SAN DIEGO NORTH PARK NEWS
20 Y YEARS EARS
Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 20 Years
sdnorthparknews.com
NORTH PARK SCENE
2012 North Park Calendars Available The North Park Historical Society has published its fourth annual North Park Calendar featuring photos of North Park architecture and events. The calendar, which sells for $14.99, can be ordered through the organization’s Website at northparkhistory.org. Proceeds are used to support the Historical Society, whose current projects include historical walking tours, designating historical districts and landmarks and distributing historical publications. S.D. Musical Theatre Comes to North Park Roger Bean’s “The Marvelous Wonderettes” comes to the North Park Theatre Feb. 10-26, thanks to the San Diego Musical Theatre, which is taking up residence in the facility. Other productions will follow — “Rent” from June 22 to
Vol. 20 No. 1 January 2012
BATTLE OVER
BALBOA Irwin Jacobs and SOHO are leading opposing plans to upgrade the park for its 1915 centennial BY DELLE WILLETT
B
alboa Park’s plazas were originally designed like the grand plazas of Europe, accommodating pedestrians, automobiles and pigeons. Over the years, however, the
park has literally been taken over by cars with nearly 7,000 vehicles driving through the plazas and promenades daily. With 12 million visitors to the park each year, conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles abound. This problem has long been recognized, and every plan for the park in the past 60 years has had a goal to remove the cars and return the park’s core to people. SEE BALBOA, Page 6
Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm Inc.
Bruce Coons is executive director of the Save Our Heritage Organisation.
SEE SCENE, Page 4
North Park Welcomes Wang’s Master Builders of New year brings an Asian fusion restaurant to the business core
Mission Hills
Newcomers to North Park would never guess that, a mere handful of years ago, this neighborhood was a quiet, residential haven. They would also never guess that the massive building on the corner of University Avenue and Ray Street was once a JC Penney department store. It is in this warehouse-turned-anew that North Park has recently received its newest urban addition in the form of Asian fusion eatery — Wang’s North Park. Opening its San Diegan doors this past November, Wang’s North Park is the second establishment of its kind, its successful predecessor still raking in plenty of enthusiasm in Palm Desert. Considering the desert is no 15-minute drive away, this
“Master Builders of Mission Hills,” an educational seminar focusing on the builders who constructed many of the homes that still stand today in the century-old neighborhood, will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, from 1 to 4 pm. at the Francis Parker Lower School. Presented by Mission Hills Heritage, the lecture series will explore important Master Builders and their role in the development of Mission Hills including Martin Melhorn, Nathan Rigdon, Cliff May and Morris Irwin. “The contribution of builders in the
BY COLETTE MAUZERALLE
SEE WANG’S, Page 8
Wang’s North Park owners Beth Gattus, Tom Eads and Joel Jerzer.
Seminar focuses on builders’ role in development
SEE MASTER, Page 10
To our customers, neighbors, associates and friends, go our thanks and best wishes at the New Year. We wouldn’t be where we are without people like you, and we’re grateful for your loyal support.
We wish all of you a safe and happy New Year’s Eve celebration, and we look forward to seeing you soon in 2012!