McCullough wishes you a joyous holiday season

All of us at McCullough wish you a joyous holiday season. 

May your peace + cheer continue throughout the New Year!

In honor of the holidays, our offices will be closed December 23rd through January 2nd.

Photo courtesy of Nikki Holloway

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Topaz, Housing for SDSU Students

Client of the Month:
PIERCE EDUCATION PROPERTIES

As a national leader in student housing that shares ties with San Diego State University, we are excited to feature Pierce Education Properties as our December Client of the Month. 

Pierce Education Properties (PEP) was founded in 1995, however, their story begins in 1984 when President and CEO Frederick Pierce was an undergraduate student at San Diego State University (SDSU). At the age of 21, Pierce had the opportunity to participate in two real estate internships and was immediately intrigued by the tangible nature of real estate. It was then when he became confident that one day he would start his own company. Keeping his sights open, in 1989 he landed his first development project; he bought a parcel of land and built nine houses on it.

Several years later, the SDSU Foundation hired Pierce to evaluate the land surrounding the campus and they were ready to put the project out to Request for Proposal (RFP). After doing so twice and receiving negative feedback about the project’s feasibility, the SDSU Foundation began to question Pierce’s recommendations. Confident in his work, Pierce quit his job to become the developer himself! It was all worth it when, at the end of his 90-day contract, the Foundation approved and adopted his business plan and hired Pierce to be the developer.

A vision at age 21 became a reality at 32. He was now the developer of a five-million-square-foot project, and PEP was born.

From there, Pierce scaled up the business in the higher education realm by building relationships, gaining valuable experience through his early projects, and serving in ways that opened the doors to investment opportunities. Volunteering and public service work provided him with some of the most valuable experience he’s gained. He won an appointment to the California State University Board of Trustees where he served for six years. Additionally, he was nominated to the San Diego City Pension Fund Board by former Mayor Susan Golding and appointed by City Council where he served as its Real Estate Investment Committee Chairman for his entire eight years on the Board.

In 2006, Pierce took the platform national. Since then, they have grown to acquire $1.1 billion in assets, hold 30,000 student housing beds around the country, and they have two projects currently active in development at SDSU. PEP has been selected as a Top 25 Owner and Top 25 Manager of Student Housing by Student Housing Business magazine every year for the past 10+ years. They have a vision to continue to be a leader in student housing for many years to come.

Starting out with just a handful of employees, PEP currently oversees ~150 employees at 11 locations throughout the country.

COMPANY LEADERSHIP

PEP is led by a seasoned, expert group of individuals alongside Frederick Pierce, President and CEO, who was selected as one of the “San Diego 500 Influential Business Leaders” from 2018-2021 by San Diego Business Journal, among a myriad of awards and recognitions. The leadership team also includes Neal Singer, Senior Vice President of Asset Management and Development; Clark Wardle, Chief Financial Officer; Matthew Maruccia, Chief Investment Officer; KrisAnn Kizer, who went from Community Assistant at PEP in 2007 to Vice President for Property Leasing and Marketing today; and Jasmin Zelinko, Vice President for Property Operations.

Giving back and maintaining a family-oriented environment are some of the most important values within PEP Leadership. It is important for their employees to like where they work, like the people they work with, and foster a family-oriented work environment for all. Pierce shared… 

“We want to instill in our workforce thankfulness for what opportunities we’ve been provided and, in turn, make sure that we can individually, and as a company, do what we can to give others similar opportunities.”

PEP contributes to universities and scholarship funds around the country. The company is a large investor in SDSU, where they provide multiple scholarships every year, enabling students the resources they need to enjoy the full college experience.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused many to question the stability of student housing, the reality has been significantly different from expectations. Despite the conversion to 100% online instruction at universities, “students demonstrated a high propensity to return to college irrespective of course delivery method.” During Fall 2020, PEP experienced one of the strongest move-ins to off-campus housing in recent history. Net income from their portfolio in the pandemic year exceeded the budget that had been created pre-pandemic, and out of 18,000 residents, there were only 30 documented positive COVID-19 tests. Read more in PEP’s white paper, COVID-19 and Student Housing: Myths and Realities.

