Landmark Community Center In San Diego County Reopens After $5 Million Renovation

OCEANSIDE, CA — After nearly one hundred years, a landmark community center in Oceanside received a $5 million complete renovation, which city officials and residents celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

Built in 1931, the Crown Heights Community Resource Center was designed by renowned architect Irving Gill who also designed five buildings in Oceanside, four of which remain, according to the City of Oceanside.

The renovation project includes a new foundation, windows and doors, a kitchen, electrical system, plumbing, flooring, lighting, heating and air conditioning, and more.

Outside the building, the site has new concrete work, with new landscaping, and irrigation, the city said.

The city said the building started out as an "Americanization School" for 12 years which tried to assimilate children who immigrated to the United States, expecting them to abandon their native languages and cultural heritage.

In the last 25 years, the building has served as a community resource for local residents.

The Crown Heights Community Resource Center is one of four resource centers operated by the city's Department of Housing and Neighborhood Services, the city said.

The building is also equipped with computers and Wi-Fi access for the public. The city also contracts with Lifeline Community Services to provide after-school programs for neighborhood kids to have a safe place to complete homework, build leadership skills, and plan for futures.

At the community center, city staff connect residents with referrals for healthcare access, social services, and fair housing legal assistance.

The center also coordinates food distribution efforts and hosts community events throughout the year, the city said.