Man protests historic home demolition

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. - Neighbors protested the demolition of a historic home in National City Thursday.

The structure is known as the Carriage House, located behind the historic Wallace Dickinson House built in 1887.

"My daughter currently owns the Wallace Dickinson home, she bought it as her forever home," said Stephen Norton a retired Navy chief.

The property with both buildings was split up decades ago and the Carriage House was left out when the Wallace Dickinson House received a historic designation, according to Norton.

Norton said he tried to stop the demolition while his daughter is deployed with the U.S. Coast Guard. He said she does not want to see a slice of history leveled behind her own home.

"Somebody has to fight the fight for them when they're gone," said Norton.

International Community Foundation, which runs cross-border philanthropies and is the new owner of the Carriage House, said the organization needed the additional space.

Lisa Moctezuma with International Community Foundation said the structure was being used as a drug house. She said it was in such disrepair that it would cost more to repair and restore than to build a new, larger building.

"Right now, it is just going to be taken down, it is actually dangerous, from the time that we bought the property, there have been squatters," said Moctezuma.

But Norton disagrees with the decision.

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Man protests historic home demolition