|
2019 Most Endangered List of Historic Resources
 As our hectic daily lives seem to flash by, San Diegans are increasingly finding enrichment and inspiration in our historic neighborhoods, buildings, parks, and cultural landscapes—even the bayfront. These places matter deeply to most of us, whether San Diego natives or newcomers. Our historic touchstones tell us stories about people and their times, and record events that are meaningful and instructive today and in the future.
Save Our Heritage Organisation announces its 32nd annual Most Endangered Places list to call attention to places we love that could disappear if we're not vigilant. And provides actions you can take to help.
The 2019 Most Endangered List includes nine significant landmarks and cultural landscapes that are threatened by development, deterioration, or lack of maintenance. Seven are carried over from last year; two are new. All embody compelling aspects of San Diego's history and character, such as the nationally important Presidio Park in Old Town, Big Stone Lodge in Poway, and Hillcrest's commercial core.
Two newcomers to the list are unique contributors to San Diego's authentic essence. The damaged Pottery Canyon Kiln underscores San Diego's rich history of immigration and the arts. The six-foot-tall adobe structure is all that's left of La Jolla Canyon Clay Products Company, which was founded by Cornelio Rodriguez after he moved here from Guadalajara, Mexico in 1928. He and his brothers scooped clay from this La Jolla canyon for decorative pottery sold nationwide and building products, like roof tiles and adobe bricks.
Also added to the list are five historic piers combining function and charm along the La Playa shoreline of Point Loma for almost 80 years. Publicly and privately owned, the piers are threatened with removal by California Coastal Commission regulations, which require public access to the state's bay- and beachfronts. The pending Port of San Diego's Draft Master Plan called for demolition, but substantial public opposition based on nautical and social heritage caused Port Commissioners to reconsider and possibly to challenge the Coastal Commission's order.
Here is the 2019 Most Endangered List:
NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST
La Playa Piers, Point Loma Bayfront
For almost 80 years, San Diegans have enjoyed using a few private and publicly owned piers along La Playa's historic and picturesque waterfront. Likely constructed between the mid-1930s and late '40s, the five piers are integral to the nautical character, use, and cultural landscape of La Playa and Shelter Island. The privately-owned piers are not on private land, but rather in areas the Port of San Diego governs; residential uses are not permitted. And because not all of the piers are open to the public, the California Coastal Commission—with its primary mission to protect public access to the coastline—is threatening to remove all five.
This controversial issue came to public attention as the Port updates its master plan. Public outcry has produced thousands of written comments on the 2019 Draft Master Plan, calling for the piers to remain in use, as a functional and aesthetic benefit and historic asset to the community and to the region. The Port listened to the residents and is considering altering the draft to maintain the piers in their current state, but the final decision rests with the Coastal Commission.
These piers are not only beloved nautical treasures but also unique historic resources that were in use even before Shelter Island existed. They allow boaters and sightseers rare access to the waterfront and marine life. They contribute to our understanding of San Diego's waterfront development from the pre-World War II era to the present. SOHO actively supports the residents in their efforts to preserve these landmarks and urges the Port to maintain the piers in the Draft Master Plan. Then, the Port leadership must convince the Coastal Commission to follow their recommendations based on San Diego's unique character and public demand. La Playa Piers photo gallery
To challenge the language in the Draft Master Plan that calls for the removal of these piers, email the Port of San Diego (PMPU@portofsandiego.org) and California Coastal Commission (Deborah.Lee@coastal.ca.gov) urging them to save these historic, neighborhood defining features.
Pottery Canyon Kiln, La Jolla
The Pottery Canyon kiln is a round, six-foot-tall wood burning adobe structure on a private lot next to Pottery Canyon Natural Park in La Jolla. In 1928, Cornelio Rodriguez arrived from Guadalajara, Mexico and founded the La Jolla Canyon Clay Products Company in this canyon. When the City of San Diego designated the site historic in 1976, it was the oldest surviving pottery works in San Diego and possibly in Southern California. It remained active through the 1980s.
