The Stevens-Hartley building and annex (note the original arches on the annex)

The Stevens-Hartley Annex on University Avenue was built in 1926. If San Diego wins the #VoteYourMainStreet contest, the structure would be eligible to “a share of $2 million in American Express funding for preservation projects,” according to a page on the National Geographic website. (How much that share would be remains a mystery.)

There are 24 other U.S. cities with historical structures competing to “make a difference to preserve history.” Voting started on September 25.

The annex is currently the home to Metro PCS, Gems Jewelry, and the SafeHouse (located at 2930 University Avenue). The Western Dental office located at 2948 University (corner of 30th Street) is the main building, which was built in 1913.

On September 29th, Michael was waiting for the bus in front of the annex. “It looks way different [than the original photo posted on the contest site]. I couldn’t even tell it was that old,” he said.

There appears to be stucco on top of the original structure, hiding the two two-story towers on each side of the annex and the four arches in between. The awnings and the roof tiles from almost 100 years ago are long gone, too.

Katherine Hon is the secretary of the North Park Historical Society. In 2015 she wrote a piece called “First and tallest at North Park’s ‘Busy Corner’” for the Uptown News.

Note the two towers of the annex facing University Avenue

Google Maps image

The story was about the 1913 origin of the Stevens building (now Western Dental) on the corner and also the annex: “In 1926, Carter Construction Company built an arcaded, Mediterranean-style annex that extended to the west along University Avenue. A two-story tower unit roofed in red tile anchored each end of the annex, with four units in between.

“Henry and Daisy Leighton operated their café on the first floor and lived on the second floor of the western tower. Dan Harmer and Robert Dent operated a shoe store in the eastern tower. Other early businesses included Mrs. Head’s confectionery shop and Lee Millikan’s men’s haberdashery. When his partnership with Jack Hartley ended in 1927, Will Stevens took an office in the annex, keeping his name on the three-story commercial building.

“After 1945, a smooth ‘slipcover’ modernized the original facade of the 1913 building and its ornate annex. But the tops of the two towers (one on the left of Safe House and the other to the right of Gems Jewelry) are visible from an upper floor of the North Park parking garage.

“Imagine how grand it would be to see the whole annex restored to its original arcaded glory!"

It depends on the votes. The contest is easy. First you register and log on to the National Geographic page, then vote. One person is allowed to vote five times every day until October 31 at 8:59 p.m.

“I’m gonna vote from my phone and let my friends know,” Michael said before hopping on the bus to Hillcrest. “We may not have a football team, but we got North Park.”

According to the website: “Partners in Preservation is an initiative created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express to engage the public in preserving and increasing awareness of America’s historic places and their role in sustaining local communities. Since its inception in 2006, Partners in Preservation has awarded over $19 million in support of more than 200 sites.”