San Diego historic places that have been recently fixed up (and some you can visit!)
Adaptive reuse award
827 C. St, San Diego
Winner: San Diego Housing Commission
The Hotel Churchill opened at Ninth Avenue and C Street in 1914 and, after a few decades of deterioration, closed in 2005. It was purchased it six years later by the Housing Commission. It reopened in September, refurbished for $20.6 million. It is now a subsidized housing complex with 72 apartments designed to help struggling veterans, youths and ex-convicts. Historic elements restored included the building’s neon sign and exterior.
(Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)San Diego Union-Tribune
Partners in preservation award
324 Horton Plaza, San Diego
Winners: City of San Diego, Civic San Diego, Westfield
Horton Plaza had fallen into disrepair before a massive remodel that restored it to its original 1910 appearance. Its Broadway Fountain, designed by architect Irving Gill, is again flowing. The award is a much-needed boost for the plaza, which has seen a large homeless population find refuge there and the nearby Westfield mall — owners of Horton Plaza — is struggling to hold onto tenants like many malls across the nation.
(Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune)See also:
Seaside Oceanside cottage featured in the movie “Top Gun” is returned to its original color
(Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Phillip Molnar covers residential real estate, as well as other business issues for The San Diego Union-Tribune. He is an award-winning New Jersey, California and national reporter. Before coming to the Union-Tribune, he worked for the Monterey Herald, The Express-Times and New Jersey Herald. He lives in Chula Vista.