TOPAZ MIXED-USE STUDENT HOUSING

Topaz, SDSU - San Diego, CA

McCullough was first introduced to PEP through our mutual connection with Architect and Artist Frank Wolden. Pierce met and came to know Wolden because of their collaborative involvement at the early onset of the SDSU Redevelopment project in the late 1980s. Wolden was one of the original concept designers and performed planning studies for the project. On the cutting edge in the 1980s urban design world, Wolden had become a leader in placemaking and mixed-use development in urban locations. When PEP had the opportunity for a new mixed-use student housing project for SDSU students in 2015, Pierce chose Wolden’s design team to lead the project. Wolden brought McCullough on to collaborate for the landscape/site design.

Now known as Topaz, the project has had a journey of its own. Pierce had served as the Master Developer of the Topaz site on behalf of SDSU for more than ten years, striving to acquire any property that falls within the boundaries of the redevelopment project area. However, properties in this area don’t become available often. The Topaz site is comprised of properties owned by a local family for more than 50 years. In 2017, the family reached out to Pierce to redevelop the property, and PEP formed a joint venture with the family later that year. The project is currently going into construction and is scheduled to be complete for fall semester 2023.

Fun fact: The project site is part of the project area surrounding SDSU that he was hired to implement in 1995 when he got his big break and founded PEP!

Topaz will be a ground-up 53-unit, 169-bed apartment building with a mix of restaurant and retail spaces on the ground floor and amenity spaces on the second and third floors. The development is also part of a transit-priority area, since it is located within two blocks of the underground SDSU trolley station. This allowed PEP to scale back parking to just 42 parking spaces. 

There is much less of a need for parking among university students than there once was. SDSU has a new policy that prohibits freshmen from having a car on campus, 25% of freshmen don’t have their driver’s licenses, and the current generation of students are accustomed to ride-share services – all of these factors reduce the need for parking spaces, leaving more room for creativity within the design and more efficient and cost-effective use of the space.

Through the landscape/site design, McCullough has created a unique streetscape experience with interesting paving, art, furnishings, and plant material that evoke the qualities of San Diego's canyons and coastal vistas. Residents will be greeted by a large and generous entry stair as they make their way up to the second floor, where custom raised planters will display a bounty of low water-use shrubs and ornamental grasses. The design of the third floor is inspired by San Diego’s deep, shady canyons and will provide several common open space areas for residents to sit and gather, relax in the spa, or engage with the life of the street below.

A creative architectural frame will create a window to open spaces on the third level. Through that “window,” Wolden and McCullough have designed a large architectural “tree,” made from wood and other materials, that will extend up through the window from the ground floor. The introduction of this unique, artistic element is intended to intrigue residents and people passing by, activating the space in an engaging way.

When asked about the experience working with McCullough’s staff, Pierce shared…

 “Especially for an urban project, we’ve had both the opportunity and the need for a lot of creativity in the approach to the landscape and hardscape development… Sometimes technical constraints can work against you, but McCullough always had super creative solutions that could help us achieve the technical requirements while, at the same point in time, not at all compromise and, in fact, enhance the built environment, functionality, and aesthetics of these important spaces. In an urban built environment, you’ve got such a finite amount of gathering spaces that it’s imperative to make those spaces usable, practical, and aesthetically pleasing.”

Senior Vice President, Neal Singer added, “David and the design team are always so responsive. It’s a great working relationship with good communication – we’re not trying to track people down.”

It is a pleasure to contribute to this project alongside such a powerhouse in higher education. We look forward to Topaz’s completion and the enhanced university experience that residents and visitors will enjoy as a result.

To learn more about Pierce Education Properties, visit https://pepstudent.com

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Twenty by Six

New Office Building Combines Functionality and Style in San Diego’s Financial District

Twenty by Six

Twenty by Six, our recently completed project at 450 B Street, is a corporate office facility that provides an enhanced, modern, and functional presence within San Diego’s downtown Financial District.

Home to what was formerly a Bank of America branch office, the property owners determined that the original Brutalist building – which included terraced roof gardens – was not the best use for this highly visible location. They hired Gensler’s San Diego office to rethink the possibilities. Through the process of evaluating the former site, the team determined that the underground garage would stay, the top building would be scrapped, and they would build a new mid-rise Class A office building on top of the existing garage. McCullough teamed with Gensler to tackle the exciting new challenges that this plan presented.

