A Welcome Cleanup

The San Diego City Council has armed itself to make what should be a final push for redevelopment of the Gaslamp Quarter by approving ordinances eliminating card rooms and arcades from the 16-square-block historical district.

At the same time, the council broadened its condemnation powers in the area, making it easier to remove sex shops and other undesirable businesses.

The action is certainly welcome, especially to those bold entrepreneurs who gambled by moving into the area when economic survival there was, to say the least, uncertain. Many of the first wave of merchants and restaurateurs unfortunately are gone now.

No one will be surprised if some of the six affected card room or arcade owners sue the city. And there does seem to be a gray area concerning whether they can simply be run out within a year.

But even a successful lawsuit likely would just mean the city has to compensate the business owners, not let them stay. That could be money well spent.

Along with eliminating the card rooms and arcades, the city should use its power of eminent domain to help bring new enterprises into Gaslamp sites now occupied by the 20 or so adult entertainment businesses.

With Gaslamp becoming a nifty historical complement to the city’s other redevelopment areas, downtown will get better and better.