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C Street Inn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
C Street Inn
The building in 1915
Map
Former names
  • Hotel Cecil
  • Cecil Hotel
  • The Cecil
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeApartment hotel (SRO)[1]
LocationGaslamp Quarter Historic District
Address630–636 C St, San Diego, California, 92101, United States
Town or citySan Diego
CountryUnited States of America
Coordinates32°43′01.1″N 117°09′31.6″W / 32.716972°N 117.158778°W / 32.716972; -117.158778
Completed1911
OpenedFebruary 1, 1912 (1912-02-01)
OwnerJax Properties LLC
LandlordJack Shah Rafiq
Height
Top floor6
Technical details
Structural systemBrick and steel frame[2]
Floor count6 above ground; 1 basement level
Lifts/elevators2 (installed by the Otis Elevator Company)[2]
Design and construction
DeveloperSan Diego Construction Co.
Known for
  • Steel frame structure
  • class A
  • fireproof
Other information
Number of rooms61[2]

The C Street Inn, formerly known as the Cecil Hotel, is an affordable housing complex in Downtown San Diego that was vacated in 2022 due to egregious conditions. It is the first steel frame structure in San Diego when it was built in 1911. When it opened in 1912, it was the only class A, fireproof building in the city.

The San Diego Natural History Museum had its first exhibits on display at the hotel before relocating to Balboa Park. One of the hotel's owners, Charles L. Dix, helped build the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles in 1924. Since the 2010s, the hotel's basement was utilized as a performance venue for the San Diego International Fringe Festival and it has been a filming location for independent films.

In 2022, the city began a relocation process for all of the hotel's residents after it was vacated for its awful living environment. Throughout the hotel's history, several minor fires caused damage, triggering temporary evacuations and it has been the location of numerous criminal incidents.

History

[edit]

The hotel was built by the San Diego Construction Co. and was the first steel frame structure in San Diego.[2][3] It was initially contracted to Crane Bros. but was leased in 1911 to secretary James H. Babcock of Babcock Investment Co., president W. M. Dickinson and treasurer C. A. Blodgett.[2] The hotel had 61 rooms with the intention of adding an additional 52 rooms by the time in opened for business on February 1, 1912.[2] By April, the hotel had opened and was the only class A, fireproof building in the city.[4] In June, the San Diego Construction Co. petitioned the city for an open air stage at the hotel's rear.[5]

Babcock supervised Bab's German Garden Restaurant neighboring the hotel,[6] located at 636 C Street[1][7][8] in the Gaslamp Quarter.[9] A representative for RICE and hernia expert held a events at the hotel in 1925 and 1933.[10][11] Visitors of the hotel include Billie Ritchie and Chick Gandil.[12][13]

1912–1934

[edit]

In 1912, the San Diego Natural History Museum held its first exhibits in rooms at the Cecil.[14][15] In 1913, Willis P. Polhemus bought the hotel, formerly leased by Drayton D. Whitten.[16]

In 1920, the Greeters of San Diego held an election at the U.S. Grant Hotel, electing George Best at the first vice president of the hotel.[17] In 1921, the hotel was sold to Charles L. Dix for $110,000.[18] In 1923, the Marston Co. purchased the hotel for and undisclosed amount of money.[19] Dix said that part of the lease included that management would not change for three years.[20] In 1924, Dix relocated to Los Angeles where he and Banks Hanner built the 700 room Cecil Hotel.[21] In 1926, D. D. Whitten was proposed for board of governor.[22]

In 1930, the Marston Co. planned to expand the hotel for the Marston store's rug and drapery departments.[23] In 1931, Roland Schneider was elected secretary and former secretary Whitten was elected treasurer.[24] In 1934, Polhemus sold the property to an undisclosed buyer for $75,000.[16]

1990–2022

[edit]

In the 1990s, Hotel Cecil became known as the C Street Inn.[25][26] In 1990, a fire started on the third floor, which 25 tenants were evacuated. A cigarette from a new tenant caused a blaze of $2,500 in damages.[25] In 1998, the inn was damaged and 40 people were evacuated due to a cigarette igniting a mattress on the fourth floor.[27][28] In 1999, a fire broke out causing evacuation of the building. Police safely helped a man who jumped out of his hotel window to avoid smoke inhalation.[26][29]

In 2009, the hotel faced a default.[30] In 2014, a body was found by a maintenance worker after a guest complained of an odor. Police said it was not a suspicious death.[31] In 2022, the hotel had to be vacated for infestations of mold, rodents, fire hazards and horrid living conditions.[32][33] The city and attorney Mara Elliott said owner Jack Shah Rafiq and his company Jax Properties LLC[7][34][35] would be held responsible for covering the occupants' relocation costs that totaled $339,840.[32][36] Rafiq appealed and claimed the city wanted low-income residents out of the area.[1][37]

