A sign of the future, perhaps?
The intersection of 30th Street and University Avenue is the physical center of North Park, as well as the hub the commercial and cultural activity in the neighborhood. In the early 1900s this corner earned the moniker of “Busy Corner”, a title that would be fitting today as well. Standing at Busy Corner throughout the years would give a clear view of the many changes that have occurred throughout the decades since the first homes and businesses appeared in the first decade of the 1900s.
Officially Re-opened, Officially Re-closed?
In January 1929 a Fox West Coast Theatre opened a block west of Busy Corner to capitalize on the growing population of the neighborhood. The movie theatre enjoyed success in early years, before beginning to decline in the 60s and ultimately ceasing to show movies, and for a time housing a church. The City of San Diego purchased the building in the late 1980s and it sat empty and deteriorating until the city and late developer Arnold “Bud” Fischer got together in 2000 and started to work for a rebirth of the defunct space.
The theatre was re-dedicated on September 30, 2005 under the new name of Birch North Park Theatre, a nod to a $1 million gift from the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation toward the renovation. The theatre re-opening was followed shortly after, in February 2006, by the opening of an adjacent 388 space, five-level parking garage. The parking garage was intimately tied to the theatre project by Mr. Fischer, who stated “If they (the city) will build a garage, you will have a live theater. No garage; no live theater.” The total cost for the theatre rehabilitation was $12 million and the parking garage project cost $14 million.
Park garage, theatre, new park site
The theatre building currently houses a 32,000 square foot theatre with 731 seats as well as a Starbucks coffee shop and West Coast Tavern, a bar and restaurant, in the front of the building on University Avenue. The Lyric Opera owns the building and, when the theatre reopened, took out a $4 million mortgage note to pay for the remaining balance of the construction. The Lyric Opera has had financial difficulties in recent years, posting losses of approx. $338,000, $750,000, $286,000, and $251,000 for the fiscal years ending 6/30/2008 through 6/30/2011. As a result the Lyric Opera declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2011.
Soon to be under new management
In 2012, after filing for bankruptcy, the Lyric Opera sold the mortgage note on the property to David Cohen, owner of the West Coast Tavern that is housed in the front of the theatre building. Mr. Cohen is now trying to foreclose on the Lyric Opera and take ownership of the building. A hearing on the issue took place before Judge Margaret Mann in downtown San Diego on Wednesday, February 27th, but no ruling was issued and the case will be continued on March 7.
Pending a decision in court there are many possibilities for the future of the space but no clear direction.
Council President Todd Gloria has noted to “keep in mind that the City has a 50-year deed restriction on the property that ensures it will remain a performing arts venue no matter who owns it”. What type of performing arts will be presented at the theatre in the future? Will performances be selected with profit-making as the primary motive or to educate and engage the community in a broad range of live entertainment?
There are tickets, will there be a show?
The city has plans to transform the parking lot behind the theatre into a small park for the community. Will the ownership issues of the building affect this plan as well? Currently the parking lot sits empty and unused, with the entrances blocked off, although the lot is in a prime location in an area with high demand for parking spaces.
Is the battle for ownership of the theatre indicative of a broader debate over the soul of the neighborhood? Perhaps this is a proxy for the sometimes conflicting interests of longtime neighborhood residents and the more recent influx of young, hip residents. Will commercial interests be put before those of the broader community?
The future of the Birch North Park Theatre looks to be as dramatic as the films and performances that have been presented in it over the years. Only time will tell if the performance is a tragedy, comedy, farce, or some mix of these genres.
John P. Anderson
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It’s remarkable how intimately tied are public performance spaces to the city’s public performers. The great Spreckels Theater came to be owned by Jackie Littlefield who, as a Democrat, found it difficult to get the city’s cooperation during the 60s and 70s, during which time it went dark for a while. The Guild Theater was firebombed during the same epoch by the Secret Army Organization, right-wing terrorists who hated its early indie, foreign-film character sauciness. Performance space Sushi, and Wayne Buss’ multi-purpose arts building, Carnation, that housed it, were driven out by CCDC planners who thought it would be fun to build East Village.
But if we stay on top of this story I’d be betting the Birch North Park will have less trouble from Todd Gloria and the other wise guys ‘n gals at City Hall.
Meanwhile, the California Theater downtown sits deteriorating. There was some move a few years ago for someone to buy it and renovate it, but that deal fell through. I guess there are just too many venues in town or the Lyric Opera productions are not being supported by the public. It’s a shame when a group like One Direction can sell out the Coors Amphitheater at $350. a ticket. They need to figure out what kind of entertainment will be able to make a go of it there.
Seconded on your comment about One Direction, although I can’t claim to have the most sophisticated palate for the arts. Have you ever been inside the California Theater? The exterior, even in present condition, is impressive and I’d be curious what the interior was or is like.
I’ve never been inside, but it’s supposed to have some interior items very much worth preserving. Unfortunately, they probably won’t survive.
I used to see concerts there from 1985-1990. It was similar architecturally to the Balboa Theatre – from the perspective of this layman – but obviously not in great shape. It looked like it used to be a movie theatre, and it had a balcony, but I don’t recall any mezzanine. It was probably double the capacity of the current Balboa.
