In 2006, the Hotel San Diego was sadly demolished. Built in 1914 by developer John D. Spreckels just in time for the 1915 Panama-California International Exposition in Balboa Park, it sported the only known installation of H. Chas. Judge Mfg. Co's Searchlight Prisms. Despite being San Diego Historical Site Number 175, the wrecking ball got it, making room for the General Services Administration (GSA) of the U.S. Government to expand the Federal Courthouse.

Fortunately... I got a call from Jim Croff around that time. Jim was the concrete demo man on the job, and he was wondering if there was any historic value or use in saving the old prisms. I gave him a big YES of course, and he and son Greg re-used the salvagable prisms for a home project. They documented the whole process, then donated leftover prisms to yours truly. A giant THANK YOU for saving this historic glass, for documenting their project, and for the donations.

Demolition Site			Transporting Panels
Cutting Out Prisms			Acid Washing Glass
Putty Moats	Forming Up		Pouring Concrete	Chipping Excess
Acid Washing (Ageing)		Hallway Before	Removing Old Concrete
Installing New Panels				Hallway After
View From Below	Lit Up From Below