Banquet hall coming to South Oceanside newspaper building (original) (raw)

Plans for a banquet hall are included in the remodel under way for the old North County Times newspaper building on South Coast Highway in Oceanside.

A local couple is creating a space for weddings, fundraisers, corporate gatherings and social celebrations in the 60-year-old, two-story structure that will hold several businesses in the 1700 block of South Coast Highway.

“We are excited to introduce a new banquet hall in the iconic North County Times building, offering a unique venue that seamlessly blends modern aesthetics with the building’s original charm,” states a preliminary application filed with the city Planning Division by Scott and Desiree McBride.

“The character of this quintessential building will be preserved, featuring a beautifully rustic, shabby chic, and industrial ambiance,” it states. “Highlights of the space include a high ceiling, concrete floors, and exposed brick walls, providing a stunning backdrop for photography.”

The banquet hall will occupy a room that once held the newspaper’s printing presses. The plans are subject to the city’s approval and could change.

Also opening soon in other parts of the building, possibly in October, are a retail clothing store and a taco shop.

The McBrides operate two other businesses in South Oceanside: Lagree + Versa Fit, a fitness center on Vista Way, and Brilliant Event Lighting, a party lighting rental service on South Coast Highway, just behind Surf Bowl.

The building at 1722 South Coast Highway was constructed in the 1960s to house the Blade-Tribune newspaper after it outgrew a decades-old structure designed by noted architect Irving Gill on Seagaze Drive in Oceanside. The newspaper later became the Blade-Citizen and then the North County Times after a merger with the Escondido Times-Advocate in 1995.

In 2012, during the brief tenure of San Diego developer Doug Manchester as publisher of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Union-Tribune bought the North County Times and absorbed its content and many of its employees. The Union-Tribune used the South Coast Highway building as its coastal North County office for a few years.

HP Investors of San Diego bought the building for $11.4 million in 2021. Since then it has housed Lucky Street Antique Mall, The San Diego Coffee Company, Raen Sunglasses, a small recording studio, and at least one other company.

Originally Published: August 26, 2024 at 2:48 p.m.