Downtown Village is the name the City of Lemon Grove uses for its traditional downtown in the Downtown Village Specific Plan. The area sits around Broadway, Main Street and Lemon Grove Avenue, where the World's Biggest Lemon stands at Broadway and Lemon Grove Avenue. We wrote this page for the people who run, own or rent in that part of town.
It is a different kind of place from the residential streets to the south. According to the city's plan, most of what you find here is retail, office and small apartment buildings, so the plumbing questions lean toward shared lines, tenants and business use.
Where Downtown Village is
The city's plan describes the area as bounded by North Avenue on the north, Olive Street on the west, and Lincoln Street and Central Avenue on the south. The east edge runs along School Lane, Grove Street and Kempf Street, and the plan area covers about 58 acres.
That is a planning boundary. It is not an official neighborhood boundary, and people may describe downtown a little differently. The Lemon Grove Depot trolley stop sits next to Main Street north of Broadway, and City Hall is at 3232 Main Street.
A downtown that has changed since 1869
The city's plan says the downtown land uses have evolved since 1869. A rail line reached Lemon Grove in 1890, and the first subdivision followed in 1892 with 15 to 20 structures. Main Street still shows several historic styles, including Mission, Western Stick, Queen Anne, Italianate and Moderne.
For a plumber, the lesson is simple. Buildings from different eras can sit on the same block, and each one may have been remodeled at a different time. We ask what has been updated before we say what we think is behind a problem.
What is in the district today
The plan describes the original downtown area as mostly retail and office, with residential limited to several small apartment complexes. The city's 2017 planning materials list newer apartment projects nearby, including Citronica I with 56 affordable units, Citronica II with 80 senior units and Celsius with 84 market-rate units.
The plan also calls for more apartments and condominiums over time. That growth will add people, but each building has its own plumbing, so we treat every call as a question about one building.
Have a plumbing problem in a downtown building?
Call and describe it. We will tell you what to do first.
Plumbing questions that come with downtown buildings
Shared lines in apartment buildings
If a drain backs up in one unit, the first question is whether it is that unit's branch or a shared line. A shared line often affects more than one unit.
Businesses that cook or wash
A business that prepares food or washes equipment may need grease or drain management. Ask the City of Lemon Grove what applies before you change anything.
Hot water for a business
A water heater sized for a small home may not suit a shop or an office kitchen. We can talk through capacity before you buy.
Leaks that reach neighbors
Water can move between units and tenants. Know where your shutoff is, and tell the building owner in writing.
General information about plumbing, not a statement about specific buildings in the area.
What to do before a plumber arrives
Find the shutoff
Locate the shutoff for your fixture, your unit or the building, and close it if water is flowing.
Protect the space
Move stock, records and electronics away from water, and keep people clear of wet floors and outlets.
Tell the owner
Tenants should tell the building owner or manager, and keep a note of the time.
Call us
Give the address, the unit and what you see. If you smell gas, leave and call 911 first.
Services most often needed in a downtown building
Our commercial plumbing page covers shops, offices and small buildings. Clogs and slow lines are the focus of drain cleaning, and hidden moisture is the focus of leak detection. If a tank heater fails, see water heater repair, and for a pipe that has burst, see burst pipe repair.
Utilities and permits
Helix Water District supplies water to Lemon Grove. Heartland Fire and Rescue serves the city, and you should call 911 for a gas smell or a fire. Plumbing work in California follows the California Plumbing Code, which is based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). Whether your project needs a permit depends on the work, so ask the City of Lemon Grove building department before you start.
Just south of Central Avenue is a residential area with a different feel, covered on our Central Avenue neighborhood page.
Frequently asked questions about plumbing in Downtown Village
It is the name of the city's Downtown Village Specific Plan area, a planning district around Broadway, Main Street and Lemon Grove Avenue. Its boundary is a planning line, so local use of the name may vary.
Yes. Call and tell us the building and the problem. We will tell you plainly whether we can help and what we need to know first.
Tenants should tell the building owner or manager right away. The owner can call us, or you can call and we will ask a few questions about which fixtures are affected.
It depends on the work. Ask the City of Lemon Grove building department before you start, and ask your plumber which parts of the job are covered.
The Lemon Grove Depot stop is next to Main Street, north of Broadway. A second stop, Massachusetts Avenue, is farther south.