(A curious bit of ephemera: An author named Matt Rhodes stopped by the blog; added this evocatively written item and one other piece; then moved along, never to participate again. I appreciate it both as a historical touchpoint and a found object. If anyone is in touch with Mr. Rhodes, please thank him for the donation and invite him back.)
San Diego easily forgets. A perfect example is the City’s botched attempt to convert the old Naval Training Base (on Rosecrans) into yet another strip mall for tourists and transplants alike.
In 1993, the NTC was closed down by the Navy and sold to city developers for millions of dollars. The 361-acre development is in a good location: on the waterfront just west of the airport and only a couple miles from downtown San Diego. The project has been noted for its renovation of dozens of historical buildings that will be adapted for stores, offices, schools, and other purposes.
The base was gutted by developer/contractor Corky McMillan.
Well, with the economy now in the toilet, and with millions of dollars wasted, NTC (now Liberty Station) is not holding the business its praetors had hoped for. Businesses have failed to launch, and now much of the formal Naval Base sits empty and vacant. The Base is also the current graveyard for the Hotel San Diego sign, which has been left to rust and decay until the City decides to do something with it.
Most of the office buildings have been renovated months ago, but still very few tenants have decided to move in. The Corvette Diner had announced it would switch its location from Hillcrest to Liberty Station; however the move has yet to be finalized.
— Matt Rhodes
From Kristen Tobiason! San Diego then and now:
- Then and Now: Ideas as my maps
- Then and Now: Graveyard Park
- Then and Now: New Year’s resolutions
- Then and Now: Saigon Palace
- Then and Now: the Chicken Pie Shop
- Then and Now: Off the Record
- Then and Now: Rock Palace
- Then and Now: The Ken Cinema
- Then and Now: Adams Avenue Theater
- Then and Now: Topsy’s
- Then and Now: Greenwich Village West
- Then and Now: Funland
- Then and Now: Studio 517
- Then and Now: La Posta
- Then and Now: Presidio Park
- Then and Now: El Cajon Blvd. Denny’s
They should have made NTC into a NAVY theme park, Swabbie Land, all the plushie theme caracters could have bad mustaches and they could have theme rides like “party in my in bad-ass 74 chevy nova” . Or maybe a homeless shelter, Point Loma needs more homeless people.
Instead there is a big hip Christian Church called “The Rock”, which was started by an ex-charger football player, this church is huge and has a very large following, the sheep whom flock there are damm good looking, strolling threw the Trader Joes parking lot on sunday with there bibles in hand, blocking traffic…..
Or maybe a theme park with homeless people, swabbies and christians, they could call it FUNLAND.
My dad was in the Navy and I remember going there to buy cloths and shoes as a kid. They had OP……………….
My grandfather was in the Navy WW2, also had an uncle was stationed in San Diego (He had the Nova), never got ot go to the NTC (XP or PX?) thow.
They had OP, and tube socks and boxer shorts to hang out the bottem of your OP’s:-)
Matt’s my best friend, and I spurned him onto NTC.
I’m a native San Diegan, also the son of someone who was in the Navy. My dad was stationed at NTC from 1969 to 1993 (retired in 93). I was born in 86, but I did go to NTC many times with my dad to work.
My dad was an instructor in two of the buildings at the former base site. Building 94 (which is now the Rock Church, although only half of the original building exists), and Building 83 (the three-story building next door to the Rock Church). I won’t go too much into detail about my time at NTC, but I will say this, ALOT has changed. Only about 10% of what was the base remains, the rest of it has been torn down for condos and more strip-malls. If you go to the area, it just seems DEAD. There’s very little going on there, save for the Vons and Trader Joe’s stores, the schools, and the massive ugly church. Hell, half of the buildings there are still in the same condition they were in when the base completely closed down in 1997. So, is it safe to say that the city’s dream project of turning the former Naval Training Center into a “Lifestyle Destination” is a sham? I’d certainly say so.
I’ve heard from a family friend that works for NAVFAC (Naval Facilities and Engineering) that the Navy has been toying with the idea of closing its training center in Great Lakes, and reactivating the one here in SD. Of course, it’s only a rumor, and even if it was true, it would involve kicking out the businesses, schools, and homeowners. So I don’t think it’s likely, but again, you never know.
Anyway, I have a Flickr page with some photos of NTC as it stood in the past, as well as some from the present. Enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27667193@N03/sets/72157608201605771/