Hillcrest squeezes in gay history and cheaper housing

As Hillcrest considers turning its core into a historic district, gays have lost one of only two sites dedicated to the LGBQT community.

The planning commission voted unanimously last week to approve a development permit for a mixed-use project that will demolish the Albert Bell Building, also known as the Gayzette, at 3780-3786 5th Avenue.

The site, now occupied by several businesses, served as a community support center founded by local activist Albert Bell during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.

It was designated historic on April 28, 2022 - no surprise to the Los Angeles-based developer who was already at work on plans for a mid-rise apartment tower with commercial and office space.

"When we started the process two years ago, we soon found it was likely to be designated historic," said Max Zeff, with the real estate firm Kolanymous.

The building that will be demolished is composed of four sections built at different times. The historic designation covers a two-story 1968 addition, a 1932 Spanish Eclectic building, and the courtyard between them.

Currently, there are 10 multi-family residential units housed in three of the buildings. The new 7-story project will provide 43 dwellings, including two very low-income, and 22 visitor accommodation units.

In 2020, there were 24,203 homes in Hillcrest, only 849 of them affordable housing. The in-progress Plan Hillcrest aims to protect Hillcrest's historical resources important to the LGBTQ community and add more housing.

"We are not thrilled by the loss of the historic site," said Bruce Coons, executive director of Save Our Heritage. "In fact it's something we wouldn't normally support, particularly in this type of site, which is a civil rights site."

He added that the developer has worked diligently, along with SOHO, for over two years to mitigate some of the losses.

According to a staff report, the mitigations will include a Historic American Buildings Survey, photos, written history, and a metal plaque or display with a QR barcode link to online material outlining "the historical events and activities associated with the former community spaces and occupants of 3870 Fifth Avenue."

Charles Kaminski, speaking as a historian for the San Diego LGBQT Historic Sites Project, urged the commission to approve the mitigation measures.

"The Historic Sites project would have preferred that the developer retain and incorporate the resource into the new development. Unfortunately, that has not occurred."

He was not there to oppose the development, he said, but to remind them that the LGBT community is represented by only two sites and there will be only one left.

The new building will be named in honor of Albert Bell.