A fire marshal and police attempted to get people out in April, but that was unsuccessful after they spoke with Rafiq. Tenants received a 10 day eviction notice in May that was not followed up.[38] Elliott announced in July that the building was a public nuisance and that residents would be relocated.[34][39] Neil Rico was living in the building at the time and claimed the situation was unfair to tenants who relied on the living quarters there to meet their fixed and limited incomes.[32] In August, a receiver was appointed control of the property.[34]

Basement

[edit]

The basement of the building has entrances from the main lobby of the hotel and a stairway from a business entrance on Seventh Ave.[40] In the mid 2010s, the basement was used as a performance venue called Gray Area Multimedia,[41][42] formerly known as Rosewood Five Studios at 1150 Seventh Ave.[43][44][45] The San Diego International Fringe Festival occupied the space in 2017[43] and Luke Pensabene managed the location.[42][46]

Pensabene helped produce several independent films that recorded principal photography in the basement such as South of 8,[47] The Phantom Hour,[48] Friend of the World,[42] Hacksaw,[49] and Everybody Dies by the End.[50]

Criminal incidents

[edit]

In 1912, an American flag was stolen in front of the hotel.[51] That same year, Babcock had an advertising solicitor arrested for issuing bad checks to an innkeeper.[52]

In 1931, night clerk P. W. Price was robbed at gunpoint on the second floor of the hotel.[53] In 1932, night clerks of the Cecil and nearby Churchill Hotel were robbed within an hour of each other.[8]

In 1958, clerk Charles Sutter was robbed of $150 by the "Elevator Bandit" who forced him into an elevator and escaped while the elevator ascended.[54]

In 1978, the Cecil was one of ten hotels in the downtown area raided by the San Diego Police Department. Policewomen went undercover as prostitutes, rented rooms, and made 15 arrests.[55][56] Moses Franklin was arrested for assault on a teenage runaway from Tucson, Arizona that happened in a room they shared together.[57]

In 1992, William Dean Short, a prison escapee from Muskogee, Oklahoma was caught and arrested at the inn.[58] In 1999, Lt. Ray Sigwalt said San Diego police homicide was called after a 66 year old man died from a sixth floor fall into the air shaft at the hotel.[59]