Having apprenticed with famous Mexican potters, Rodriguez brought this ancient craft to La Jolla, where he and his two brothers, Abraham and Ubaldo, primarily produced architectural pottery. They made roof and unglazed floor tiles that were used in local buildings like the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. They also produced adobe bricks and hand-crafted pottery that was distributed nationally by a New York firm. Rodriguez, who is still considered the last local artisan of his kind, dug the clay himself, molded it on a pottery wheel, and kiln-baked the finished products.
Today, only the kiln remains standing out of several original structures. Because the kiln lies outside of Pottery Canyon Natural Park and under private ownership, by law, maintenance is the owner's responsibility. However, this rare, priceless resource has been left to deteriorate for decades now, and in 2019 it was cited by Code Compliance due to unpermitted work. SOHO and the La Jolla Historical Society, as well as other preservationists, are closely watching any activity that could do irreparable harm to the kiln or site. It is critical that the kiln stay high on the City's Code Compliance radar. Along with any enforcement measures resulting from un-permitted work, stewardship duties of this important historic site must be shared by the City of San Diego. To ensure the protection and long-term preservation of this rare resource, that benefits many in and around San Diego, the City and the owner must agree to work together for the common good.
Report any activity near the kiln to San Diego's Code Enforcement staff, either through the Get It Done San Diego application or HERE
Pottery Canyon Kiln photo gallery
You can also email the Historical Resources Division directly (historicalresources@sandiego.gov) as well as Mayor Kevin Faulconer (kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov) and District 1 Councilmember Barbara Bry (barbarabry@sandiego.gov).
REMAINING FROM PAST YEARS
Barrett Ranch House, Jamul
The Barrett Ranch House was placed on the Most Endangered List in 2014 after multiple concerned citizens reached out to SOHO regarding its troubling condition. Rural farmhouses are particularly rare in San Diego County. Built in 1891, this large two-story farmhouse in Jamul has been left vacant and vulnerable for years. The wood façades and special architectural elements, such as double front porches and a bay window, are still painted barn-red with white trim, as is the large barn next to the house. While the most recent owners are know to be Vecellio Group Simpson Farms, the property is rapidly slipping away, assisted by rampant trespassing and vandals who have stripped much of the interior and committed other senseless acts of destruction. Despite many scars however, there is no mistaking the architectural beauty or historic charm of this impressive, once-proud East County homestead. Since 2014, the Jamul Dulzura Community Planning Group has wanted to turn the ranch into a community park. But in approaching the County of San Diego with this idea, they understand that first, funds must be raised to purchase the land, and then more funds are needed to plan for and maintain the property as a park—a large feat for any volunteer group. SOHO appreciates the regular active interest in rescuing this endangered property, but a solid solution is still elusive. Barrett Ranch House photo gallery
Big Stone Lodge, Poway
Long after the San Diego-Poway-Escondido stagecoach line stopped running, Dr. Homer Hansen and Daniel Stuck purchased land along Old Pomerado Road in the 1920s, envisioning a resort complex set within a grove of old oak trees. First came the gas station in 1925, then the Big Stone Lodge with its dance hall and bandstand. A restaurant and bar were added around 1930. While the resort was never fully realized, the site served as a popular roadside rest stop and thrived as a local social center for decades.
Designated Historic Site Number 16 by the City of Poway, the Big Stone Lodge is comprised of gigantic roof beams and large granite boulders thought to have been brought down from nearby hillsides. Its decline began in the 1990s when Old Pomerado Road/Hwy 395 was straightened, the Lodge was hidden from the street. Further trouble arose with a new housing subdivision built nearby, and the residents began complaining regularly about the noise. The Lodge, which had developed a reputation as a rowdy country and western bar, closed soon after that.
