Project Milestones Worth Celebrating: A Month of Groundbreakings and Momentum

This past month has been full of excitement at McCullough as several long-anticipated projects officially broke ground. From essential public facilities to community-focused housing and urban infill development, each milestone represents meaningful progress toward healthier, more connected, and more resilient places. We’re grateful for our partners, clients, and communities who make this work possible—and we’re thrilled to share what we’ve been up to.

DGS Southern Emergency Operations Center – Costa Mesa, CA

David McCullough, Tianchi Zhang, and Catherine McCullough joined the State of California DGS team, including DGA Architects and Turner, to celebrate the start of construction on the Southern Emergency Operations Center.

Designed as a critical hub for emergency response in Southern California, this project carries immense purpose. Even in moments of crisis, we believe the landscape has the power to restore, ground, and uplift. The design incorporates a central courtyard and generous greenspace—calm, resilient spaces intended to support clarity and the human spirit when it’s needed most.

We look forward to watching this important facility come to life, with completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Goldfinch at Mulberry Gardens – Riverside, CA

We were honored to join Eden Housing, Inc., along with state and community leaders to break ground on Goldfinch at Mulberry Gardens, a welcoming new neighborhood that will bring 149 affordable homes to Riverside on previously state-owned excess land. Catherine McCullough, and Studio Design Leader Benjamin Arcia represented our team alongside our partners who share a commitment to community, equity, and place.

Projects like Goldfinch embody our belief that design should support belonging and uplift daily life. Goldfinch and its sister project, Sparrow, will be connected through thoughtful outdoor spaces—a pedestrian paseo, shared amenities, and landscaped moments that invite residents to gather, breathe, and feel at home.

Read more from Governor Newsom’s announcement about the excitement leading up to this project. “California is leading with real solutions to tackle the national housing crisis head-on.”

Maeve – North Park, San Diego, CA

In North Park, we celebrated with the Murfey Company the progress at Maeve , a mixed-use community that reflects the energy, creativity, and diversity of one of San Diego’s most thriving urban neighborhoods. Situated at 4321 Illinois Street, the community offers seamless access to transit, job centers, and local destinations—an ideal backdrop for urban living with heart.

Within the development, Maeve Apartments rises as a contemporary nine-story residence offering a collection of studios, one-, and two-bedroom homes. With a rooftop terrace, community gym, and generous outdoor spaces for gathering and discovery, Maeve brings a soulful blend of modern living and connected community. Its design is rooted in context—balancing clean, contemporary architecture with vibrant outdoor experiences shaped for residents’ wellbeing.

We’re proud to contribute landscapes that elevate daily life and celebrate the spirit of North Park.

Looking Ahead

These groundbreakings mark more than construction starts, they represent new stories unfolding. Spaces where communities will grow. Places where nature and the human spirit come together. We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to sharing more milestones as these visions take shape.

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Highlights from the ULI Fall Meeting

Written by Mahalakshmi Balachandran, Int’l ASLA
Senior Associate, Northern California

On the first day, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to tour, GENESIS Marina, developed by Phase 3 Real Estate Partners, our client with Genesis Science Center, along with Vantage by Healthpeak Properties in the heart of South San Francisco.

Through the following days, as I moved through the sessions of the conference, a few themes kept rising to the surface, each one reshaping the way I think about cities, work, and the environments we build around ourselves: the powerful relationship between developers and universities, the importance of public-private partnerships, and the increasing need for regional strategies to solve complex urban challenges.

Any discussion about San Francisco naturally leads to the larger global dialogue on how business districts are transforming in terms of both competitiveness and sustainability. The iconic skyline no longer holds the same power as it once did. Instead, accessibility and safety matter most to employees. People want reliable transit, comfortable commutes, and environments where they feel secure. It was refreshing to hear this acknowledged not only as a trend, but as a fundamental shift in how the workforce evaluates place.

Transportation also emerged as a central concern, particularly the need for fluid, affordable, and flexible options. It is no longer enough to be close to the business district. People value the ease and cost of their daily movement just as much as, if not more than, proximity itself. This shift is redefining how cities think about mobility and how employers think about talent.

The main highlight of the conference was the 10 Principles of the Art of Innovation, shared by Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist of Canva, in the closing session:

1. Look for pain: Products that solve real pain (painkillers) create the most value.

2. Go and be: Don’t just observe customers, experience their reality.

3. Stop thinking forward: Don’t define your business by what you currently do; understand what you truly provide.

4. Ask simple questions: Innovation often starts with basic questions like: Is there a better way? Isn’t this strange? Why has no one done this before?

5. Get to the next curve: Long term success requires looking ahead to the next curve before the current one peaks.

6. Don’t worry, be crappy: Momentum is more valuable than perfection.

7. Eat what you cook: Use your own products; live your own customer experience.

8. Plant many seeds: You can’t predict which acorn will become an oak, so nurture many possibilities.

9. Use all your weapons: Learn to use every tool available. As Kawasaki noted, the real danger isn’t AI taking your job, it’s someone who uses AI better than you.

