Mission

Friends of the Powerhouse has been created to provide a more efficient, independent organization to carry on the work of the Powerhouse Committee. We will raise funds to assist the City of Del Mar with ongoing renovation and maintenance of the Powerhouse building and appurtenant public facilities, and to establish an endowment which will ensure the availability of funds to the City for future renovations and maintenance of the Powerhouse complex.

The benefits of the Friends of the Powerhouse activities will flow to the general public through the restoration and preservation of a historically and architecturally significant landmark as well as through the continuing restoration, preservation, ongoing maintenance and improvement of public recreational facilities.

The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that restoration and preservation of historically or architecturally significant properties also promotes social welfare because it serves to educate the public and operates to prevent community deterioration. In addition to lessening the burdens of government, Friends of the Powerhouse's activities serve to promote social welfare by preserving an institution which facilitates public education about an early period in the history of Del Mar and by preventing deterioration of community landmarks.

History
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The Del Mar Hotel was built in 1910 and was a hub of activity in town, attracting Hollywood stars of the silent film days. The Hotel's second powerhouse was built in 1928 to house new equipment that replaced out-dated fixtures in the old plant and to provide the many gallons of hot water they needed for the new laundry. Hotel Manager Mr. Kerckhoff was displeased with the La Jolla concern that was doing the hotel's linens and had decided to open his own laundry. The laundry facilities themselves were in the north wing of the “plunge.” The huge boilers in the new building supplied hot water not only for the laundry but for the pool and the hotel, and heat for the hotel and cottages as well. A new branch of the tunnel to the hotel was dug to meet up with the existing one from the old powerhouse. The most notable feature of the new Powerhouse was its sky-reaching smokestack, round and fluted as opposed to the old powerhouse's square chimney.

Through the years the hotel lost its popularity, had many owners, became rundown and went into bankruptcy in 1955. It was not until 1958 that the powerhouse found an owner. He was Burt Alderson, 30, who turned the place into a nightclub and called it the Powerhouse Roaring 20s, using a theme that the name implies. He dressed his waitresses as flappers and his waiters and bartenders were decked out in derbies and vests. Unfortunately problems arose where parties became raucous brawls with much drinking, fighting and near riots. It had to be closed down on two occasions by order of the Sheriff and the city council finally had to refuse permits to hold dances there. Apparently this put the owner out of business and before long the Roaring 20s' doors were closed in 1962.

In September of 1965 the powerhouse was rented by the Universal Water Corporation to become a desalination plant, a testing facility to try to find economic means for converting salt water to drinking water. For this, the building underwent a complete renovation on the inside. This may have contributed to the preservation of the building during the twenty years it lay vacant after Universal's departure.

Between the beach and the train station stands Powerhouse Park. Construction on the park began in 1987 after years of planning and chasing state money. The first phase was finished in early 1988, and soon after, there was talk to renovate the powerhouse itself.

Spearheaded by Barbara Harper, a group of citizens formed the Powerhouse Restoration Committee which is now called the Friends of the Powerhouse to raise money to restore the powerhouse to be used as a community center. The Powerhouse Restoration Kickoff was held on Sunday, October 5, 1997 and the birth of the slogan “Meet us at the Powerhouse” began. The group set to work selling bricks and hosting an annual Valentine Dance event. The first check presented to the city was for $350,000 in August of 1999. The grand opening was on December 4th, 1999 and grand it was. Thanks to the generosity of the area residents and businesses over $450,000 was donated.

The Friends of the Powerhouse have pledged to raise funds to use for the maintenance and upkeep of the Powerhouse in perpetuity. In addition the Friends have provided funds for the renovation of the Tot Lot, at the south end of Powerhouse Park, plus helped the Del Mar Lifeguards in their purchase of a new rescue boat and beach-ready wheelchairs for the public. The Powerhouse is a perfect example of what can be accomplished by a group of volunteers who had the vision of creating a great community center out of an old historic building.

2000.  Friends of the Powerhouse board memebers celebrate the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Powerhouse Community Center. An early picture of the Friends of the Powerhouse.   Nancy Dietrich, Tensia Trejo, Audra Burcham, Regina Balch, -----, Karla Leopold, Hershell Price, Susan Pfleeger, Barbara Harper, Jill Coughlin, Kay Jacobson, Marnie Mahoney

Board Members
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Video: Grand opening of the Restored Powerhouse
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To view a video from the opening of the Powerhouse Community Center in 1999 click here.

You will need a RealPlayer to watch this video.  Click here for a free download of the RealPlayer.

Rental Info & Video Tour of the Powerhouse
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The Powerhouse Community Center and nearby Seagrove Park located on the bluff overlooking the Del Mar beach are available to the public for weddings, special events and other activities year-round.  To find out more about renting the Powerhouse Community Center or Seagrove Park for an event, please call City of Del Mar Community Services at 858-755-1524.   Please click here to view a video about Del Mar Facilities for special events.

© 2008 Friends of the Powerhouse, Del Mar, California.     All rights reserved