What’s Next for the California Theatre?

Word on the Street

Developer launches campaign to replace California Theatre with high-rise

Last year, a developer revealed its plan to demolish the long-abandoned California Theatre in downtown and transform the block on Fourth Avenue and C Street into a 40-story mixed-use community called The Overture, with residences, retail shops, and restaurants. The project is up for review by Civic San Diego in September.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles-based company behind the project launched a change.org campaign to gain support for its redevelopment vision, and are hosting a kick-off event on Thursday, July 14, at The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole.

“C Street in downtown San Diego is currently a frightening corridor to all who visit the area,” Cyrus Sanandaji, principal of Sloan Capital Partners, says in an email. “Our petition is meant to highlight support from downtown residents and businesses to our city’s leaders so they know that we are tired of the status quo on C Street and call for the revitalization of the corridor starting with The Overture.”

The deterioration of the California Theatre—which has been abandoned for 26 years—and surrounding area has been well-documented, and that section of C Street has been called San Diego’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

Groups that oppose the project want to preserve three murals on the theatre’s walls that date back to the 1920s, but the paintings failed to get historic designation at a hearing in June.

Plans for The Overture list 282 residences, including 22 affordable units, 314 parking spaces, and a community space on Fourth Avenue that will pay homage to the former theater.

What do you think of the project replacing the California Theatre? Tell us in the comments!

House Hunting

This week, we looked on Zillow to see what’s on the market. The result? A charming purple abode in Grant Hill, a modern loft next to Petco Park, and more.

This century-old home on a corner in Grant Hill is $475,000. | Photo by Mission Realty Group/Screenshot from Zillow

The small neighborhood of Grant Hill is up-and-coming (we called it), with housing prices and rent more affordable here than in nearby downtown and South Park. We found this three-bedroom, two-bath house that’s 105 years old going for $475,000. See it this Saturday.

New lofts are being built in a planned community in Mission Valley. you can see a model unit without an appointment. | Photo by Shea Homes/Screenshot from Zillow

Over in Mission Valley, brand-new homes in the Lucent II development—part of Civita, the massive planned community that will have nearly 5,000 homes when completed—mimic the design of urban lofts. You get three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and no city noise for $714,000.

A true loft near downtown costs close to $1 million. | Photo by Woods Real Estate Service/Screenshot from Zillow

Rather live in an actual loft right by Petco Park? Prepare to pay almost $1 million for this unit on the fifth floor of the Parkloft complex.

This mid-century modern home in a gated community was designed by Lloyd Ruocco. | Photo by Neuman & Neuman/Screenshot from Zillow

This week’s daydream listing brings us to a gated community (Alvarado Estates) near the College area, where a home designed by local architect Lloyd Ruocco is for sale for $2 million. The 4,000-square-foot house sits on an acre of land and still has its original 1970s look.