In January 2008, spotlights illuminated the long dark Balboa Theatre bordering San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter Historic District– a 22-year effort returning the vaudeville-era theatre to its original 1924 splendor while transforming it into a state-of-the-art performing arts center. Under Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), the landmark Balboa Theatre was renovated for $26.5 million as part of the Horton Plaza retail and commercial redevelopment, succeeding after numerous attempts to make it viable through private developers had failed. The project team consisted of CCDC in collaboration with Westlake Reed Leskosky, lead preservation architects and engineers, Heritage Architecture & Planning, associate architect/preservation consultant, Pfocus as owner’s representative, PCL Construction Services, Inc. as general contractor, and a team of engineers, theatre and restoration specialists. The Balboa Theatre was originally built for $800,000 by the Balboa Building Company, with William Wheeler as the design architect. The Balboa Theatre uniquely featured two elevated, recessed waterfalls flanking the proscenium opening. The auditorium chamber was described as a “glittering jewel box,” because of its bronze metallic powder paint. The ceiling includes ornate and gilded plaster grillwork that funnels sound throughout the building. One of the theatre’s unique performance-related features is its oversized orchestra pit accommodating 30 to 40 musicians. The theatre’s design provides it with excellent acoustical qualities for live, non-amplified performances. The Balboa Theatre Foundation restored a Wonder Morton Organ, one of only five of its kind in the nation, installed in the Balboa. The scope of the design and construction included the restoration of the entry rotunda and the entire audience chamber and balcony. New state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, and performance systems such as rigging, lighting, and audio/visual technology including full variable acoustics were installed. Using a digital printing process, and based on a historic photograph, a new house curtain and grand drape valence were created in the style of the original. Lobby, box office, loading area, and public amenities were improved and expanded, and the long-missing exterior blade sign and entry marquee were accurately recreated and installed under the leadership of PCL Construction Services, Inc. Tight site constraints adjacent to Horton Plaza posed considerable challenges to renovating and expanding the 45,113 s.f. theatre. Modern requirements for staging, dressing rooms and support needed to fit entirely within the existing 5-story theatre building. Without the use of a freight elevator or ability to bring in a temporary crane due to limited space a temporary opening was made on top of the roof to install a 500 linear foot by 3 feet wide catwalk above the existing ornamental ceiling. Additionally, with a focus on coordination and an aggressive schedule, a wall to wall, floor to ceiling scaffolding was built within the theatre. Dulling oxidation, dirt, heavy tarnishing in the auditorium, dropped ceilings in the entry and over-painting in the lobbies had masked the 1924 appearance. Through forensic research, microscopy, and paint survey, PCL’s subcontractor, EverGreene Painting Studios was able to piece together the historic palette: a unique interior of brilliant colors, highlighted in bronze with soft shades of purple, turquoise, rose and ochre over an earth-toned ground. Drawing on scientific evidence paired with historic photos, and conserving original paint and plaster wherever possible, the original theme was replicated. Completed in several phases, and restored to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Restoration, the work involved a lengthy yet rewarding interdisciplinary process that included peer review, ongoing-cost estimating and value engineering, allowing the project to stay within budget while continuing to move forward.

Image

Santee has seen tremendous revitalization thanks to the hard work of many visionaries. The City’s community and economic development planning process for the Town Center area have resulted in a beautiful park along San Diego River, transit-oriented retail centers and housing and a Class A office park. The Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility is a somewhat unlikely resident in Santee’s Town Center area, nestled away from the street and hidden from view on a 14-acre site. Now, the County, which owns that parcel of land, is planning to replace Las Colinas with a 45-acre “jail camp,” including low rise barracks, razor wire fencing and guard towers. Definitely not what the city’s visionaries have worked so hard to achieve! If the County moves forward with its plan, this Town Center model of smart growth will be forever blighted. Expanding the jail as proposed would mean that the detention facility would butt up against a high tech office park, homes, senior housing, a church and even a pre-school. Additionally, a land use study found that the County could make up to $89 million on the sale of the Santee land in question and easily use less valuable land they already own in Otay Mesa. Any land use project that could result in a total of $165 million in lost taxpayer resources (including lost revenue and devaluation of adjacent County property) is just plain bad, but add in the terrible effects the new jail would have on a burgeoning urban center and this idea deserves an onion!

