San Diego

Coronado City Council Votes to Uphold Historic Designation for Home on 10th

The Coronado City Council voted in a public hearing Tuesday evening to uphold the historic designation for a home at 1405 10th Street just blocks from the Hotel Del Coronado and Glorietta Bay.

The meeting was an effort to appeal the Historic Resource Commission’s March 21 decision that the home met the criteria for historic designation.

The home, built in 1909, is an example of Eclectic Craftsman Bungalow, which was popular in the early 1900s, according to the Historic Resource Commission.

"This place matters for us, it matters for future generations, it matters for our country," Coronado resident Christie Curran said.

In January, the property’s owner submitted a Notice of Intent to Demolish application, which is required for any partial or full demolition in Coronado homes more than 75 years old. 

Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey explained it’s not necessary for the owner to explain what their exact construction plans are for the home.

“Our process does not allow for an owner of a potentially historic home to come in front of the city council or our historic resource commission and make a pitch as to what they’d like to do with a property if it is, in fact, historic,” Bailey told NBC 7. “So, unfortunately, we don’t have that information, but I’m confident the owner will be coming back in front of the historic resource commission in the future to make some requests for some alterations to the property.”

Former occupants of the house include Albert Healy, who was a member of the Canadian parliament between 1923 and 1925 when he and his wife, Grace, lived in Coronado. Grace Healy was an artist and member of the Franklin Club.

Captain Richard Donald Greer, who later served as Commander of Naval Air Station North Island between 1966 and 1968, also lived in the home.

The construction history shows modifications to the home dating back to 1911, which include an addition a driveway and a garage as well as foundation work and plumbing – but it has not been substantially modified.

“I’m just worried that my kids and their kids; there are not going to be any homes left that are 109 years old,“ city resident Mary Farley said. “It’s important to me that you all, we all, together do what we can to preserve these houses that are disappearing.”

Henry Neale, who is listed as the contractor for the home, was building in Coronado as early as 1888. He also built the Hawthorne Inn on First Avenue in San Diego, which is listed as a designated historic resource. He built other homes in Coronado as well. 

The historic home was recently on the market for $2.69 million.

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