May 31, 2011
Urban Land Institute Announces Awards of Excellence Honorees
San Diego, CA (May 24, 2011) The Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Diego/Tijuana District Council has announced the 2011 Awards of Excellence honorees. The awards will be presented at a reception tonight at 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Woodbury University San Diego School of Architecture. ULI San Diego/Tijuana Awards for Excellence define the standard for real estate development practice. The awards program is the centerpiece of the Institute’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The awards recognize the full development process of a project—construction, economic viability, marketing, and management—as well as design. This year’s honorees are:
Urban Infill Award – Centre Street Lofts Located at 3761-3771 Centre Street in the San Diego neighborhood of Hillcrest, Centre Street Lofts was developed Lloyd Russell, AIA as owner, architect and builder and Andrew Malick as project manager, as well as project team members Keith Weibrecht and Juan Robles. This market rate rental building is an urban infill solution that maximizes allowable density with a fine-grained approach. A courtyard scheme and rich handmade details humanize scale and promote community. Although limited in interior space, the units’ individual and unique open floor plans engage large private outdoor spaces with sliding glass pocket doors or roll-up doors that make the units feel and live larger. The building provides affordable housing (10 percent at 50 percent AMI) and exceeds California’s Title 24 by 20 percent through the utilization of individual tank-less water heaters and SEER16 multi-split systems throughout the project. The jury selected Centre Street Lofts – for demonstrating small infill housing that is financially feasible, well designed and fits into an existing community. This is a significant part of development moving forward and the jury found this project demonstrates it well. More information about the project is located at: www.lloyd-russell.com/projects
Innovation in Affordable Housing Award – Ten Fifty B Located at 1050 B Street in downtown San Diego, Ten Fifty B was developed by Affirmed Housing Group. The development team included Martinez + Cutri as architect, Project Design Consultants as civil engineer, Turner Construction as general contractor and De Lorenzo Incorporated as landscape architect. Previously the site of a fast food restaurant intended to become market rate condos, the property was acquired by Affirmed Housing Group. The developer strategically used the initial structural plans, altering the plans in order to create a high density, highly efficient, affordable community that looks and feels like a market rate complex. The building is an example of public and private financing coming together to create a successful, energy efficient community for more than 227 San Diego residents who earn 20-60 percent of the county’s median income. Engineered to reduce waste and consumption, Ten Fifty B includes an on-site computer lab, over 4,000 square feet of common area, a community room, outdoor gathering areas, tot lots, barbecues, a fire pit and more. The building is designed and constructed to use 21 percent less energy than allowed under California’s Title 24 requirements. The building reached 100 percent occupancy just two months after completion. Ten Fifty B is the first completed transit-oriented development funded project in the country, and is the first LEED certified, 100 percent affordable high rise on the West Coast. Citing that the project demonstrates affordable housing in a high rise environment that is not only affordable but very attractive, the jury selected Ten Fifty B. More information about the project is located at: http://www.tenfiftyb.com
Urban Infrastructure Award – Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge Located at the intersection of Park Boulevard and Harbor Drive in Downtown San Diego, the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge was developed by the City of San Diego through Centre City Development Corporation. The recently opened Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge not only provides safe passage over a busy street and a tangle of trolley and train tracks, it also provides residents and visitors with better access and connection to San Diego’s waterfront. The iconic structure, which evokes a ship’s sail – a nod to San Diego’s nautical history – is one of the largest self-anchored pedestrian bridges in the world. It was developed through an extensive community outreach process to be both functional and iconic. The bridge was made possible through a unique public/private financing model and is a collaboration of local, state and federal agencies and programs. The jury selected Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge for its incredible aesthetics and design. More information about the project is located at: http://www.ccdc.com
Mixed Use Award – mxd830 creative space mxd830 creative space, located at 830 25th Street in Golden Hill, was the brainchild of Architect/Developer/Owner/Contractor Mike Burnett, AIA. The project helps revitalize the commercial corridor of Golden Hill with two levels of living and working spaces on a 6,000 square feet parcel. This eco-friendly infill building mitigates two contrasting adjacencies: a busy gas-station to the south and historic home to the north. Designed to activate the street with new storefront activity, mxd830 offers a variety of high-design spaces for working, playing and living. All units are accessed thru a central social courtyard that welcomes the chance-conversation or occasional cocktail-party. Ground level spaces cater to small boutique-style restaurant/retail or artist studio/gallery spaces. Upstairs offers urban-residential units and creative-office-spaces. The sustainable design includes permeable parking that keeps rainwater on-site, draught-tolerant landscaping, tankless water-heaters, low-maintenance building materials, cool-roof system, dual-glaze-low-e windows and recycled carpet tiles. Energy use is minimized with large operable windows allowing ocean breezes to flow through and natural light fills each space. Ultimately designed to become a catalyst for further growth, mxd830 promotes community outreach through local art shows, fundraisers and other festivities. For demonstrating very creative mixed use at a neighborhood scale, the jury chose to honor mxd830. More information about the project is located at: http://mxd830.com
ULI San Diego Wayne Buss Urban Creative Award – Greg L. Strangman In memory of the late Wayne Buss, the award was established this year by the Buss Family Trust to recognize exemplary, motivated, dedicated and inventive emerging urbanists, planners and designers. This year’s recipient is Gregory L. Strangman, Founder/CEO of the L.W.P. Group, Inc./San Diego, an award-winning residential and commercial real estate developer. The company acquires, renovates and manages existing properties in San Diego, California, targeting urban communities considered ripe for long-term growth and stability. L.W.P.’s current portfolio is enriched by several buildings with historic local significance—valuable holdings that highlight the company’s ongoing commitment to responsible preservation and restoration, intelligent architecture and design, and innovation. Strangman, who will receive a $2000 award, has spent the past 15 years in both real estate development and restaurant ownership. He has deep experience in all areas of real estate, including construction, acquisitions, entitlements, property management and finance. The Buss family selected Strangman for his philosophy of breathing new life into existing structures, his commitment to local artists and to building community through his projects. Strangman was also inspired by the late Wayne Buss in the mid-90s when. Buss encouraged Strangman to strive towards adaptive reuse of existing buildings versus new construction.
The Awards of Excellence jury included Bill Anderson, City of San Diego; Charmaine Atherton, Bank of America; Rob Lankford, Lankford & Associates Inc.; and Ricardo Rabines, Safdie Rabines Architects. In addition to the honorees, several other San Diego projects were nominated, including Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, Del Sur, Ramona Branch Library, DPR Construction Net Zero Office, Pier 32 , County Operations Center Phase 1A, Marina Gateway , Pacific Station, UCSD Rita Atkinson Residence and Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
About ULI The Urban Land Institute develops leaders in the responsible use of land and promotes creation of sustainable, thriving communities worldwide. ULI has 37,000 members internationally and 650 in the San Diego region. The ULI San Diego/Tijuana District Council facilitates local discussion of public policy issues and best practices related to real estate development, city building and land use. www.ulisd.org