Our initial challenges were to create a cohesive, unified design across the various spaces and amenities planned for the building with a clear understanding of the specific, varying needs of each space. This included the design of:

• A new courtyard on the existing garage roof

• An exterior corridor/promenade that connects the courtyard to the street from below the new building

• A rooftop garden planned for the third level

• Several below-grade light wells that needed to be treated as special amenities as they would be very visible to prominent indoor spaces

• A building lobby and atrium space on Gensler's wish list to highlight

The resulting courtyard is a programmed, outdoor extension of the interior spaces that draws tenants and guests in at the street level. Achieving seamless indoor/outdoor connectivity, it includes a warm, textured corten steel fire pit and separate fireplace, comfortable seating, an outdoor extension of the building’s fitness facility, and a large, covered patio that will serve as additional space for a future restaurant tenant.

On the third floor, a rooftop garden creates a direct connection to the adjacent interior suites and looks down on the courtyard below. For this garden, McCullough designed planters filled with clumping grasses and wildflowers that would blow softly in the wind and reflect the warm glow of afternoon sun.

The placement of the lightwells presented a challenge that needed special attention. They were planned for dark, cold places within the building that would be difficult for living elements to flourish within. McCullough approached this by designing a curated garden space that appears like a landscape painting on a large canvas when viewed from the interior of the building. Understanding the delicate conditions within each space, we gave special attention to ensure we selected plant material with complementary lighting that is both aesthetically pleasing and enables the plants to thrive.

Gensler designed an open stairwell that descended from the upper levels to the ground-level lobby where they wanted to include plant features. McCullough collaborated with Gensler to contrast living, planted elements with materials like raw steel and wood in a sophisticated style. The outcome of the space presents a striking first impression to building visitors.

Overall, the design of the new building over existing structures was the catalyst for our design team to develop some unique creative solutions, perfectly aligned with the owner’s vision for the building. We worked through waterproofing and structural details, coordinated live and dead loads of landscapes on rooftops, and simply pieced together what, at times, seemed like intricate puzzle pieces.

We are very proud of how this project came together and the way that it tastefully fits the needs of downtown and the building’s future office tenants.

David McCullough, ASLA, PLA
Principal Landscape Architect

Logistics of Micromobility

San Diego, CA

In our first article about micromobility and its effect on the urban landscape, we mentioned that the emerging transportation category is fostering a new wave of business owners who are capitalizing on its meteoric rise. For our second article on the subject, written by Senior Associate Benjamin Arcia, we interviewed a scooter fleet manager who provides his inside perspective of how the industry works. 

Following the first micromobility article, Benjamin interviewed Quincy ‘Quin’ Johnson, an up-and-coming San Diego entrepreneur that manages a fleet of 250 Bird scooters. Benjamin found it vital to understand the evolving landscape of micromobility from the point of view of someone who is right in the thick of things; on the front lines of a transportation revolution. Quin offers us some insight on daily operations, usage patterns, and the facilities required to run a fleet.

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MICROMOBILITY PART II: AN INTERVIEW WITH SCOOTER FLEET MANAGER, QUIN JOHNSON

On a warm, sunny July day, I (Benjamin Arcia) rode along in Quincy’s work truck as he picked up scooters, ferried them to and from his charging warehouse, and deposited them in his favorite locations downtown. The conversation begins in Little Italy, the streets quiet in the early-afternoon glare of the sun…

Quin Johnson

Alright, should we give it a try?

Tell me your name, who you are, and where we are?

My name is Quin. We are in San Diego, California and I am a micromobility specialist, with the scooters.

So, what are you doing right now?

Well, I'm dropping off. See those ones in the back [of the truck] those ones are about to get ready to be dropped off right now. 

How do you know where to drop them off?

Quin pulls out his phone, a brightly colored map of San Diego shows on the screen. Small icons are scattered among the grid of streets.

Bam! We got nests all over the city.

Oh, so they have to go to a Bird nest?

