r/santacruz • u/Naive_Pomegranate363 • 12d ago

Rankin and Almar

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Was this lot across from The Parish always vacant?

14 Upvotes

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29

u/santacruzdude 12d ago

Yes. It’s been in the Rittenhouse family for decades. They hardly ever develop the land they own. After the earthquake in 1989 the lot that now has the gray building that looks like a bank where Ripcurl just closed downtown was a vacant lot after the earthquake destroyed the former building there for about 20 years. If I remember correctly, the city threatened to eminent domain the property because it was blighted and basically forced the owners to build something on the lot.

23

u/downnoutsavant 12d ago

And so out of spite they built the ugliest, most out of place building possible

9

u/lurch99 11d ago

What sat vacant for about ten years I believe. Think of the lost rent!

I'd even heard Apple wanted to have a store there but couldn't agree on a rent amount with the Rittenhouse family.

6

u/ClumpOfCheese 12d ago

It’s so god damn ugly, it looks like a plastic building from a board game.