The fate of two historic cottages in La Jolla, San Diego, is at the center of a heated dispute, as local preservationists fight a proposal to demolish the Red Rest cottage following significant fire damage in 2020. The Red Rest and its sister property, Red Roost, located at 1187 and 1179 Coast Blvd, date back to 1894 and are considered among the oldest surviving wood-framed structures in La Jolla Village.
A proposal to demolish Red Rest while preserving Red Roost is progressing through San Diego's permitting process, a move that has ignited fury among historic preservation advocates. The La Jolla Historical Society appealed the demolition proposal on June 16, arguing that its approval would undermine the integrity of the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District. The preservation nonprofit Save Our Heritage Organisation has also voiced objections to the demolition of Red Rest.
Community leaders and planning groups have criticized the city's approach. Lisa Kreideman, president of the La Jolla Community Planning Association, expressed concern that city officials were dismissing the historical relevance of the cottage, stating, “the city was throwing in the towel.” The Community Planning Committee voted 22-2 in favor of the Historical Society's appeal, characterizing the issue as having potential citywide implications for historic resources and districts.
In an August 28 letter to San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava and the city council, Community Planning Committee Chair Victoria LaBruzzo highlighted the potential precedent the demolition could set. She noted that the city had previously issued a Notice of Violation in 2002 for failure to maintain the structures, predating the 2020 fire. The committee is concerned that allowing demolition based on deterioration could weaken protections for designated historic resources.
The committee's letter further contended that the city had not adequately assessed the impact of demolition on the surrounding cottage ensemble. It also argued that alternative preservation options, such as stabilization, rehabilitation, or reconstruction using salvaged materials, were not sufficiently explored.
Dr. Diane Kane, a preservation architect and former staff member of the city’s Historical Resources Board, emphasized the generational responsibility to protect historic places at a San Diego Community Planners Committee meeting. She questioned the upholding of public trust when such sites are threatened, stating, “Over generations, we have created institutions to identify and protect the places that help tell us who we are. Those places are part of our shared inheritance. And that inheritance is held in trust — what happens when that trust is not upheld?”