For many years there were rotting bungalows along Florida Street, between University Avenue and Robinson Avenue. The San Diego Housing Authority gave a loan of $4,900,000 over two years ago to Florida Street Housing Associates, …
August 3, 2011
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Stories by David Batterson
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Construction Begins on Florida Street HousingWorks Apartments
Lyric Opera Poised to Sell North Park Theatre
Lyric Opera, which owns Birch North Park Theatre, struggles to pay the mortgage and operating costs, which run more than $50,000 monthly. Now, the nonprofit organization is close to unloading the property. According to Lyric …
July 6, 2011
Woolworth Building Rehab Cost to Rise?
A 15,600-square-foot property at 3067 University Avenue was built in 1949 by F.W. Woolworth Company. Last year, the city purchased the long-empty building for $1,950,000 for redevelopment. North Park Gateway, LLC, was selected to work …
June 24, 2011
Transient Problem at North Park’s Albertsons
For many months, transients have hunkered down in front of the Albertsons supermarket at 2235 University Avenue in North Park. They panhandle for change and sometimes fall asleep on the sidewalk. After contacting the Albertsons …
June 15, 2011
City Slow to Remove Racial Slur on Sign in North Park
On June 2, when I saw a stop sign at Louisiana Street and Polk Avenue tagged with anti-semitic graffiti, I immediately emailed councilmember Todd Gloria's office. I also sent a photo showing the racial slur, …
June 12, 2011
North Park Main Street’s Plans for 2011
The North Park Main Street design committee met on January 4 to discuss revitalization plans for 2011. Amy Colony, assistant director of North Park Main Street, said, “Our main goal is to draw in businesses, …
January 4, 2011
Mama's Kitchen to Move
Mama's Kitchen, which has provided meals for people with AIDS and cancer for years, has lost its longtime lease at 1875 Second Avenue and the church property is up for sale. The nonprofit has a …
December 12, 2010
North Park Animal Hospital to Include Holistic Treatments
A building at 2200 University Avenue is undergoing a total renovation after its purchase by longtime North Park veterinarian Robert Nagell. Located across from Albertsons, the structure was originally a Jack LaLanne gym, “so was …
November 18, 2010
San Diego Housing Commission to Overhaul Hotel Sandford
The timeworn Hotel Sandford, a single-room occupancy facility for low-income seniors at 1301 Fifth Avenue, will soon receive long-overdue renovations. The San Diego Housing Commission purchased the building earlier this year for $6.8 million and …
November 2, 2010
San Diego City Council Passes Equal Benefits Ordinance
The San Diego City Council on October 18 unanimously approved an "equal benefits ordinance" proposed by openly gay District 3 councilmember Todd Gloria. The measure requires city contractors to provide domestic partners of employees the …
October 19, 2010
San Diego to House Homeless at World Trade Center
Conversion of the former World Trade Center at 1250 Sixth Avenue into a “one stop” homeless center moved closer to reality October 5: the San Diego City Council, convened as the San Diego Redevelopment Agency, …
October 6, 2010
CCDC Wants More Cortez Property
Just when we thought the Cortez “hole” project was set for future development, a new glitch of sorts has emerged. The Centre City Development Corporation would like to see the now-filled Cortez “hole” (abandoned Atmosphere …
September 26, 2010
Activists Demand Release of Army PFC Bradley Manning
More than 50 individuals from activist organizations and their supporters gathered at Horton Plaza on September 19 to demand the release of Army PFC Bradley Manning. The Army intelligence analyst was arrested and jailed for …
September 20, 2010
Martin Calderon, Scrap Metal Sculptor of Hillcrest
I was walking around Hillcrest recently and wondered what's with the lifelike metal animal sculptures in front of houses on the 3700 block of First Avenue. I found out through the Hillcrest Town Council that …
September 16, 2010
Affordable Housing on the Way
Recently at the Cortez “hole” site (midblock between Ash and Beech, flanked by Fourth and Fifth avenues), I met with Barry Getzel, senior project manager at Wakeland Housing & Development Corporation. The aborted construction site …
August 21, 2010
Nowhere Near Bankruptcy?
Twenty people attended District 3 city councilmember Todd Gloria's latest community coffee klatch on August 14 at Grant's Marketplace in South Park. (Contrary to what the photo suggests, alcoholic beverages were not served.) Gloria spent …
August 17, 2010
Talk, Act, Fight
A small crowd of MoveOn.org supporters gathered at noon on August 10 at the Community Concourse to "fight Washington corruption." Speakers included Anne Hoiberg, copresident of the League of Women Voters of San Diego, and …
August 10, 2010
Gays’ Day in Court
After Northern California’s chief district judge Vaughn Walker on August 4 ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, I contacted Robert R. DeKoven, law professor at San Diego's California Western School of Law, since he writes …
August 4, 2010
Hole Lot of Dirt
After several years of contributing to downtown blight, the huge construction hole between Ash and Beech streets (bounded by Fourth and Fifth avenues) is finally being filled. The site of the planned Atmosphere condo development …
June 8, 2010
What’s Up with the Big Cortez Hole?
For the past six years, a huge construction hole in the lower Cortez neighborhood has remained a collection of rusty rebar, weeds and dirt, and wooden shoring. Located midblock between Ash and Beech, the L-shaped …
March 24, 2010
No Hush
Equality California and the Courage Campaign joined local LGBT individuals and Unite Here Local 30 union members on Saturday, January 9, in the latest demonstration against the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. Participants yelling “boycott” marched …
January 13, 2010
For the Shills
Three masked members of Anonymous San Diego (xenu.net) demonstrated on December 5 outside the headquarters of the Scientology/Hubbard Dianetics Foundation on Fourth Avenue. The building is listed for sale. While it was a peaceful protest, …
December 6, 2009