Architecture of North Park, San Diego

Although this nice mid-twentieth century apartment building is just 2 blocks west of the North Park’s western edge, I’m posting it because I pass by it all of the time on my way to Mama’s Bakery. It’s a nicely done example of modernism and the SoCal life style. It could use more trees and plants, but that’s minor.

It’s located at the intersection of Mississippi and Howard, University City, San Diego, CA.

There are many beautiful and interesting fences. Here a a few of them. I’ll post more as I find them.

Hints of a tropical paradise and a burst of bougainvillea color says there’s an oasis inside these walls. The texture and details of this house make for an attractive home. The mission tile and plaster are staples of the style. The curved triangular front window is unique and visually interesting. The entry tower is a good size to be inviting, but not so tall and massive to overpower the home’s overall design. The simple color palette allows the home’s forms to be the feature. The landscaping is thoughtful.  The tax records say the house was built in 1951. I suspect it was reworked in that year and the original house built in the 1930s.

The house is located at 3405 Olive Street, North Park, San Diego, CA 92104.

This cute cottage is very comforting and attractive. It’s very serene. The stone, the tile roof, the colors, the plantings and all the details work well together.  It’s cohesive and nothing is out of place. The house was originally built in 1933 and has been fixed up in the recent past.

The house is located at 3502 Alabama Street, North Park, San Diego, CA 92104.

After having looked at the row-homes being built in and around North Park I wanted to design something to see what I could come up with. There are many requirements from the city zoning and building codes. My goal was to give each row home an outdoor area, a view of something—not a neighbor’s window, cross ventilation,  no common/shared walls and comfortable and usable living spaces. There had been a lot for sale zoned for multiple units located one lot in from the corner of University and Louisiana. These lots are a transition between the commercial/multi-family zoning along University to the single family homes south toward Morely Field in Balboa Park.

The upper floors would have a view of Florida Canyon to the southwest to Bird Park to the southeast. The garage is in the basement with 3 floors of living above. The master suite is on the top floor overlooking all. The views are oriented to the south and not to the north since at some point a 4  to 5 story building will be constructed on the empty lot to the north. The row homes have 1,500 square feet each. A row-home contains 2 bedrooms, 2-1/2 bathrooms, kitchen/dining/great room, laundry and a living room/office.

This is the latest design for the site. The style could be called a row-loft.

I first designed at a 5-apartment building. Then I tried out 4-row-homes with large out-door areas. The third design was for 3 row-homes. I liked them but they didn’t price out right in today’s real estate market. I don’t think people would pay $600,000 given the location. So I came up with this 4 row-home plan. They could be built and sold for around $449,000.

“Paper” architecture refers to make believe projects. It should be “generated-on-a-computer” architecture since most of it was done on the computer.

I often walk by this house and watched some one buy it, fix it up and now sell it. Originally the flipped house came on the market 42 days ago. The first of three pictures was used on the listing. The house was re-listed yesterday with the second photo. The photoshop’d sky made me chuckle and then think, hmm, what they trying to hide.  In my walks by the house I’d never noticed anything out of the ordinary for North Park.  The photo was taken on a sunny day, so there wouldn’t have been our dreary July fog to hide. I was curious to find out and so this morning I walked by to see what was behind the gorgeous blue skies and not so San Diego clouds. I took the third photograph this  grey and dreary morning. Upon looking I didn’t see anything particularly wrong. Maybe its the utility pole, the two story unit on the rear lot, the narrowness of the lot or that the house looks small when compared to the neighboring house. Again, there was nothing horrible to find. Its  just that hiding something made me think there’s really some thing awful to hide.

Update: I passed by the other day and saw some trees planted at the rear property line. I imagine it to lessen the impact the the two story building on the rear lot. There’s a nice new tree in the front yard too.

It’s located at 3616 Arizona Street, North Park, San Diego, CA 92104

As I’m walking around our wonderful community, I’m seeing many different types of stucco. I’m thinking that its a good idea to post examples in case some one is trying to decide what stucco finish to use and needs a visual.

The Big Lots Store is becoming a new Asian restaurant called “Wangs”. In the store windows there are some drawings and thought you all might be interested in seeing whats being planned. This development continues the changes in North Park. Some argue for the better and others for the worse.

It’s located on the corner of University Avenue and Ray Street.

These three homes located near one another on the same street shows the transition of the Spanish style to what I call cottage romantic. The first house was built in 1939 as WW2 starts and the third house was built in 1949, well after the war ended. The second house was built in 1943 shows a simplicity born of not just style, but scarcity of resources. I rather like its honest simplicity.

In order of Left to Right, 1, 2, 3

1. 3441 Cooper Street, North Park, San Diego, 92104 built 1939

2. 3449 Cooper Street, North Park, San Diego, 92104 built 1943

3. 3430 Cooper Street, North Park, San Diego, 92104 built 1949

This example of eclectic Spanish was built in 1930. It’s called the H.M. & Isabel Jones House. It received its designation in 2003.  Its good that people do designate architecture as historic so that we have examples to hold on to. They are frozen in time with no changes to be made. My creative and innovative side isn’t thrilled about them. When my wife and I were looking for a property to buy I was sure to get some thing that had no historic value so that I could exercise some creativity.  Its a nice house, but for me it lacks a spark of interest and coherence.

The house is located at 2704 Gregory Street, Greater North Park, San Diego, CA 92104