Poway's Redevelopment Agency purchased the property in 2003 to protect and preserve the remaining Lodge complex but funding was not a priority. A 2005 historical evaluation recommended considering it a historical district and laid out multiple options for restoration. Nevertheless, the City Council concluded that the buildings could not be saved and that a passive park would be the best possible use of the land. Now owned by the Poway Housing Authority, the Big Stone Lodge is in danger of demolition, based on a dated Environmental Impact Report from 2005. In September 2019, SOHO informed Poway's City Council that the complex should be evaluated by a structural engineer and a new EIR must be prepared to address current conditions and changed circumstances. A commitment to preserving the Big Stone Lodge—a vibrant and exceptional piece of Poway and San Diego cultural and architectural history—must be included in any new plan.
Please contact Mayor Steve Vaus (svaus@poway.org) and the Poway City Council (councilmembers@poway.org) to share your memories of the site, concern for the demolition, and support for preservation of the Big Stone Lodge to be rehabilitated.
Granger Hall, 1615 East Fourth St., National City
Loosely draped in a weathered old tarp, the Granger Music Hall, glimpsed from the I-5 freeway, is enough to evoke serious concern over this acoustical masterpiece designed by San Diego Master Architect Irving J. Gill. Completed in 1898 at the Paradise Valley estate of Colorado silver magnate Ralph Granger, the small but elegant building was used for private concerts and to house Granger's notable violin collection. Gill's knowledge of acoustics, gained from his earlier work in Chicago, achieved outstanding results when he designed the original 19' x 36' room and two later additions. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was moved to East Fourth Street in National City in 1969. The currently dismal exterior conditions convey nothing of its splendid interior, which includes a 75-foot ceiling mural by New York artist D. Samman and an intricately carved cedar screen that once concealed a large pipe organ.
To allow this unparalleled historical resource to deteriorate further is irresponsible and unacceptable. With the Port of San Diego's master planning process underway, now is the time for the Port and National City to partner in relocating this important resource to its originally intended permanent home, Pepper Park. For music to ring out from within the walls of the Granger Music Hall once again, it is imperative that National City and the Port work together to move it and commit to its immediate rehabilitation. Granger Hall photo gallery
Today, please email Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis and the National City Council (council@nationalcityca.gov) as well as the Port of San Diego (PMPU@portofsandiego.org) and ask to hear music again within Granger Hall.
Hillcrest Commercial Core, San Diego
The commercial core of Hillcrest grew up along a streetcar line during San Diego's early 20th-century building boom, when the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in nearby Balboa Park fueled rapid suburban expansion. Hillcrest's historic character remains relatively unchanged since its early years, with one- to three-story structures filled with street-level shops, banks, and restaurants and a mix of apartments and businesses above. A variety of early 20th-century architectural styles along the main corridors include Spanish and Mission Revival, and Art Deco. Throughout the core, many original single-family Victorian and Arts and Crafts era residences still stand, although many have been converted to multi-residential and commercial uses. Its long-documented embrace of the LGBTQ and art and literary communities lends a bohemian vibe and a sense of urbanity within a walkable, village-like atmosphere. However, in recent years, a surge in development interests and political lobbying has become a major threat to the historic neighborhood. A group of commercial property owners formed the Uptown Gateway project, pushing for a 200-foot or more height limit to build high-rises that would dwarf Hillcrest. Redeveloping entire blocks of this dense community will eliminate the very character, historic resources, and significant links to its LGBTQ and cultural heritage that drew people here in the first place. SOHO has joined Mission Hills Heritage in legal action to protect the Uptown area, including Hillcrest, from profiteers who are poised to destroy the human scale and authenticity that have historically made it a unique, welcoming, and magnetic place to live, visit, and work. Hillcrest Community Core photo gallery
Presidio Park, Old Town San Diego
Once celebrated as the "Plymouth Rock of the West Coast," Presidio Park has become a desolate, unwelcoming place with few visitors today. A designated National Historic Landmark, this quiet and unassuming spot was the original location of the 1769 Spanish expedition's first Mission in Alta California, leading eventually to the development of Old Town, the port, and greater city of San Diego. Another layer of historical depth was added in the early 1900s when San Diego civic leader and preservationist George Marston purchased the land for a park, donated it to the city, and hired San Diego Master Architect William Templeton Johnson to design the iconic Junípero Serra Museum that crowns the park's hilltop.
