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1935 Ford Dealership to be Reconstructed
March/April 2017
By A. Hayes
 Henry Ford collection. Courtesy Vintage San Diego on Facebook
The Neuner Brothers Ford Dealership building, an Art Deco structure built in 1935 at 1101 Fort Stockton Drive in Mission Hills, was conceived as a miniature echo of the Ford Building in Balboa Park. The latter was designed by the renowned Walter Dorwin Teague for the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition. The Neuner Brothers building stood on the site of a new housing project designed and developed by Jonathan Segal. He initially aimed to retain and restore the small, octagonal gear shaped neighborhood icon, but will instead reconstruct it using some of its original materials.
The reconstruction plan came as a disappointment. In May 2016, SOHO's board of directors reviewed the rehabilitation plan for the historic resource, but not the entire development project. After working with SOHO and the city's Historical Resources staff, Segal came to understand that the building would likely not be eligible for designation due to exterior alterations. However, everyone involved still championed this distinctive structure as a significant contribution to Mission Hills's historic character and development. Segal then designed a project that would retain and relocate the mini-Ford Building onsite. The SOHO board excitedly supported this restoration opportunity: the structure would be preserved despite not being historically designated.
Two months later, however, Segal came back to the SOHO board with news that the existing conditions and slab foundation would make the building nearly impossible to lift and move. The firm then proposed to dismantle it but retain key aspects of its historic fabric, such as windows and hardware, for use in a historically accurate reconstruction. The SOHO board was saddened by the potential loss and voted that, if possible, their preference was still restoration.
But late last year, the Neuner Brothers Ford Dealership building was dismembered after being carefully documented. Upon completion of the larger housing project, the reconstructed building will occupy the front corner of the lot, but in its original orientation. Hopefully, the structure's original components will be supplemented by historic neon lighting and a period gas pump.
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