The city's first parklet was officially dedicated August 23, at 3933 30th Street in North Park. It's in front of Caffé Calabria, which paid for construction and will do all the maintenance. The parklet was …
August 27, 2013
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Stories by David Batterson
North Park coffee roaster gets San Diego's first parklet
Goodwill hunting for donations at new Hillcrest store
Goodwill Industries of San Diego has leased space previously occupied by Legends Home Furnishings, at 1219 University Avenue. While not open for business, the store is accepting donations at the back door from 8:30 a.m. …
August 17, 2013
Will sale of lots in North Park relieve transient problem?
The long-empty lot on the southeast corner of University Avenue and Louisiana Street is for sale again. The .21-acre property comprises two separate legal parcels, located at 2305 and 2307 University Avenue. Asking price is …
August 10, 2013
Cheap art in L.A.
An old friend and his fiancee were flying into Los Angeles from Texas in July, on their way up to Santa Barbara. They were staying one night in L.A., and asked me to join them …
August 2, 2013
BofA requests larger signage for downtown headquarters
Bank of America is seeking larger building signage for its 20-story regional headquarters downtown at 450 B Street. Civic San Diego received a request from BBL, Inc., to install two signs larger than the current …
July 25, 2013
Former San Diego Hardware Co. becomes saloon
The historic San Diego Hardware Company building in the Gaslamp Quarter is almost done with its transformation into a new bar/restaurant called Lucky Bastard Saloon. According to sandiego.eater.com, the majority owner of Lucky Bastard Saloon …
July 9, 2013
DJ/engineer buys run-down North Park building
Nestled between URBN Coal Fired Pizza and the empty old F.W. Woolworth building in North Park sits a building that last housed the Windmill Thrift Shop. After it closed, the structure, owned by a Los …
June 26, 2013
Downtown San Diego affordable housing project advances
The on-again, off-again affordable Atmosphere apartment project in downtown San Diego is on again, but hurry up and wait if you want to qualify for an apartment there. The San Diego City Council approved the …
June 20, 2013
Protest of Bradley Manning imprisonment in Hillcrest
About 70 loud, enthusiastic, chanting individuals, many blowing whistles, took over the four corners of Sixth and University avenues in Hillcrest on June 1. Mostly from the LGBT community and Occupy movement, they called on …
June 2, 2013
March Against Monsanto in Balboa Park...and 45 countries
An enthusiastic crowd estimated at over 1000 gathered at the fountain in Balboa Park on May 25 as part of the international “March Against Monsanto.” The event took place simultaneously in 45 countries and 400 …
May 26, 2013
North Park/University Heights residents host “Cookies with the Cops”
A group of North Park/University Heights residents gathered at the intersection of Texas and Polk streets on May 15 at 6 p.m. for an informal meeting with three San Diego Police Department officers. The “Cookies …
May 16, 2013
New Walgreens store rises on University Ave. in Hillcrest
The long-planned, controversial Walgreens store in Hillcrest is well under construction at 301 University Avenue. The former vacant structure, last used for medical offices, was on the site located directly across University from Urban Mo's …
May 9, 2013
Ocean Beach gets $20,000 more for lifeguard memorial
The San Diego City Council on April 16 unanimously approved funding “not to exceed $20,000” to help pay for a bronze lifeguard statue with a concrete foundation and an adjacent three-foot-square bronze plaque. The two …
April 16, 2013
Coco's Restaurant in North Park is kaput
Closed down for a couple of months now, the empty Coco's Bakery Restaurant at 2644 El Cajon Boulevard in North Park is still hoping for a new leaseholder. The Coco's in Corona del Mar, California …
April 7, 2013
AT&T building still a “public nuisance” in North Park?