Image

Harney Sushi's new Oceanside restaurant conveys the same ultra-hip vibe of its popular San Diego original but with a creative infusion of all new elegance and modern "green" design thanks to Bluemotif Architecture. The new Oceanside space features clean contemporary lines paired with a palette of select reusable and recycled materials such as reclaimed wood, low V.O.C paints, Vetrazzo counters and 3-form glazing. The 3,500-square-foot open interior and 425-square-foot patio offer seating for 185 and include both sake and sushi bars, a VIP room, built in DJ booth, 600-gallon fish tank, waterfall backdrop, and an ethanol fireplace.

Image

This landscape rehabilitation project combines great design with envirionmentally friendly/sustainable plant material. My recollection of the concept behind this landscape design is "A Stop on the California Roadside". The design utilizes a pleasing assortment of both native and low water use plantings in a way which allows for seasonal color change; includes wonderful specimens of native Coast Live Oaks, endemic Torrey Pines, California Sycamores; and allows for interaction from both people and native creatures. In fact this interaction is an aspect strongly noticed when one enters the project.

The landscape is alive with both people strolling through the mendering paths as well as native birds, bees and butterfiles darting through the air. This project also includes upscale design elements like pedestrian nodes, arc shaped walls, and stylized entry monuments. This landscape rehabilitation replaces one filled with water loving plants, like the Coral Trees formerly found on site, and materials now known to be invasive, like the hedges of Acacia longifolia that used to line street edge of the project.

I think landscape architect Mike Sullivan and his client, the Muller Company, have invested in a landscape which illustrates a wonderful way to merge the principles of sustainability and good design, and are deserving of recognition in San Diego for their hard work and money invested in making the City of San Diego a more beautiful place.

Image

When an architect first chooses a concept on which to base his or her design, the difficult process of designing and building is just beginning. If the established concept was made with a thorough understanding of the needs of the users, the available resources, and existing constraints, then the resulting project will likely be deemed successful. However, if the concept is established without the understanding and respect of these characteristics and pursued to the nth degree solely for the satisfaction of the architect's ego, then chaos ensues. Such is the result of the sanctuary building and other site improvements recently completed at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla.

In the case of this building, Stanley Saitowitz and his designers created a building that is dangerous to its users, creates an extreme amount of discomfort during religious services, and ignores the basic operational needs of building maintenance. The use of materials consistently clashes - acid-washed precast with plastic light switch cover plates, dark hardwood floors abutting WalMart storefront systems, and long expanses of highly finished drywall with light washing across the surfaces showing each and every imperfection.

Modular pavers used in the courtyard (where there modularity is not only ignored but blatantly disrespected) continue into the interior space, where the porosity, joints, and texture make the floor impossible to sweep or clean. Large expanses of single pane glass are etched with scripture and meant to be viewed and read from the outside, but the varying materials, configurations, and light levels and reflections leave the observer struggling to make sense of what exactly is portrayed. Enormous concrete panels are assembled in a way that creates unsightly, uneven, and dissimilar joints as much as 2" wide, all filled with sealant with the care and craftsmanship of an apprentice.

The designer responsible for the site work details spent little time observing the behavior of the users of the site, be they congregants of Beth El or those of a neighboring synagogue who use the property as a path of travel between two parallel streets. Massive stairways are built to the bare minimum standards and are steep, intimidating, and harshly lit at night. The handrail sections have sharp edges and no breaks to allow for users to pass from one side to the other if they choose. For those who cannot use stairs or are pushing strollers, a complete lack of curb cuts between the entry at the bottom of the property to the highest entry point (more than 100 feet in elevation change) must stay in the drives and deal with narrow alleys that only permit two cars traveling opposite directions to pass, with no space left for the pedestrian. Lamp posts placed directly in the middle of sidewalks reduce their effective width such that strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, users of crutches and anyone using a hand cart must divert into the landscaping in order to pass.