10. Make the decision right: At some point, stop analyzing and commit.

The ULI Fall Meeting was a reminder that cities, and the people who shape them, are in a moment of transition. As designers, planners, and collaborators, we have an opportunity to redefine what vibrant, resilient, people-centered communities look like.

GENESIS Marina project tour with Phase 3 Real Estate Partners

Vantage project tour by Healthpeak Properties in the heart of South San Francisco.

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David McCullough Featured in Bisnow MEDIA: Designing Adaptive Reuse for People

We’re proud to share that our Principal Landscape Architect, David McCullough, ASLA, PLA, was recently featured in Bisnow Media to discuss the powerful role landscape architecture plays in adaptive reuse across California.

In the article, David emphasizes that adaptive reuse is more than repurposing buildings — it’s about creating environments where people feel connected, inspired, and excited to return.

One quote from David captures this philosophy perfectly:

“Instead of strong-arming people back to the office, the better way is to put them in environments they want to come back to.”

Across California, McCullough continues to support projects that breathe new life into campuses, commercial sites, and underutilized spaces. By designing exterior environments that celebrate authenticity and emphasize human connection, our team helps create places that are not only functional but genuinely meaningful.

Read the full Bisnow article here.

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David expanding on these ideas as a speaker at Bisnow’s Northern California Adaptive Reuse, Repositionings and Conversions Summit in San Francisco on November 18. His panel explored innovative repositioning strategies, creative approaches to reuse, and how thoughtful landscape design can drive long-term value.

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Wishing You a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving From McCullough

As we gather with loved ones to celebrate the season of gratitude, the McCullough team extends our warmest wishes for a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

This time of year reminds us how meaningful it is to create spaces—both built and natural—where people can connect, reflect, and enjoy moments together. We are grateful for the incredible clients, partners, and communities who allow us to continue this work every day.

Whether you’re traveling, spending time at home, or exploring the outdoors, we hope your holiday weekend is filled with comfort, good food, and the company of those who matter most.

Thank you for being part of our community and for your continued trust in our team. We look forward to closing out the year strong and embracing new opportunities ahead.

From all of us at McCullough,
Happy Thanksgiving!

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Rainford Apartment Community

Written by Adam Crowell, ASLA
Associate, Project Manager

When I joined McCullough in 2021, my colleague Ben Arcia entrusted me with a new multi-family project that had just been awarded to our office. After introducing me to the project team, he ultimately stepped back, giving me the opportunity to lead the effort as Project Manager—my first experience in the role. Working on Rainford provided invaluable lessons and skills that I’ve since carried forward to other projects, contributing to my professional growth. It was my first opportunity to collaborate with many of the consultants I now maintain strong professional relationships with. Working alongside Murfey Company and Stephen Dalton Architects—both on this project and on several subsequent ones—has been a seamless experience. There is constant communication and mutual trust, qualities that can be hard to find sometimes within project teams.

Rainford is a nine-story multi-family development located in the historic Mission Hills neighborhood. The project includes studio, one, and two bedroom apartments for rent, along with amenities such as a fitness center and a ninth-level rooftop deck. While the amenity deck was a significant design focus, the ground-level site design and public right-of-way improvements proved equally complex. Situated on a corner where two slopes intersect, the site presented grading and accessibility challenges. In addition, because the project falls under the City’s Complete Communities program, it was important to carefully integrate key requirements for the public realm into the overall design.

At the ground level, PLSA played a key role in coordinating how the building would interact with and transition into the public right-of-way. Managing the site’s slopes and drainage presented challenges, but through collaboration, we developed a design that worked effectively within the given constraints. Because the project falls under the City’s Complete Communities program, a few specific requirements had to be addressed—something the team was already familiar with from working on Secoya, Rainford’s sister property and a key precedent. One particular challenge involved the street trees along Reynard Way. Normally, street trees are placed along the curb, but an existing gas line running the full length of the property made that impossible. As a result, the trees were relocated to the back side of the sidewalk, closer to the building. While not the most ideal placement, this solution allowed us to meet the City’s street tree requirements and maintain compliance. Over time, the trees will mature and will be pruned as needed, eventually providing additional privacy for residents with balconies facing the sidewalk.

The ninth-level amenity deck is where we really got to have some fun with the design. We made the most of every inch of space, creating a comfortable and social environment for residents to enjoy. The deck features lounge seating centered around a fire feature, an outdoor kitchen complete with a BBQ grill, pizza oven, and prep sink, and a dining area with a large table and chairs. A pergola with string lights defines the kitchen and dining space, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. The entire deck is framed by lush, raised planters and supported by space heaters, making it a vibrant gathering spot year-round.

Rainford was a defining project early in my time at McCullough. It challenged me to grow as a project manager, strengthened my ability to coordinate complex urban sites, and reinforced the value of clear communication within a strong project team. Seeing the project come to life from concept to completion was incredibly rewarding and continues to shape the way I approach design and collaboration today.

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