For over a decade, Presidio Park has been massively underutilized and its upkeep neglected for a site of such profound historical significance. However, important steps have been accomplished recently to help improve its visual appeal, notably restoration of the Serra Museum's prominent southwest façade. Additionally, Parish Rye, a City of San Diego Park Ranger, has compiled an invaluable historic plant survey to aid in protecting, restoring, and maintaining the landscape that is meant to be lush and varied.
SOHO welcomes these signs of progress and looks to the City and to District 3 Councilmember Chris Ward to continue diligently working on increased maintenance and improved public access. Presidio Park deserves to be honored as the birthplace of our great city and state. San Diego flourishes on the thousands of visitors who come here each year, and this significant park should be at the top of the City's promotional list rather than a neglected afterthought. Presidio Park photo gallery
Join us in urging Mayor Kevin Faulconer (kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov) and District 3 Councilmember Chris Ward (ChristopherWard@sandiego.gov) to continue the progress and greater focus on the care and appreciation of this unique National Historic Landmark we are fortunate to call our own.
Red Roost and Red Rest Bungalows, La Jolla Cove
SOHO's longest-running preservation battle is laser-focused on the Red Roost and Red Rest Bungalows, which have endured more than a quarter century of shameful, deliberate neglect. Located in the otherwise polished Village of La Jolla, this ghost-like pair of deteriorating 1894 redwood beach cottages are a curious sight to tourists, not to mention residents, who are unaware of their history and the on-going struggle to preserve them. Dating to the early period of local development, they are the last of a cluster of simple vacation cottages and an artists' colony built on the hillside overlooking La Jolla Cove. Although simple in design and construction, the Red Roost and Red Rest are considered rare and significant architectural forerunners of the popular Arts and Crafts bungalows still lining streets throughout San Diego's early 20th-century neighborhoods. However incomprehensible, despite multiple attempts on SOHO's part to negotiate for the restoration or adaptive reuse of the cottages as part of a larger project, the property owner would prefer to see these important pieces of history serve as a black-eye on the community rather than returned to productive cultural and economic use. The City of San Diego, adding to the frustration, has so far refused to enforce its own laws protecting historic resources from illegal "demolition by neglect." City code requires owners of unoccupied historic buildings to maintain them in "a manner that preserves their historical integrity." Yet in this case, both the owner and the City refuse to act and are flagrantly allowing the ravages of time and weather to bring the Red Roost and Red Rest increasingly closer to collapse. Red Roost and Red Rest photo gallery
San Diego Stadium, Mission Valley
The fate of San Diego Stadium in Mission Valley remains in limbo, as San Diego State University and the City attempt to agree on the terms and sale price of the huge site that includes this historic sports arena. Designed by the San Diego firm of Frank L. Hope Associates and opened in 1967, the stadium embodied innovative technology in the sports-viewing world at the time, featuring pre-cast concrete walls, optimal sight lines, and iconic spiral pedestrian ramps. It was initially home to the San Diego Chargers, the Padres, and the San Diego State Aztecs football team, and considered one of the best multi-use stadiums in the United States. In 1969, it earned an American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Outstanding Design, the first ever awarded to a sports stadium in the U.S. This Brutalist style mid-century marvel is now one of the last of its kind in the nation.
In early August 2019, SDSU released a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed redevelopment of the site, calling for the demolition of San Diego Stadium and its replacement with a new, smaller 35,000-seat venue. SDSU's costly and impractical plan would not only destroy a historically significant and valuable public resource, it would severely harm the environment. We could keep thousands of tons of concrete, asphalt and toxic debris out of our landfill by preserving and renovating the historic stadium. If it was altered to costly NFL specifications to qualify to host a Super Bowl game, it can surely be made to serve 21st-century sports fans.