On the inside, the symmetry of the seating works against the multiple types of services that are typically conducted within this type of space. With the seats arranged in parallel with facing rows, in all but a few seats the congregants must turn their head for extended periods of time to watch the activity. The rows are spaced such that no one can pass someone who is seated - everyone must stand up. The vertical panels with sharp edges and corners are the cause of constant bruises to the thighs or other more painful parts of the anatomy, and the closed-end rows make egress difficult and lengthy, and often leave multiple seats unused because people simply don't want to deal with the trouble of getting to them. The multiple elevations changes within the space create trip and fall hazards with nearly each event. The seating at the second level is built with stair so steep that most people turn away once they look down from the top level, the designated and only approachable path of travel. The glass panels at the 2nd level completely eliminate any modesty from anyone wearing skirts shorter than ankle length. The same effect occurs from the top looking down onto the first few rows of seats.

Image

Lofts at 655 6th Avenue is a 106 unit mixed use development and one of the few rental projects developed in the heart of downtown San Diego. The structure is cast in place concrete with in-fill glazing including a state of the art, on-site media center and computer lounge for the residents’ use. It incorporates principles of sustainability through the innovative design of a floating sun-tempering screen that sets out from the face of the building. This floating sun tempering element on the west elevation is suspended over the sidewalk below. It is, in essence, a second window system partially covered with photographic translucent film. Both the glass of the building skin itself and this outer hanging element will receive the film. Every ten years a photographic artist will be commissioned to tell a story using photographic translucent film on this exterior glass screen. This screen/story allows the building’s inhabitant and street life to interact with one another as passersby react and reflect on the images presented.

Image

Observing the downtown hospitality market since the mid 70s, the hotel’s ownership recognized in 2005 that very advantageous criteria had serendipitously and remarkably come together:

• buoyed by the solidifying Little Italy neighborhood, the West End was approaching a critical mass of renewal;

• downtown’s hospitality scene was finally becoming a San Diego destination;

• the U.S. hospitality market was hot, hot, hot;

• and the (former Pickwick Hotel’s) mortgage would be paid off the following year.

Intent on growing the asset as a long term operation for future family generations (the hotel’s name was borrowed from granddaughter Sofia); it was essential that any repositioning of the property be correctly calculated … which meant that the hotel had to re-open as the premiere property in the mid-price market set. Fiscally achieving that goal required finely-tuned budgeting and strong-willed purchasing to bring in the final renovation for less than $16.5 million. But success in the marketplace required the expenditure of countless hours planning, engineering and designing the infrastructure, architecture, interiors and marketing strategy by an implausibly small team of professionals. Because travelers leave behind the sanctity and security of home for an unknown experience in a remote destination, the experiential elements that guided Sofia’s design were: calm, restful, chic, urban, tasteful, technical, timeless, comforting and ahhhhh…

• The 1926 Gothic Revival/Art Deco exterior was maintained while the interior (which lacked much historical detail) was given a fresh, urban-yet-organic theme with a color palette inspired by nature to invoke a sense of harmony and balance.

• Existing spaces in the original structure were adapted to create public areas accommodating the operational and guest needs of a modern day hotel.

• Space planning was very challenging since most guest rooms were about 120 sq ft and being an older hotel almost every room was just a little different.

• There were many physical challenges with walls of hollow clay masonry, making it impossible to disturb the structure with perforations. For this reason the rooms’ new electrical was run through cleverly disguised wire mold at the base.

• Case goods and built-in furniture meticulously scaled for the dozens of room layouts were created for a more efficient use of space.

