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4w ago

San Diego Court Deal Sets 2026 Deadline for California Theatre Sale or Demolition

The settlement ends the city’s nuisance case by imposing firm milestones with financial penalties to resolve the long-deteriorated site.

The abandoned California Theatre building at the corner of Fourth Avenue And C Street in downtown San Diego, pictured on July 6, 2022 in San Diego, CA. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The old Caliente horse-mural on the back of the theater.

Overview

  • The owner must list the downtown property for sale by the end of August and complete a sale by Dec. 31, 2026.
  • If no sale closes by the deadline, Caydon has 90 days to obtain permits for a controlled demolition.
  • Failure to comply could bring civil penalties of up to $1 million under the court-approved agreement.
  • The city documented hazards including asbestos, lead paint, structural failures, fires and persistent trespassing at the shuttered venue.
  • Caydon bought the site in 2019 for a planned 41‑story project before collapsing into receivership, and it denies wrongdoing in the settlement.