Audrey Geisel University House

{{short description|Historic house in California, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = William Black House--SDM-W-12 Locus A (CA-SDI-4669)

| nrhp_type =

| image = Audrey Geisel University House.jpg

| caption =

| coordinates = {{Coord|32.87944|-117.2486|display=inline}}

| location = 9630 La Jolla Farms Road, La Jolla, California

| locmapin = United States San Diego Northwestern#USA California San Diego County#USA California#USA

| built = 1950-52{{cite web|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/nov/19/ucsd-chancellors-house-on-road-to-rehabilitation/ |title=UCSD chancellor's house on road to rehabilitation |author=Pat Flynnnoon|date=November 19, 2011 |publisher=UT San Diego}}

| architect = Lumpkin, William

| builder = Stein, Howard

| architecture = Pueblo

| added = May 2, 2008

| area = {{convert|6.9|acre}}

| refnum = 08000343{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

The Audrey Geisel University House, historically known as the William Black House, is the private residence of the chancellor of the University of California, San Diego. Located in La Jolla, San Diego, California, it is a historic site that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located at 9630 La Jolla Farms Road and overlooks Black's Beach, the Scripps Coastal Reserve, and the Pacific Ocean.

The house was designed by architect William Lumpkins of the adobe revival movement of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was the first house built in the La Jolla Farms area, and was designed for William H. and Ruth Black who lived there during 1952–67 in what is termed Pueblo Revival architecture style.{{cite news|last1=Kucher|first1=Karen|title=Chancellor's home gets $10M rehab|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2013/dec/19/university-house-ucsd-chancellor-khosla-geisel/|accessdate=18 May 2016|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=19 Dec 2013|ref=sdut}} It was then sold to the Regents of the University of California and used by UC San Diego chancellors during 1967–2004. In 2004, the house was deemed structurally unsound and subsequently vacated.{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Thomas|title=How UCSD Spent Over $500,000 on a Home Remodel That Never Happened|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/apr/30/cover/|accessdate=18 May 2016|work=San Diego Reader|date=30 April 2008}}

Between 2004 and 2012, the house was the subject of numerous controversies stemming from the university's attempts to demolish, sell, and renovate the property. La Jolla residents objected to the sale of what they saw as an important historical artifact. The site is also significant as a location of a prehistoric Native American village; it is "sacred ground to Kumeyaay people."{{cite web|url=http://sohosandiego.org/reflections/2010_1/black.htm |title=William Black House}} Between 1929 and 2008, the remains of 29 Kumeyaay were found and removed from the site, at least 17 of which were subsequently housed in the San Diego Museum of Man. In 2010, a historically sensitive remodel design by architect Ione R. Stiegler was approved. The renovation included a seismic retrofit and structural, electrical, and plumbing repairs, while avoiding compromising any of the sacred land or ocean views near the original house.{{cite news|last1=Schwab|first1=Dave|title=10 years later, Chancellor's house finally becomes a home|url=http://sdnews.com/view/full_story/24447797/article-10-years-later--Chancellor-s-house-finally-becomes-a-home|accessdate=18 May 2016|work=SD News|publisher=San Diego Community Newspaper Group|date=24 Jan 2014}} The $10 million remodel was completed in 2013 and funded by external gifts, including a $3 million donation by La Jolla resident Audrey Geisel, the widow of Theodor Seuss Geisel. In recognition of her gift, the completed house was renamed the Audrey Geisel University House. Since 2014, the house has served as the official residence of Pradeep K. Khosla, the eighth chancellor of UC San Diego. It is also used for hosting special events and formal university functions.

The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 as William Black House—SDM-W-12 Locus A (CA-SDI-4669). The site includes a house built during 1950-52 and a cemetery and the site of a pre-historic village. The listing included one contributing building and one contributing site on {{convert|6.9|acre}}.