In 2022, the city alleges that excessive criminal activity was reported at the hotel. Police responded 190 times over a three year period since May of 2019, spending 465 hours to address burglaries, public intoxication, and other nuisances.[60][61][39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Davis, Dillon (2022-07-25). "Downtown hotel with 'deplorable' conditions vacated by city". KSWB-TV. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Crane Hotel is leased, will be 4 floors higher". The San Diego Sun. 1911-12-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-10-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "A Campaign for 330 New Shareholders in San Diego". The San Diego Sun. 1912-08-05. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "The Complete Hotel Cecil". The San Diego Sun. 1912-04-06. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Open Air". The San Diego Sun. 1912-06-13. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Bab's German Garden Restaurant". The San Diego Sun. 1912-11-16. p. 11. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Jennewein, Chris (2022-07-26). "City Attorney Orders Crumbling SRO Hotel Downtown to Be Vacated". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  8. ^ a b "Hotels Lose $60 To Bandit: Robber Carefully Wipes Away Fingerprints". The San Diego Sun. 1932-04-02. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Bhakta, Mohan (2024-05-06). "Operator of single-room housing says city not in his corner". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  10. ^ "Rupture Expert For Men, Women, and Children Coming to San Diego". The San Diego Sun. 1925-02-20. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Coming To End Rupture Troubles". The San Diego Sun. 1933-05-23. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Expo Buildings Safe, Anyway, As Comedians Work". The San Diego Sun. 1915-10-25. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Chic Gandil of Chicago White Sox is in town". The San Diego Sun. 1919-11-01. p. 20. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Pfledderer, Sarah (2018-10-30). "Inside the Icon: The Nat". San Diego Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  15. ^ "History". The Nat. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  16. ^ a b "Cecil Hotel Sold". The San Diego Sun. 1934-02-12. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "San Diego Greeters Elect New Officers". The San Diego Sun. 1920-05-12. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Cecil Sold". The San Diego Sun. 1921-06-07. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Marston Buys Hotel". The San Diego Sun. 1923-02-13. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Renew Lease on Cecil Hotel for Three More Years". The San Diego Sun. 1923-02-14. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-10-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "S.D. Hotel Owner Builds L.A. "Cecil"". The San Diego Sun. 1924-06-28. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Greeters Meet to Propose Leaders". The San Diego Sun. 1926-11-11. p. 20. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Marston Plans New Expansion". The San Diego Sun. 1930-10-06. p. 13. Retrieved 2024-10-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Mosher Takes Office Tonight". The San Diego Sun. 1931-01-19. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ a b "25 Evacuated During Apartment Blaze". The Los Angeles Times. 1990-06-21. ProQuest 281178609. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  26. ^ a b "Man leaps to escape hotel fire". North County Times. 1999-07-24. p. 23. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "40 evacuated when fire damages downtown hotel". San Diego Union Tribune. ProQuest 271616823. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  28. ^ "Early morning fire rousts hotel guests; none injured | Burning mattress in 4th-floor hall". San Diego Union Tribune. ProQuest 271623161. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  29. ^ Hughes, Joe (1999-07-24). "Fire routs residents | 1 injured in 2-alarm blaze at SRO hotel; halogen lamp cited". San Diego Union Tribune. ProQuest 271643843. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  30. ^ Lewis, Connie (2009-07-06). "Number of Hotel Foreclosures, Defaults Increasing". San Diego Business Journal. p. 4. ProQuest 226944527. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  31. ^ Kucher, Karen (2014-12-01). "Body found in downtown SD hotel". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  32. ^ a b c Ramirez, Jasmine (2022-07-25). "Downtown San Diego hotel to be vacated due to rodents, mold, other hazards". KFMB-TV. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  33. ^ "Downtown San Diego hotel to be vacated due to `deplorable' conditions". KGTV. 2022-07-25. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  34. ^ a b c Figueroa, Teri (2022-09-30). "San Diego City Attorney seeking penalties from owner of downtown hotel declared 'public nuisance'". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  35. ^ "Downtown News Briefs – Feb. 2023". SDNews.com. 2023-02-08. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  36. ^ "Ayuntamiento: Propietario de hotel de 109 años de antigüedad en el centro de San Diego recibe orden para ayudar a reubicar a 72 ocupantes". Telemundo San Diego (20) (in Spanish). 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  37. ^ "Downtown San Diego hotel to be vacated because of 'deplorable' conditions". KPBS Public Media. 2022-07-25. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  38. ^ Warth, Gary; Cook, Morgan (2022-07-27). "Hotel residents say future uncertain as they face eviction from building city says is unsafe". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-07-27. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  39. ^ a b Elliott, Mara W. (2022-07-25). "Downtown Residential Hotel Ordered to Vacate" (PDF). City of San Diego.
  40. ^ Cook, Morgan (2022-08-24). "Some tenants of downtown hotel fear city eviction will lead to homelessness". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  41. ^ "Friend of the World at Gray Area Multimedia - filming location". Sceen It. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  42. ^ a b c Stone, Ken (2020-07-25). "San Diego's Spielberg? Q&A With Director Brian Butler Near Sci-Fi Film Premiere". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  43. ^ a b Eadie, Bill (2017-06-27). "Handicapping the Fringe – San Diego Story". San Diego Story. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  44. ^ Accomando, Beth (2016-06-23). "Survival Guide To San Diego International Fringe". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  45. ^ Smith, Jeff (2016-06-30). "SD Fringe: Recommendations for final days". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  46. ^ "Irontree Films – We're Filmmakers from San Diego". Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  47. ^ Golden III, Lee B. (2015-10-29). "Watch The New Trailer For Tony Olmos's Grim Crime Pic, SOUTH OF 8". Film Combat Syndicate. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  48. ^ Charybdis Pictures (2019-08-02). Making Movies - Behind the Scenes of "The Phantom Hour" (Video). Retrieved 2024-10-05 – via YouTube.
  49. ^ DeFellipo, Michael (2019-09-15). "Review: Anthony Leone's "Hacksaw"". Horror Society. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  50. ^ "Everybody Dies by the End". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  51. ^ "Flag Stolen". The San Diego Sun. 1912-04-18. p. 11. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. ^ "Check Charge". The San Diego Sun. 1912-08-12. p. 14. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  53. ^ "Thug Takes $31 in Hotel Theft". The San Diego Sun. 1931-01-05. p. 16. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  54. ^ "Elevator Bandit Suspect Held in Long Beach". San Diego Union Tribune. 1958-01-21.
  55. ^ Garlington, Phil (1978-09-15). "Police Raid 10 Downtown Hotels". The Los Angeles Times. p. 19. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ^ Garlington, Phil (1978-09-15). "Downtown Hotel Raid". The Los Angeles Times. p. 23. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  57. ^ "Man Accused". San Diego Union Tribune. 1978-09-28.
  58. ^ "Escaped Convict Arrested at Hotel". The Los Angeles Times. 1992-05-13. p. 189. ProQuest 281562790. Retrieved 2024-10-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  59. ^ Hughes, Joe (1999-08-13). "Man, 66, found dead on hotel landing". San Diego Union Tribune. ProQuest 271663672. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  60. ^ "Owner of 'Squalid' 109-Year-Old Hotel in Downtown San Diego Ordered to Help Relocate 72 Occupants: City". KNSD. 2022-07-25. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  61. ^ Berjan, Sarah (2022-07-25). "109-year-old hotel in Downtown San Diego to be vacated due to 'deplorable' conditions". ChulaVistaToday.com. Archived from the original on 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2022-08-15.