This project created 42 units of much-needed affordable housing in the heart of downtown San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, part of an ongoing revitalization effort that includes the nearby Petco Park and other projects. This older, historically Latino neighborhood is a mix of residential and commercial uses, but was allowed to deteriorate over the years, becoming dominated by unsightly, poorly maintained and environmentally challenged properties. The site for this project was, in fact, a former auto wrecking and junk yard. As the first new housing of any kind or affordability to be developed in this neighborhood in many years, Gateway Apartments will play a key role in stabilizing and strengthening the area.

Its four stories over two levels of underground parking – along with a separate two-story community center – offer an attractive contrast to surrounding older, rundown structures. The strikingly modern design features natural stone accents, a warm color palette, upper-level common-area balconies with a view of the downtown skyline, and an inviting central courtyard with trellises and seating areas. The greatest opportunity associated with this project was to deliver housing that was not only attractive and of the highest quality, but would also be affordable to low-income residents.

It also afforded the development team the opportunity to create a close, effective partnership with the City of San Diego and its redevelopment agency, which demonstrated its commitment to meeting its affordable housing needs – as well as the ongoing redevelopment of Barrio Logan – by supporting the project with $3.6 million in city funding. We believe the success of Gateway will serve as a catalyst for further revitalization and reduction of blight in the area by spurring the future development of additional new housing, both affordable as well as market rate.

One major challenge was the size of the site – only 0.8 acres on an irregularly-shaped parcel. This required creation of a highly space-efficient site plan, resulting in four stories over two underground parking levels, along with construction of the community center separate from the main building on one corner of the parcel. The spacious interior courtyard also represents an innovative use of available space, bringing a feeling of openness and light to the community. In keeping with our commitment to provide affordable housing that is at least comparable to market-rate product, Gateway includes such amenities as built-in appliances; walk-in closets; cable TV hookups; professional landscaping; laundry rooms; barbecue areas; a tot lot; gated access; and the previously-noted community building, with full kitchen, computer learning center with free Internet service and other facilities. It is located near public transit, schools, child care, medical services, shopping and recreational facilities, including downtown’s historic and popular Gas Lamp District.

As a result of working closely with a local arts council, the project also features an aesthetically appealing streetscape of Latino-themed murals, drawing attention to the neighborhood’s history and enhancing cultural pride. The project was made possible thanks to a multi-layered financing package that consisted of $8.6 million in 9% Federal Low-Income Housing tax credits, $2.7 million in State of California tax credits, and the above-referenced loan of $3.6 million from the city’s Redevelopment Agency, which also initially acquired the site and re-zoned it for residential housing as part of its downtown redevelopment zone. Both construction and permanent financing ($8.1 million and $1.3 million, respectively) were provided by Bank of America.

The project includes 42 large 2-bedroom as well as extremely scarce 3-bedroom apartment homes up to 1,189 square feet, designed especially for working families with children who either could not afford to live in the area – close to their places of employment – or else had few safe, decent alternatives they could afford. All apartments at Gateway are set aside for households earning a maximum of 30% to 60% of the area median income for San Diego County. Starting at only $498 per month, rents are well below those for existing apartment housing in the area (typically $1,100 to $2,000 per month and higher), and even further below apartments comparable to Gateway in terms of quality and amenities offered. Market studies showed an enormous demand for such new housing.

In addition to the previously-noted common area and unit amenities, a variety of on-site social services are being offered to residents, including computer workshops and other educational classes, English as a second language classes for non-English speaking residents, etc. We believe that the provision of these resources will enable residents to improve their employment and life skills, leading to better opportunities for them in the future.

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An old world village atmosphere meets high-end retail stores and restaurants in Sudberry Properties' 13.3-acre specialty center, Village Walk at Eastlake. Bringing shopping and dining options to the Chula Vista community that previously did not exist, the center fosters a small town social-scene. Tenants include Henry’s Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Brigantine, Busalacchi’s Vialago Trattoria, Pei Wei and several boutique shops.

The village-type social atmosphere envisioned in the design of the project is evident in the outdoor atmosphere. Winding pedestrian walkways surround a large pond set in the center of the development, much like the center of an old world village. It features a grand clock tower, hand-carved fountain with bronze statues and imported Italian light fixtures.

Rose gardens, clipped hedges and flowering trees and shrubs enhance the beauty-filled and relaxed atmosphere of the center. Visitors are also romanced by soft music that is piped throughout the center as they enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of restaurants and boutiques within Village Walk. Even the buildings, painted in off-white, pale yellows and peach colors with rugged stone finishes, reflect an old-world style. Village Walk at EastLake serves an enriching community gathering place, to be enjoyed for many years to come.

