1:313 rSavESWC Art
April 15th, 2025
Chula Vista Office of the Mayor & City Council
Mayor John McCann
Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez
Council Member Jose Preciado
Council Member Michael Inzunza
Council Member Cesar Fernandez
City Hall
276 Fourth Ave
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
save- swca rtga IIery. org
saveswcartgaIlery@gniai1. corn
Written cep
muni tions e,
Item # ' Name ( 2J
We the undersigned hereby formally request that you add to your agenda and vote to initiate an application for designation of the Southwestern College Art Gallery Building ( 900 Otay Lakes Rd. bldg. 88) to the City of Chula Vista' s Register of Historical Resources, due to the building' s unique and important historical, cultural and architectural contributions to the region.
The Southwestern College Art Gallery building meets all eligibility requirements of a historic resource to the City of Chula Vista ( CVMC 21.04. 100). Completed in 1968, with all of its original structural and decorative elements still intact, the Gallery building is the best and only example of its type, not only on the College campus, or the City, but in the entire State.
The interior of the SWCArt Gallery has a distinctive feature in its suspended concrete grid ceilings, which were modeled after the prestigious Whitney Museum of Art' s 945 Madison Ave. building in New York City, which itself was designed by famous Brutalist architect, Marcel Breuer. These replica ceilings are a unique feature unlike any gallery or structure in the State.
The exterior of the building, designed by local architect George D. Foster, embodies a distinctive Modern Mayan" style with decorative geometric pattern cornice along the roof and angled raw concrete columns. The Gallery' s enclosed courtyard patio of exposed aggregate rock and aluminum double doorway entrance makes the building unique amongst the remaining early campus structures.
Historically, the Gallery was the site of many exhibitions by important artists to the region, the State and the world ( artists such as John Baldessari, Bruce Nauman, Judy Chicago, Dennis Oppenheim, Richard Allen Morris and more) and was the first venue in the City to exhibit new styles and forms of contemporary artworks.
rsaveSWCArtGa11r=ry save- swca rtga IIery. org
saveswcartgaIIery@gmail. com
An application for designation of publicly owned historical resources may be initiated by a majority vote of City Council per CVIVIC21.04.090(A)(3)(c)(iii) and any building within the city limits is eligible even without owner consent.
We urge you to take up this matter and initiate the application to save the Gallery from its scheduled destruction as set forth in the current Southwestern College Facilities Master Plan.
Over 20 of the original campus buildings by architect George D. Foster have already been destroyed, with nearly all the remaining buildings scheduled for demolition. The Gallery is unique amongst all the remaining buildings on campus and should be preserved.
Please, take action and join a growing number of arts administrators and educators, architects, historians, and fellow concerned citizens who are willing and enthusiastic to supply you with any and all necessary information and documents about the building and its history to expedite the process.
Do not stand by while Chula Vista loses an extraordinary historical structure. Place the Southwestern College Art Gallery building preservation on your agenda and vote to initiate an application.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Respectfully,
Eric Rosciam
Instructional Lab Technician I SWC Art Gallery
Save SWC Art Gallery
erosciam( @swccd. edu
Bruce Coons
Executive Director
Save Our Heritage Organization( SOHO)
bruce. coons@sohosandiego. org
Supporters
Katie Dolgov
Director of Exhibitions & Collections
Oceanside Museum of Art
Katie@oma- online. org
rsaVESWCArt Gallery
Diana Benavidez
Assistant Manager of Engagement
Mingei International Museum
dbenavidez@mingei. org
Dave Hampton
Curator & Author of San Diego' s Craft
Revolution
dave@obiectsusa. com
Jennifer Donovan
Visual Resource Center I Art Department
Southwestern College
idonovan( @swccd. edu
Joanne Carrubba
Adjunct Faculty I Art Department
Southwestern College
acarrubba@swccd. edu
Jacqueline Lo
Instructor ISchool of Arts, Communication,
Design, Media
Southwestern College
alo@swccd. edu
Nicholas Mueller
Professor of Art
Southwestern College
nmueller@swccd. edu
save- swca rtga IIery. org
saveswcartgaIIery@gmail. com
Supporters ( continued)
Allison Wiese
Professor & Director of Visual Arts
Department of Art + Architecture + Art
History
University of San Diego
awiese@sandiego. edu
Wendy Wilson -Gibson
Executive Director
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
directorbmcc@gmail. com
Christopher Ferreria
Adjunct Faculty I Art Department
Southwestern College
cferreria@swccd. edu
Silvia Nogales
Performing Arts Coordinator
Southwestern College
snogales@swccd. edu
Walter Sutin
Adjunct Faculty I Art Department
Southwestern College
wsutin@swccd. edu
Tom Driscoll
Professional Artist
SWC Alumnus
tdriscol@cox. net