While SDSU continues to move forward with its proposal, SOHO urges City officials and citizens to turn our stated historic preservation and environmental impact goals into meaningful action. Success depends on the preservation and adaptive reuse of San Diego Stadium, a monumental symbol of national sports history. San Diego Stadium photo gallery
Contact San Diego State University (mvcomments@sdsu.edu) and Scott Sherman of Council District 7 (scottsherman@sandiego.gov) to express your concerns about the fate of the stadium.
SAVED / REMOVED FROM THE LIST
Balboa Park, San Diego - Saved
SOHO and allied groups and individuals take great pleasure in celebrating a major preservation victory: The most recent battle to save Balboa Park, San Diego's "Crown Jewel." This world-renowned cultural and historical resource has appeared on SOHO's Most Endangered List since 2011, but no longer qualifies in 2019 as "imminently threatened" and therefore has been removed from the roster.
News this past spring that the City of San Diego was shelving the ill-conceived Plaza de Panama Project came as a welcome relief to preservationists who had spent nearly a decade fighting to save the park's prestigious National Historic Landmark District. For SOHO, which took the lead on several legal challenges, this victory was the culmination of years of advocacy and public outreach that ensured the threat would remain prominent in the public eye. We were also faced with the prospect that the destructive project would be quietly approved at the behest of a wealthy, politically influential private citizen. Thankfully, Balboa Park has now been officially spared the Plaza de Panama Project's proposed freeway-like offramp from the iconic Cabrillo Bridge, the destruction of Palm Canyon and Alcazar Garden, and a slew of other intrusive, non-historic contemporary features.
Neglect, deferred maintenance, and vandalism still persist throughout Balboa Park, however. Over $500 million is currently needed to address critical repairs and safety upgrades, including long overdue earthquake retrofits. Now that the divisive and distracting Plaza de Panama controversy is finally over, City officials need to live up to their responsibilities as stewards of one of America's most beautiful city parks. Like District 3 Councilmember Chris Ward, who has made maintenance and improvements to Balboa Park one of his priorities, his colleagues, and Mayor Kevin Faulconer must demonstrate that they understand, respect, and promise to protect its historical and cultural importance. Looking forward, SOHO hopes that by clearly establishing and prioritizing the needs of Balboa Park and other city-owned historic resources, no philanthropist can override public opinion. The City must finalize preservation and maintenance plans and guarantee that public park and historic resources projects are thoughtfully considered and vetted by the public early in any planning process. Balboa Park photo gallery
Villa Montezuma, San Diego - Removed from the List
An icon of the historic Sherman Heights neighborhood, the 1887 Villa Montezuma is one of San Diego's most beloved grand Victorian era residences. The Comstock & Trotsche-designed home of Jesse Francis Shepard has been removed from the 2019 Most Endangered List, as we know of no imminent threat of demolition or other insensitive proposals. However, the under-utilized Villa has sat stagnant for many years, with its owner, the City of San Diego, opening it to the public only four times a year. SOHO will continue to keep a close eye on this irreplaceable resource while encouraging the City to reopen it on a regular basis.
Because the Villa is one of our region's finest Queen Anne style Victorian homes, SOHO continues to offer the City our professional advice and expert assistance at no charge to preserve and maintain the Villa. This offer goes for all other City-owned heritage sites and resources and, if desired, we will also work with and guide any nonprofit the City installs to oversee this treasured home.
Please support SOHO's preservation work by attending public meetings we alert you to, writing letters, and donating to our Legal Defense Fund. We appreciate all that you do for these endangered sites, and more.
|
2022 | 2021
2020
2019
Newly Added
Remaining from past years
Saved/Removed from the list
2018 |
2017 |
2016
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011
2010 |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001
|
