An open letter from Dionne Carlson to
Mayor Jerry Sanders & the SD City Council
I am just horrified to learn from SOHO of yet another historic building now lost. And you promised this wouldn’t happen again!
So… just how was this allowed?
Please investigate, and more importantly, pass the changes and reforms that SOHO, the Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition, Mission Hills Heritage, the Hillcrest History Guild and others asked for…and which the city promised at the LU&H hearing on Historic Preservation this year. Among them: (1) No demolition permit should ever be issued on a weekend, and no demolition should be permitted to occur over a weekend. (2) No demolition permit should be issued without the proper noticing and review
to determine whether or not the building in question is historic. (3) Fines and consequences for illegally demolishing a historic building should be as financially devastating to the “demolisher” as to the building’s structure.
Currently the fines do not even make a dent in the pocket of someone intent on flouting the law.
This was the old Ford dealership; an extremely important building designed by the internationally renowned Walter Teague. It shares design elements with a companion building in Balboa Park that is on the National Register. Staff at HRB had been notified in writing by San Diego preservationists on numerous occasions of its significance.
I am sadly disappointed that you permitted this to occur on your watch, and I sincerely hope you will take the steps necessary to ensure it does not re-occur.