A “nest” is a rectangle painted on the street where shared electric scooters are allowed to be parked. They are also widely referred to as “corrals.”

It has to be in the nest.

…and do you get assigned each nest?

I just pick wherever I want to go. 

Oh! So, you have favorite fishing holes?

Definitely. These spots right here (gesturing at a half-full nest across the street), when I go to them at certain times of day, they’ll be booming. I’ll wait and catch ‘em when no one’s ready.

Does it change from day to day, week to week?

Nah, it doesn't really change once you find people—what they do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and they consistently do it, there's no more guessing. They gon’ be there.

What makes these your spots and not other people's?

Well, they're up for grabs, anybody can get to ‘em. Not everybody like myself moves the way I move. With me living downtown it’s easier to get to any one of these spots quicker than anybody else can.

That makes sense. Is there a maximum number [of scooters] that can be at each spot?

Some of them have fourteen, fifteen, some twenty, some twenty-five.

Is your work area restricted to just Downtown?

Nope! I can go here, I can go to the beaches—which I do, I’m not just downtown. For me, when it’s summer, those are the prime locations: downtown and the beaches. That’s where all the tourists go, so I just focus on that. I can go to a few different places, I could go to La Jolla if I wanted to, but I’d rather stick to what’s closest to me.

Quin pulls up to the curb. He drops the tailgate of the truck and two-by-two, parks twelve scooters within the bounds of a white rectangle on the asphalt. He meticulously lines them up just a few inches apart. Quin pulls his phone out again and walks down the line of scooters, pausing to scan the handlebar of each one.

We are driving to Quin’s warehouse. He describes the importance of having both his residence and his warehouse close to downtown. A scooter that is low in battery needs to be taken to the warehouse and charged for four hours before it can be placed back on the street. Ultimately, the business hinges on quick turnaround times and efficiency of movement. A scooter that’s in the warehouse is a scooter that is not making money.

Why [do you plan to] expand now?

With these scooters, you have to have a really good space to be able to store ‘em, charge ‘em, fix ‘em, stuff like that. I was able to get a really nice space that I’ve had for about eight or nine months. 

What makes the space nice?

Uh, the SPACE.

Scooter Storage

Just the amount of space?

The space…and it’s all mine! You know, cause when I first got on, doing these, you had to try to find people to see if you could go charge your scooters [at their place] AND it’s hard to find space here in San Diego, period, and it’s very expensive. […] See I did the storage thing for a little bit, where I would rent a storage unit out, use their electricity, and I could only come in between eight-o’clock and five-o’clock, or something like that, and that’s what most people have to do. Or, they live in an apartment, and uh, it just limits them. Having a warehouse, I can do anything I want to do, any time of the night, which gives me an advantage.

Other than the space, was there anything else you needed in terms of utilities or the amount of electricity required?

The main thing was space, everything else was fine. And the funny thing is, my electricity bill is not even high…

Really?

…and I’m using the fast chargers which most people don’t have, I think it’s four or five of us that have the fast chargers here in San Diego, and [electricity] is not even expensive at all. So, I got a great deal on that, and a great deal on the rental space. […] I took a five-year lease on that thing, which is a commitment right there.

We arrive at Quin’s warehouse. I had pictured a massive space, filled with scooters and fancy charging equipment. Instead, I’m struck by how spartan the space is. It’s a simple box, a room twelve feet wide and fifty feet long, with rows of power strips screwed to the drywall. There are, perhaps, half a dozen scooters plugged in. The wheels in my head keep turning, “We’ve got all this dead retail in downtown. Meanwhile, fleet managers are struggling to find space to operate. Seems like an opportunity.” The phone rings. Quin unloads a handful of scooters from the truck and plugs them in, all while chatting on the phone with his scooter mechanic. There’s talk about broken necks and smashed brains, and other scooter anatomy in need of repair.He tells the mechanic that he’ll come pick up the fourteen scooters in his care after the mechanic has charged them fully. We close up the warehouse and hop back in the truck.

When was the first time you rode an electric scooter?

The first time? When I came to San Diego.

Really?

I’d never seen ‘em before in my life. I’m from a small, small, small, country town. So, I’d never even seen a scooter like that, until I came here. Because I’d never gone anywhere else, outside of my town. San Diego was the first time I rode a scooter.

