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written by: Diane Lindquist The International Community Foundation's office being
readied at new Center for Cross Border Philanthropy 
Walls at a former residence located at 2505 N Avenue in National City have been stripped down to lathe and plaster, and now seven construction crews are hard at work converting the 1,200 square-foot building into a structure that soon will house the International Community Foundation’s offices.
“We’re trying to keep the original look of the house but make it a green-type project that will be an important part of National City,” said Dean Stratton of Melhorn Construction, who is in charge of the project. The offices are part of the seven acre property (2505 & 2525 N Avenue) that belonged to Christy and John Walton, the late son of Sam Walton and heir to the Wal-Mart enterprise. The centerpiece of the grounds is a Queen Anne Victorian house built in 1896 for the first National City postmaster Oliver Noyes which will be protected and preserved for foundation functions, other charitable meetings and events and historic interpretation. Property also includes a ½ acre organic gardens which the foundation intends to use to promote healthy eating programs in the border region. Currently produce from the garden is being donated to the UCSD Cancer Healing Foods Kitchen. 
The property was gifted by the Walton family to the International Community Foundation in July 2006. The Waltons recently gave the foundation a $4 million endowment to protect and preserve the property in perpetuity. With $89,500 raised to date, the International Community Foundation’s staff expects to move into the renovated 1920’s-era house by the end of May 2008. Another $200,000 is needed to complete first phase construction which includes landscaping and public parking that must be completed before our foundation will be permitted to expand public use and access of our newly acquired property for meetings and special events. For the International Community Foundation's future office, several measures are being taken to make the structure more environmentally friendly, in keeping with the foundation’s principles of promoting sustainable communities. Many of the replacement parts are recycled. Hardwood and tile floors are being replaced with bamboo. Melhorn was chosen as the contractor partly for its reputation in designing and constructing green buildings. “It takes a lot of coordination and planning to get it done right,” said Dave Meigs, Melhorn’s supervisor for the project. |