SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — CBS 8 has been Working For You for months to get the story behind abandoned, rotting businesses across San Diego County.
You've been asking for follow ups, so we're revisiting some of the vacant eyesores we've covered.
McDonald's
CBS 8's Brian White visited the McDonald's in Ramona Wednesday to find that renovations were finally underway. The fast-food restaurant at 1550 Main Street fell into disrepair after a basement fire in August 2021 scorched the interior.
When CBS 8 covered the story in September, neighbors in the area were fed up with the blighted building.
“Every time you drive by, I work out right here, I have to see it every day," said Ramona resident, Misty, back in September. "It makes our community look like crap, unfortunately.”
San Diego County's Planning and Development Services Department told CBS 8 the restaurant owner's building permit was issued on November 23, 2023, and since then work has been underway with an inspection by County staff just last week.
“It looks much better right now with the exterior work that they’ve done and the new paint and the new arches and all of that, so yeah it’s going to be really nice," said Lynn Hopewell, member of Ramona's Design Review Board. "It's not going to be the eyesore it was when I talked to CBS 8 last.”
K-Mart
CBS 8 also showed you the old K-Mart at 1855 Main Street in the Ramona Station shopping center. CBS 8 drove by there Wednesday to find the windows and entrance still boarded up with plywood. With the "Available for Lease" signage displayed on the building, it appears they are still searching for businesses to fill the space.
Fry's Electronics
CBS 8 also showed you the old Fry’s Electronics store in Murphy Canyon that closed its doors for good more than 3 years ago. In November, Bay West Development told CBS 8 a massive redevelopment was in the works, but couldn’t share any details at the time. Now, five months later, CBS 8 checked in with Bay West again. They assured us that plans are still underway, and that they’re just finalizing a construction loan at the moment. Once the loan is approved, they'll be able to share more details with CBS 8 on what is planned for the property.
Little Italy
In November, CBS 8 also showed you the vacant building at 805 Cedar Street in Little Italy after having been vacant for 4 years. San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliot declared it a nuisance property and filed a civil lawsuit against the owner, IP Investments, LLC. To settle the case, the ownership agreed not only to pay fines, board up the building, and hire onsite security so any unauthorized people could be removed, but also to demolish the building in question along with the one next to it at 1560 California Street. When CBS 8 reported the story in November 2023, the building at 1560 California Street had already been torn down. But five months later, the vacant one at 805 Cedar Street is still standing. The City Attorney's Office told CBS 8 Wednesday that the building actually has a historic designation, and that the owner is waiting on permit approval for its demolition.
Meanwhile in Ramona, folks are happy that the McDonald’s will no longer be an eyesore, and that their doors should reopen by early summer.
“I am very happy. It’s been a long time coming," said Hopewell. "I’m really excited to see what the finished product looks like.”
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