…and what was that experience like?

It was crazy. I was like, wha- what the hell is this? That used to be our thing when we’d get in town, “Let’s go get on some scooters! Now, I just get on scooters because I have to, but back then, it was like “This is crazy, I can’t believe they don’t have this where I’m from.”

Do you think that [scooters] will ever make it to your town?

Naaaaahhhh… My town is a very small country town. They still ride horses and stuff like that. My mom was talking to me yesterday about a damn GOAT running across the yard, so… No. It’s not gonna happen.

Quin pulls up to the curb at an unassuming-looking corner. There are few people around, and a mostly-empty scooter corral sits across the street from us. Quin points to it.

Look, this is a prime location. You don’t know what prime location is until you work a spot. So, like, I’ve worked at this spot for four months. If you’re just a regular person with scooters and you just pass by this, it just looks like a normal corral, but if you've been working it for so long, you KNOW this is the one. See how empty it is right now? It’s crazy, because [competitors] don’t know [that the corral is empty]. So that’s the thing about being downtown, you’re able to put [scooters] out fast, see which ones go quicker, and THESE are the locations that go quicker. I’m tryin’ to tell you, Little Italy is like IT.

Quin initially moved to San Diego with the goal of pursuing a career in music. While he was writing songs in many genres, from country to rap, he supported himself by working for Bird as a ‘Charger.’ Chargers were tasked with retrieving scooters off the street, charging them, and putting them back out. Chargers were paid a bounty for each scooter they retrieved. Anyone could be a charger. It was an open-gig job, just like being an Uber Eats driver.

People started setting out in sedans and hatchbacks in search of an easy buck. They would take scooters to their homes and charge them in their garages. However, after this first flurry of interest, many realized that being a charger only made financial sense as a full-time commitment, rather than as a side gig. This led some people to assemble coordinated fleets of pickup trucks that voraciously collected scooters and charged them in warehouse spaces. There were fights over scooters and turf. Some of these situations got nasty. People figured out how to manipulate the supply of scooters on the street in attempts to game the system.

The Charger program was eventually replaced by the current Fleet Manager Program. By contrast, Fleet Managers are assigned several scooters that they are in charge of. While the Fleet Managers do not actually own each scooter assigned to their fleet, they are responsible for charging them and maintaining their good condition. Fleet Managers are vetted and required to have insurance and a commercial driver’s license. In return, they receive a cut from the proceeds of each ride. At the time of our conversation, Quin had been a Fleet Manager for 13 months.

How many scooters did you start with?

Initially, it was twenty-five. They won't let you get more than that because they don't know if you can handle more than that.

How many scooters are you in charge of now?

Oh man, I have 250! I just turned in some old ones, 150 of the old [scooters]. They don't really do you any good right now with all the new scooters that're on the street. They're just gonna sit there, no one wants to ride the old [models].

So 250. That's 10 times the amount [of scooters] that you started with.

Yeah, it should be more. I should be at 400-500 right now if I had a warehouse and all that stuff back, then I would probably be able to do the numbers that are required to expand, expand…

How many miles do you and your team drive every day to recover the scooters?

I do not know. You know what's crazy? We just drive a lot downtown or the beach so I'm not really counting my mileage because I'm just going around the block.

How often do you refill the truck?

Nowadays, I just put 40 bucks in there, and I'll just go for two days.

So, we can assume twenty bucks in gas a day?

More or less, let's say about thirty.

Because on one hand [scooter-sharing] is taking cars off the street […], but on the other hand there are trucks and vans out on the street that weren't there before, picking up [scooters] and moving them. So how does it balance out?

This question was met with a shrug, silence.

So, you get to see the day's rides for each scooter, right?

Yeah, each scooter, I can see everything about this scooter: where it's at, when it's moving…. You name it, I see it.

What are the majority of people's trips like, in terms of distance and time of day?

The majority of people are riding their scooters as tourists. I can see the line [on my phone], you know literally where they were. They're just riding around through the city, just seeing stuff. 

Was that different during [lockdown]? Did you see different kinds of rides?