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The UCSD Science Research Park (SRP)is a 26 acre development on the east campus adjacent to Regent's Road. The SRP consists of 5 developable building lots intended for lease by private biomedical research companies in an effort to foster public-private research and information sharing relationships between the University and private research companies.

The UCSD SRP Terrace Mall is pedestrian mall consisting of intersecting north/south and east/west axis providing connections and circulation to each of the 5 lease holders. The east/west axis celebrates the natural occuring topography of the site by transitioning through 3 different elevations, gradually stepping down and leading to a native canyon on the west edge of the project. The design elements and materials were carefully designed and chosen to pay tribute to the natural topography and geology of La Jolla.

The raised planter walls were carefully detailed and crafted to resemble the eroding bluffs of torrey pines. The paving patterns and finishes resemble an eroded dry stream bed as if water has been flowing across the site and into the canyon for centuries. In the spirit of water conservation and sustainability, the landscape was design with low-flow drip irrigation and low water use plantings. To date, only one tenant (La Jolla Institute for Alergy and Immunology) has entered into a lease agreement with UCSD and subsequently the first phase of the Terrace Mall has been completed.

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Completed in March 2006, Hamilton Row is a 28,000 square foot multi-unit, row home project in North Park. It consists of sixteen 3-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom row homes, averaging 1,350 square feet plus a 360 square foot 2 car garage with patio/yard and/or deck. Each plan features a full bedroom/bathroom suite on the ground floor garage level, suitable for office or guest room.

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This urban plaza or 'piazza' is the center piece of the Little Italy neighborhood in downtown San Diego, the Piazza is a memorial for the men from the neighborhood who died in World War II and the Korean War. It functions as a casual gathering space during the day with views of San Diego Bay and the Embarcadero, an entertainment venue during numerous events and the hub of community events - world cup soccer, Art Walk and the Festa. A small scale plaza created in a portion of Fir Street, one of first public spaces to be craved out of the Public Right of Way, that continuously provides use and opportunities to one of the vibrant communities and a model for future plazas and small space parks that need to be provided throughout downtown San Diego.

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Cortez Hill Park, a new and long awaited downtown linear park designed to encourage people’s awareness and appreciation for wildlife resources within urban San Diego, was completed this year. “Tweet Street” is the CCDC art program that created the themes, colorful banners, and showcases the whimsical, yet functional bird houses that line the new pedestrian paths through newly created Cortez Hill Park.

The park was envisioned as a green edge between the Cortez Hill neighborhood and the streaming traffic of interstate 5 as it winds through downtown San Diego. This 7 block long, 10 to 30 feet wide, linear park provides much needed shady green space, with a lawn and playground for young children, and paths for neighbors to stroll, meet, and enjoy the outdoors. The land for the park was created by moving the freeway fence to reclaim useable space adjacent to the City streets in a cooperative agreement with Caltrans.

The park features many purple flowering Jacaranda trees (the Cortez Hill neighborhood theme tree) as well as many other flowering and fragrant species to provide interest and separation from the freeway. Whimsical plantings of Bird of Paradise and other emphatic and flowering shrub species combine with plants specifically selected to support native birdlife. The colorful kiosk provides information on the local birds and park plant species, as well as the specifics of creating a functional bird house. Examples of creative bird houses, by local artists, line the curved pathway. One features the form of a cat with the entry through the cat’s mouth! Bright banners and signs proclaim the bird themes throughout the park. A self-flushing stainless steel bird bath provides moisture for the birds. Clusters of colorful fire hydrants signal the “Pet Stations”, rest areas designed to provide for the large numbers of urban pets in the area.

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This is symbolic of many things that are wrong with our suburban built environment.

It's not the mall that deserves an Onion, but the signage.

This stucco and fake stone behemoth towers over the intersection. Fair enough - it needs to be seen from the adjacent freeway.

This is not just the average freestanding mall sign, this serves multiple purposes.

The side towards the mall parking lot thinks it is a clock tower, despite the fact that the ubiquitous Starbucks is clommed on at its base. Should have known, mall + fake stone = Starbucks

The side towards the intersection and freeway contains multiple generic business signs. They are really crammed on there.

Add a generic "piece of art" and voila a stunning piece of urban design.

But the final stroke is that the arches at the bottom of the tower create the drive through for the Starbucks!!!

Let's not forget the security cameras perched on the corners of the tower - Lest we forget that we are being watched.

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Outstanding architecture and inspired use of urban design by placing library in city park.

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