Erin Cassin is a contributor to Real Estate Southern California, from which this article was excerpted.

After a decade of working in Downtown San Diego, spouses and business partners Yehudi and Pam Gaffen finally decided to take up residence there three years ago.

"[We] considered moving Downtown twice in the past--formerly in the '80s and then late '90s--and both times elected not to do it," says Yehudi Gaffen, who is a principal and co-founder of construction consultant firm Gafcon Inc. "But I guess once our kids left for college, it just felt very natural to come Downtown, and based on where things were at with the activity and the restaurants and culture, it almost was a no-brainer."

The Gaffens are among thousands who have moved Downtown in recent years, as the population there increased from 17,513 in April 2000 to 28,314 in January 2006, according to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). This influx of residents is due largely to the redevelopment efforts that have caused a considerable change in both the look and feel of Downtown.

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