I recall hearing that the issue was that the building itself needed to be retrofitted to current earthquake standards, and that would cost big $$$.
The bands I saw there back in the day includes The Church, The Cramps, The Damned, Dead Kennedys, Peter Murphy, Siouxsie & The Banshees, the the and Violent Femmes.
That is a nice set of bands to have booked (or so it would seem for those bands in that time period).
The Lyric Opera was pressured into taking out a big loan to buy a building they never wanted, and could never quite swing financially. Then, during the time Lyric Opera controlled the theater, they put so many restrictions on theater rentals (basically, Lyric Opera got first priority at all times), that they couldn’t rent it out enough to break even. And when Lyric put the theater on the market to sell, they wanted the buyer to still give Lyric Opera priority access, which meant that nobody wanted the place, and Lyric was driven into bankruptcy. Once new management got control of the theater and started running the theater like a business, they were able to rent it consistently, and have showed that it’s possible to make money on the place as a theater.
There’s no doubt in my mind that David Cohen wants the theater because he thinks he can make money with it. The only doubt in my mind is whether or not David Cohen is a trustworthy steward of the theater, given some of what I’ve heard about his dealings with the Lyric Opera management. Regardless, someone will get ownership of the theater, and unencumbered by the debt that Lyric Opera was saddled with, make a go of the place.
Oh. And that picture of the park, theater, and garage, with the graffiti? That’s a cheap shot. The graffiti is on a temporary structure that’s sitting on the city owned property. The outside of the theater itself is clean and graffiti free.
Ann – thanks for your thoughts. In regard to the photo with some graffiti, I selected it because it was the only sign indicating the future site of the proposed park space behind the theater. I agree that the building itself is in great shape and looks fantastic and didn’t intend for that photo to indicate there is disrepair of the physical infrastructure.
I don’t understand your comment about being “pressured” into buying a “building they never wanted.” My recollection was that at the time, the board’s vision was fantastically grandiose and there were no businesspeople consulted to warn them off. Back then, mortgage borrowers weren’t the only ones getting bank loans that they could never qualify for under normal underwriting standards.
I recall reading about the loan they took on – Lyric Opera management (called Comic Opera at the time) was pleased as punch as the time – and thinking it was obvious that they would never be able to service the debt, let alone retire it.
I hoped to be proven wrong. Unfortunately, the poor business management that preceded the loan also followed it.
i love the birch theatre… so cool…. attended a couple of recent seasons of lyric opera… oh why oh why oh why????
i’ve heard that “revues”/vaudeville type acts are coming back? why not?
live live, not cyberish…
This building suffered from poor design and planning from the rehabilitation performed. Any New Owner should restore the main entry and lobby. Entry via the utilitarian “side door” is low brow aesthetic at best. The public’s “entry to the theatre” is a cherish rite of the whole experience of going to a theatre, and this is a rare 1930’s era theatre! The restaurant space can be relocated and given a better environment. Once the spaces are correct the building will make money and be successful as a social anchor for the community.
John – I was surprised that the main entrance (and box office) are on the side of the building. Not sure how much construction it would take to restore the front entrance below the marquee but seems like a good suggestion to me.
i think a movie theater would fare well – like Ken Cinema in Kensington. The new hip crowd would well receive a venue for independent film… maybe it could feature local filmmakers during Ray at Night… just thoughts..
Julie – love this idea. Even having an occasional night (once a week or month maybe?) to showcase indie, local, or older films that aren’t in the main theatres in the area could be a real hit.
great idea, something like the alamo drafthouse maybe?
I checked out an Alamo in Kansas City and it was really large, probably 10 screens, so felt much like an AMC but with beer at the concession. When I lived in Chicago The Vic Theatre was just around the corner and they had live music shows often, as well ‘Brew and View’ movies on the nights they didn’t have a concert.
With 4th & B and Anthology both closing recently, perhaps something incorporating live music would find a nice niche to fill?
re: Ann- you are absolutely correct–David Cohen and his big bucks brother The Verant Group (True North) undoubtedly have big plans for the theater that do not entail altruistic motives for the benefit of North Park, just their bank accounts. And give up the original entry/lobby/marquis space that is his bar/restaurant? That’s a good one.
I see another late night hipster, high priced drink, waiting line around the block, 700-plus occupancy party club venue that will dump several hundred more liquored up patrons to filter–er, stumble into the surrounding residential neighborhoods to where they parked because they don’t want to pay $5 to park in the parking garage, and David won’t validate because it will be financial ruin to lose a few bucks on $50 or $60 bar tab. Besides, the nearby residents knew they were buying their houses near a Theater/Bar and that their streets were going to be after-hours and expected this! Bunch of whiners…..
Hopefully the 50 year deed restriction will hold up—it all depends on what the City considers ‘Performing Arts’. They do think that removing parking from Plaza de Panama means building bridges, sunken freeways and another parking structure in order to accomplish that, so David probably has a good chance…
Hi:
What’s the news out of the March 7 hearing? Will you be blogging on that any time soon?
Thanks