North Park Eyesore to Become Irish Pub?

North Park has a few empty stores, including the long-vacant old Woolworth building at 3067 University Avenue. But a worse eyesore is at 3020 University Avenue, next to the cigarette store at 3018 University. The building at one time housed a women's fashion store; most previously it was a Price Breakers 88 Cents store. The space occupied by both storefronts was once the historic Ramona Theater, built in 1926.

The building's glass front is now covered with graffiti, paint blotches, scratches, and dirt. Pigeon droppings are provided by the “rats with wings” living in the building. The space has high ceilings, with about 3,100-square feet of ground-floor space and approximately 1,200 square feet of mezzanine (once the movie theater’s balcony).

Omar Passons, a board member at North Park Community Association, described it as “an awful storefront.” Nikki Berdy, president of the association, said they have a program called “Keeping an Eye on North Park.” Speaking of the program, Berdy said “We've offered to redo some buildings, but the landlords won't even respond to our offer letters.”

Passons said in an email: “We hadn't taken a look at this [building]. Our first idea was to look at the entry points to North Park, but it has broadened a bit…. One thing we'll cover is whether to focus on helping residential blocks versus commercial properties like this one.”

According to Angela Landsberg, executive director of North Park Main Street (a business improvement district), the building owner plans to open an Irish restaurant and bar. The owner has applied for a full liquor license, she said, and all property development is on hold until then.

The county assessor lists the property owners as Kevin and Elena Gallagher, and Anthony Fleming. A Google search indicated they comprise Gg Enterprises, LLC, and currently own two Irish pubs in Ocean Beach: Gallagher’s and the Harp.