San Diego’s Historic Resource Board (HRB) held a very long monthly meeting yesterday afternoon (1pm until after 5pm) that included three important Uptown properties under review for demolition or historic designation. This Edwardian warehouse (right) 
at 1041-47 University Avenue, first a furniture store, but remembered more recently as two popular coffeehouses, first SOHO, then Euphoria. The building was designated as one of the few great examples of Edwardian style in San Diego. The HRB board agreed that it is a neighborhood landmark. The loss of this building would have torn the heart out of Hillcrest’s historic business district. The HRB board also designated the old Vet Center at 2900 Sixth Avenue across from Balboa Park which was once home to George & Alice Hazzard (left).
Friday’s final hearing was regarding 4040 Fifth Avenue. The owner, Scripps Mercy Hospital, wanted to demolish this 1911 Craftsman home, one of the final remaining structures from the original “Hillcrest” subdivision. Ron May, president of Legacy 106 made a presentation on behalf of the Hillcrest History Guild demonstrating why this house needed to be granted an historic designation and preserved. The 
last speaker was a woman from Point Loma who would like to save the house by relocating it to a suitable location, hopefully in Hillcrest. This may be the final result, however the optimum outcome would be to preserve and restore the house on its present site since this bungalow is one of few remaining in William Wesley Whitson’s original “Hillcrest” subdivision in what was then called “University Heights.”
Thank you, Ron & Dale May, Barry Hager, Ernie Bonn, Dan Soderberg, John Taylor, Janet O’Dea, Lisa Hannula, Leo Wilson, George Wedermeyer, Don Schmitt, Christine Mann, Diane Kane and Bruce Coons from Save Our Hertitage Organisation. You gave so much of your time to save these pieces of our neighborhood history for future generations.
