Six abandoned homes set for demolition in North Park as church plans for future

SAN DIEGO — Makers Church, located in a century-old church location in North Park, has big plans for the future after selling a 35,000-square foot parcel of land across from the church at Bancroft Street and North Park Way. The six homes left abandoned on the land are scheduled for demolition this week. 

“They’ve just been deteriorating and dilapidated over the past several years,” said Brittany Delacruz, who has lived In North Park for more than 10 years.  

Delacruz thinks anything is better than what she describes as the existing eyesore, but another group of residents hoped to stop the sale and planned development. They created a website, “STOP THE MAKERS CHURCH,” and say the church is using its religious nonprofit exempt status to be allowed to demo the homes that the groups says are historically designated, but that, says Delacruz, is not true.  

“A lot of these houses have been renovated so much that they probably did not have historical designation in the first place,” Delacruz said. “And if they did, they would still have to go through the historical review. It’s inaccurate that a church has exempt status.”

FOX 5 reached out to Makers Church who were not available for comment Monday, but according to their website, when renovations are complete next year, the church campus will house a 10,000-square-foot childcare center, event venue, co-working space and a 1,000-square-foot coffee shop.  

“The bigger thing is parking, what that would look like, kind of already this place is congested in the first place,” Delacruz said. 

The yet to be named developer of the land across the street from the church has renderings that include a massive seven-story, 193-unit luxury development which will include 7% low income housing units and underground parking.

“It’s sort of hypocritical for San Diegans to complain about housing shortage and not enough housing for as many residents as we have, but then to complain when these large structures go up. It’s needed and if people want to develop it, then people need housing,” Delacruz said.