With the new Central Library opening in September, the old Central Library is getting emptied. VOSD reporting intern Alex Corey explored possibilities for the space: “There’s no formal blueprint — at least not one that’s been shared with the public — but there are plenty of ideas floating around about what should become of the building,” including an art gallery or YMCA.
Our commenters’ ideas ranged, too. What do you want to see in the old Central Library space? Let us know.
- Don Wood:
C’mon. This is San Diego, a city with no sense of history. They will bulldoze the old building and replace it with a cheaply constructed high-rise apartment or condo tower, just like they do everywhere else. If you’re new to town, just look and see how many buildings built more than 75 years ago that are still standing today. Nothing gets in the way of quick developer profits in this city.
- Jim Jones:
Sell it and be done with it. It’s not special in any way, just another old tired not very attractive building.
Still better looking than the gaudy Faberge egg that replaced it though, that thing is an eyesore.
- Don Blucher:
Seems to me the “mixed-use” idea is one appropriate option. A “San Diego city center” or other such name. Including cafes, dry cleaners, a bakery, shops, grocery, a museum of San Diego History, a small San Diego Police Department storefront, safe places sprinkled throughout to sit, read, converse, and get out of the heat or cold. As the city increases the downtown density with all the adjacent high-rises, residents need interesting, vibrant places to “hang out,” run errands and generally enjoy the best that this city has to offer. The state receives rents and revenues from Old Town State Park. Why can’t our city receive similar benefits from long-term lessees in this building? Seems like productive, responsible urban planning and management to me.
- Tegan Glasheen:
If the city owns the building and is elsewhere leasing office space (even with the Hughes-brokered good deal), why not turn it into city offices? Would its sale price or rental revenue beat the savings of free space?
- Bill Bradshaw:
Get rid of the damn thing and sell off a lot of other idle property the city has simply been sitting on. I’m tired of storm drains leaking, police understaffing, streets that tear my car apart and…
Comments have been lightly edited for style, grammar and clarity. See anything in there we should fact check? Tell us what to check out here.
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