The unused AT&T (formerly Pacific Bell) building in North Park continues to have homeless transients, graffiti, the smell of urine, and trash. The fortress-like structure — a perfect canvas for taggers — is located at …
March 19, 2013
William Heath Davis House reimbursed by city council
The Gaslamp Museum/William Heath Davis House downtown has been refurbished. The San Diego City Council on February 26 approved $9000 to reimburse the museum for some overdue improvements. The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation manages the …
February 28, 2013
North Park’s Bodhi Animal Clinic gets new vets
The Bodhi Veterinary Clinic and Animal Hospital at 2200 University Avenue in North Park has changed hands. The new owner is Tracy Dowdy, CVPM (certified veterinary practice manager). The purchase price was not disclosed. After …
February 12, 2013
San Diego City Council finds funds to trim palm trees
The City of San Diego has a problem with falling palm fronds and has fallen way behind with palm-tree trimming. So, on January 29, the San Diego City Council unanimously (with two absent) approved the …
January 29, 2013
North Park Main Street update
It appeared North Park Main Street, a business improvement district established by the City of San Diego, might be moving. Last month on two walkabouts it was dark inside, boxes and pictures were strewn about, …
January 15, 2013
Caltrans to chip in for Cabrillo Bridge seismic retrofit
The San Diego City Council on January 8 unanimously approved a cooperative agreement between the City and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to seismically retrofit and rehabilitate the Laurel Street (Cabrillo) Bridge. Under the …
January 8, 2013
Horton Plaza Project Approved, but Planned Art Unfunded
The San Diego City Council on November 13 unanimously approved authorization to “advertise, bid, award, and construct” the multimillion-dollar Horton Plaza Improvement Project. The council acted in its role as the successor agency to the …
November 13, 2012
New Agency Head Touts Centre City Development Corp.
The San Diego City Council on October 23 unanimously approved the mayor's appointment of Jeff Graham as Civic San Diego's new president. Graham had been vice president of redevelopment at the disbanded Centre City Development …
October 23, 2012
Hillcrest’s Pernicano's and Casa di Baffi Restaurants... "Abandoned"?
The San Diego City Council passed an “abatement of abandoned properties” ordinance unanimously on October 2. It makes abandoned properties (structures and empty lots) subject to the same city code sections regulating vacant properties. Vacant …
October 2, 2012
No Glowing Review on Hotel Sandford’s Renovation
The renovation of the Hotel Sandford at 1301 Fifth Avenue is complete. (click here to see article from 2010). I dropped by unannounced on September 22 to take a look. While the hotel interior looks …
September 22, 2012
A Minute with Todd Gloria in North Park
District 3 councilmember Todd Gloria walked up 30th Street in North Park on September 15, with some constituents tagging along, to test a new Android app called “BestWALK” from WalkSanDiego. The free app (downloadable here) …
September 15, 2012
San Diego City Attorney Passes on Fireworks Litigation
The September 13 special session of the San Diego City Council included several routine “consent items” on the adoption agenda, including one involving a legal matter. Item-604 concerned “authority to enter into contract for legal …
September 14, 2012
San Diego Council Moves to Protect, Expand Military Assets
At its first meeting in weeks, the San Diego City Council on September 13 unanimously approved a resolution to raise awareness about the negative impact of automatic Defense Department budget reductions. The resolution encourages “a …
September 13, 2012
Woolworth Building Renovation on Hold
When the city still had its Redevelopment Agency, the empty Woolworth building at 3067 University Avenue was acquired for $1,950,000. North Park Gateway and 31st Street LLC were chosen to develop the structure into a …
September 4, 2012
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 …
July 31, 2012
North Park ElderHelp Facility to Get a Makeover
With financial assistance from block grants and fundraising , Elderhelp of San Diego will be getting an extreme makeover of their facility. The 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation received a new five-year lease from the …
June 27, 2012
Graffiti in North Park by Invisible Children Supporters?