• The designer specified all finishes, materials and furniture down to the accessories and her team personally supervised the installation of all products.

• The interiors budget was meager as the bulk of the money was used for updating the building’s infrastructure. Dramatic paint colors were used generously in many areas to keep within the budget and yet give design interest.

• Newer, unique vendors were recruited who were anxious to work on an interesting project such as this and offered very competitive pricing on products such as case goods, window treatments and art.

Some interesting design features include –

• grass-embedded resin panels covering older windows in the meeting rooms to allow in natural light but block unattractive views
• custom light sconces decorated with historical photos of the older hotel throughout the guest corridors that do double duty as art as well as ideal ambient lighting 
• many naturally occurring fossils from around the world throughout the property to repeat nature’s theme

This “new” three and a half star hotel was completed on time and on budget and has been enthusiastically received in the marketplace significantly outpacing original forecasts and frequently selling out. An immediate honor was bestowed when it was inducted into National Trust Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation … making it the first in San Diego joining other regional inductees The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Hotel del Coronado, La Valencia and the Grande Colonial of La Jolla.

Image

For their fast, vigorous, brave, and precedent setting action against a developer attempting to sneak the ridiculously over-sized (two levels of underground parking!) Kensington Terrace project into the historic village of Kensington, the citizens of Kensington richly deserve an Orchid.

Image

Sustainable development has always been a core value of Stone Brewing’s business philosophy; from the all-natural ingredients in its acclaimed beers to the Bistro’s emphasis on local, organically produced food, use of reclaimed building materials and environmentally friendly beer garden. In keeping with this theme, the company has recently installed a 312Kw Photovoltaic Solar System on the roof of its brewing facility in the Escondido Research & Technology Center (ERTC).

The system, which consists of 1,561 roof-mounted solar modules, will supply the brewery with up to 43 percent of its energy needs, and is expected to pay for itself in just five years, saving the company more than $3 million in electricity costs. Even more importantly, the clean energy produced by the solar array will offset more than 538,000 pounds of carbon emissions over its lifetime, which is equivalent to planting 204 acres of trees. Designed and installed by local company Borrego Solar Systems, Inc., the system began generating electricity by July 2008 and is among the most productive systems in the State of California. According to Borrego Solar CEO Aaron Hall, “We have designed a system utilizing the most efficient and advanced Solar technology commercially available today, the Sanyo HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) technology.”

Although a solar power component was not included in the building’s initial construction, both the brewery’s ownership and the developer and builder of the facility, JRMC Real Estate owner James McCann, had the foresight to spend additional money upfront to upgrade the load-bearing structure of the entire roof, thus enabling the future installation of a solar power system. Additionally, solar carports are planned for a portion of the brewery and restaurant’s parking area, further maximizing the solar collecting ability of the property. “We’re excited to continue to participate in the move towards sustainable design,” says Stone Brewing CEO Greg Koch. “This system, together with other conservation initiatives at our brewery and restaurant, will help minimize our impact on the environment.”

Image

The life-size image of a well turned-out, urban professional depicted in 'That a Way' appears to recognize The Sofia Hotel as the fashionable, boutique-inspired hotel featured in San Diego Magazine’s April 2007 issue that he holds. Because it will capture the public’s attention on Broadway for generations to come, the hotel and magazine chose to dedicate its presence to the success of downtown redevelopment. Recently the principals of both the magazine and hotel joined the families and friends of Governor Pete Wilson, Ernie Hahn and former CCDC executive Jerry Trimble acknowledging them as the original visionaries and driving force behind the city’s rebirth.

About the artist ~ Since 1968 more than 250 of Seward Johnson’s life-size cast bronze sculptures have been placed in private collections and museums in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia; as well as public art placements such as Rockefeller Center and the New Liberty Plaza in New York City, Pacific Place in Hong Kong, Les Halles in Paris, and Via Condotti in Rome. For more on his work you can visit www.SewardJohnson.com.

Image