2026. Once finished, the promenade will create Hillcrest’s first public park, featuring a community gathering space, children’s playground, new lighting and more than 100 trees.

Many residents had hoped the project would be finished before this year’s Pride festivities, which begin in two weeks.

“I think that was neighborhood wishful thinking,” said Benjamin Nicholls, Executive Director of the Hillcrest Business Association. “Certainly on my part, I was hoping before Pride. A lot of neighborhood folks did.”

Nicholls said the completed promenade will become an important civic space for the neighborhood.

“Hillcrest doesn’t have any public spaces per se, and this is going to become one of San Diego’s great gathering spaces,” he said. “Whether you’re here for a protest or a celebration, or just to have your kids play in the playground, there is going to be so much energy and activity in this civic plaza.”

While anticipation for the finished project remains high, businesses along Normal Street say the construction has created significant challenges. The work has temporarily eliminated street parking and affected access to storefronts.

“I think the dust and the lack of parking and lack of access for us has been the biggest frustration,” said Ben Huggins, owner of Everyday Insurance Services on Normal Street.

Huggins said his business, which has traditionally relied on customers visiting from the nearby Department of Motor Vehicles office, has seen a steep decline in foot traffic.

“The walk-in traffic is probably 75, 80 percent cut down business wise,” he said.

Nicholls acknowledged the hardships facing businesses during the lengthy construction period.

“People are frustrated for sure,” he said. “It’s just like when you redo your kitchen or when you get something fixed in your house—it’s annoying when it’s happening. But you like it when it’s finished. My heart does go out to these businesses.”

The Pride Promenade is one component of a broader 12-block infrastructure improvement project in Hillcrest that also includes new bike lanes, parking improvements and upgraded stormwater systems.

“We’re getting a lot of things—it’s just taking a little bit longer than I think people would have hoped,” Nicholls said.

In a statement, the City said, “We appreciate the public’s patience as we work to replace aging infrastructure, fix storm drains and invest in new public spaces in Hillcrest.”

Despite the delays, many residents remain optimistic about the finished project.

“I think it will be a really nice gathering space for when we have events like Pride in the neighborhood,” Hillcrest resident Sydney Flint said. “Right now it’s tricky, but we can see the vision.”

Because construction remains underway, this year’s San Diego Pride parade will follow a modified route. Organizers say the parade will begin at Richmond Street and travel along the eastbound lanes of University Avenue.