Invisible Children, Inc., is the San Diego nonprofit company that created a video on Joseph Kony's rebel war in Central Africa. The video has reportedly garnered over 100 million views, but the organization may have …
May 17, 2012
Metropolitan Transit System Chief Declines Benefits Increase
The board of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System avoided a controversial public vote April 19 on a $20,000 benefits increase for CEO Paul Jablonski. At the board meeting, copies of a letter from Jablonski …
April 19, 2012
Fate of Two America Plaza Site Up to City's Redevelopment Oversight Board
Just north of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego at America Plaza is an abandoned construction site that was originally going to be a high-rise office building called Two America Plaza; then the site …
April 17, 2012
San Diego City Council Grants $51,000 for Needle Exchange Program
The San Diego City Council on April 10 approved (on their consent agenda) $51,000 for Family Health Centers of San Diego, to be used for their Safe Point San Diego program. Funds will be allocated …
April 11, 2012
North Park Volunteer Patrol Will Target Rowdiness Outside Bars
At a March 13 meeting at the Lafayette Hotel, the North Park Community Association sponsored a meeting at which the Stonewall Citizens' Patrol presented their plans to expand into the North Park area. The volunteer …
March 14, 2012
City’s New Vending Machine Deal Includes “Healthy Food”
More snacks are coming to city office buildings, libraries, police and fire stations, park and recreation facilities, and some beach areas. On February 28, the San Diego City Council by unanimous consent approved a vending-machine …
February 28, 2012
Downtown Affordable Housing Project Likely to Languish for Lack of Funds
“The Atmosphere” low-income apartment complex planned for the long-abandoned Cortez “hole” site may not be built. The nonprofit Wakeland Housing & Development Corporation is the developer. Wakeland previously purchased the dirt-filled site, then resold it …
February 22, 2012
City Council Seeks to Build Normal Street Linear Park in Hillcrest
At its January 10 meeting, the San Diego City Council unanimously agreed to send a grant application to the State of California for a proposed Normal Street Linear Park. The $4.7 million project would create …
January 10, 2012
Labor Ready Storefront in North Park Closes Shop
The Labor Ready office at 2884 University Avenue closed on December 27. A sign posted on the door stated: “This office will be closed until further notice.” It says to contact their branch at 1021 …
January 3, 2012
Hillel of San Diego Still Battles for a New UCSD Facility
After Hillel of San Diego purchased a parcel for a UCSD facility, the La Jolla Shores Association and a group of La Jolla residents sued the City of San Diego in June 2006. The San …
November 29, 2011
Wang's North Park Restaurant Plans “Soft” Opening
While a little behind the planned opening date (but said to be right on budget), Wang's North Park restaurant will have a “soft opening” on November 21, said co-owner and operator Joel Herzer in a …
November 16, 2011
San Diego City Council Considers Regulations for Home Farming
During a two-week review and comment period that began on November 4 and ends November 18, the San Diego City Council will consider new urban-agriculture amendments to allow more access to home-grown foods. The council …
November 15, 2011
St. Paul's Cathedral Project to Move Forward in Bankers Hill
In a November 4 interview, the Very Reverend Scott Richardson, dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, said it appears their project to renovate the cathedral and construct two high-rise, mixed-use condominium towers is a done deal. …
November 5, 2011
Caltrans Deems Georgia Street Bridge Deficient
The San Diego City Council on November 1 approved an amended agreement with Simon Wong Engineering for services on the Georgia Street Bridge renovation. This will add an additional payment of $493,000, boosting the firm's …
November 1, 2011
San Diego's Cardrooms Allowed to Add Tables
The San Diego City Council on October 18 unanimously approved the increase of tables from nine to eleven at the remaining two cardrooms in San Diego. This proposal was sanctioned last August by the Bureau …
October 18, 2011
Alleged Bank of America Official Threatens Protester
Hearing about an October 11 demonstration at the Bank of America branch on University Avenue at 31st Street, I dropped by. Not connected with the Occupy San Diego movement, this protest was connected to the …
October 12, 2011
San Diego City Council Responds to County Grand Jury Assertion That New City Hall Is Unnecessary
The San Diego City Council voted 6-1 on October 4 to adopt a resolution, responding to the San Diego County Grand Jury report that a new city hall is not needed. The resolution authorized the …
October 4, 2011
Affordable Housing Project Delayed by California Supreme Court
After the Cortez “hole” was finally filled and chainlink-fenced in August 2010 (click here for background), the plan was to transform the empty lot owned by the San Diego Redevelopment Agency into a paved and …
September 13, 2011
North Park Residents Call Urban Corps for Speedier Graffiti Removal
Though some residents of North Park call the City of San Diego's graffiti hotline or use its online graffiti report form, some complain that the city's response is slow. So, Graham Blair, a volunteer with …
August 26, 2011