LA MESA, Calif. — The former gas and smog station sits on the corner of the busy intersection of Jackson and Parkway Drive. Instead of up and running, it's fenced off and boarded up.
"It has been around since I was, I think, a kid, for as long as I can remember," La Mesa resident Andrea said. "I'm born and raised here since '85."
The sign still reads "shop open", but people we spoke to said it's been abandoned for years and even called it an eyesore.
"I don't remember it being shut down the whole time, but it's definitely not been operational for at least 10 years," Andrea said.
"It's been a few years since I started working here in the area, and the building has just been pretty much abandoned ever since," Phil said.
Many people have reported seeing people facing homelessness camping out in the abandoned lot.
"From time to time, I do see homeless people just hanging out there," Phil said. "But yeah, it's just been sitting there."
We decided to check it out to see what we could find. The property, 8303 Parkway Drive, is not listed as available online. The website PropertyShark lists the property owner as 8303 Parkway Drive LLC. It said it was bought in February of 2019.
However, we found the address on the Active Development Projects page on the city's website. It said an application is under review right now for it to be turned into a Qdoba restaurant. The applicant listed is Cali Queso Corporation.
CBS 8 reached out to the City of La Mesa for additional information.
We were told the city is communicating with the property owner and is making sure the property follows city codes as plans for a Qdoba are being processed. So far, there are no code complaints on file, but there were concerns about trash and debris, although the city said the owners are addressing the issues.
CBS 8 also reached out to Qdoba, who confirmed a location will be opening in La Mesa. It is expected to open in 2026. In the meantime, the empty lot will stay.
"It would be nice to have a gas station there at the corner, but anything would be nice," Phil said.
"The building being there doesn't really bother me, but I think we could always use another gas station over here or something," Andrea said.
At CBS 8, we are always Working for You and our community. This is a station promise that we will go the extra mile to solve a problem our audience can’t solve themselves. We want to hear your ideas on how we can cover and help our community. If you have a story idea, please email us at workingforyou@cbs8.com.