Yeah during [lockdown] you saw how it wasn't just having fun downtown. It looked like it was more to work […] it wasn't squiggly lines all over the place. It was just lines going straight to this location or straight back from that location. Now the lines are all over the place, man. You can be looking at someone riding a scooter for two hours, all the way down here from Mission Beach. The lines are crazy because you get a lot of young people, four or five of them at one time, they ride to have fun. Versus back then, [lockdown] when it was just work-home-work-home.

…and time of day doesn't seem to matter as much when they're tourists? 

Right. These days, I mean you look at the [phone] screen at like, three, four in the morning, they are riding these things.

What's your favorite part of the job?

Uh, the checks! I mean that. Yeah, the checks are phenomenal. The checks are unbelievable. […] Man, I almost blew the opportunity by not taking this, but the checks are great.

What are some of the weird things that you see when you're on the job?

Damn, I see a lot of weird stuff, man. I see a lot of butt naked people sitting on scooters. I've seen people relieve themselves on the scooter. I had to go pick up one of my scooters on a roof. I've had people who have climbed to the top of trees and hung the scooters from the tops. Stuff like that. Man, I’ve seen a whole bunch. I went and picked up one [scooter] the other day and I had to get on one boat to get a scooter off another boat.

Wow, people really treat them like they don't care, huh?

Some people do, but most of these people are treating them almost like their personal vehicle. […] Now, you have the other class ‘re gonna take it home, break it down, steal everything on it, and that's that.

Does that happen often?

Yeah, it happens a lot. We got the Mexico run where you’re chasing a scooter that's on the trolley, trying to get it to Mexico. You gotta beat them to the border to get it, man.

No way…

Yeah, we go through that all the time, but one time me and my brother [were alerted to suspicious] movement on a scooter and when we pulled up. […] It was a dude, and he was dragging it. When he saw us, he took off. He ran inside the Greyhound [bus] station down here. We were chasing him all through the building trying to get the scooter. Man, it was crazy.

Then you caught him?

Finally caught him. He dropped it and took off. We chased him for at least seven minutes straight.

Wow… Tell me about the one on the train!

Oh, that happens all the time. You get alerted, [and] you need to watch your screen because if [a scooter] moves a little bit to the left a couple more times, now you have to chase it. So now you gotta rush from here all the way, watching your screen like a movie and going through these backstreets to try to get the scooter off the trolley before it gets to Mexico because once it gets to Mexico, that's it.

They don't even check at the border?

Nah, they let people walk RIGHT on in, man.

Have you had to call the cops on people?

I never had to call ‘em. I've always gotten my stuff back.

That's a lot of effort to save a scooter.

Yeah, it is, but when you have to pay for these scooters… Aw shiiit. Especially with these new ones – these things are expensive. 800 dollars. You just aren't gonna throw 800 dollars away like that.

…and all the revenue you'll be missing…

Yeah, hell no. Every scooter counts in this game.

Who has the largest fleet in San Diego right now?

Oh man, this guy named Brian. He's the Michael Jordan of scooters, I don't give a damn where you are. Really. No matter what city or state you're in, he's the number one. He's here in San Diego.

Wow! And how many scooters do you think he has?

Probably like 800-900.

How many people do you think he's got working for him?

He has twenty people.

Wow.

He's making, you know, a 100,000 dollars a week right now.

Quin pulls up a map on his phone. It shows downtown San Diego. The first thing I notice here are blue areas, delineated by ‘geofences.’ These are parts of the city in which a scooter will only go slow, and in some cases, cease to function. The waterfront, Balboa Park, and a few other noteworthy attractions are geofenced in order to protect crowds of pedestrians from scooter riders. Outside the geofences, sprinkled throughout the city’s grid, are splotches of purple in varying shades.

You see those purple areas, right?

Yeah?

That's where someone took out their phone and tried to find a Bird scooter. The more people are in the area trying to find a scooter, the deeper the purple that it goes. It varies too because it goes cold and it goes hot, so you want to put your [scooters] in those areas.

So, it's a map of demand…

Yeah, it's a map of demand but you don't follow the map.

Why not?

No one follows this map. I don't follow it. I mean, I started off doing it and then I realized that I'm chasing nothing.

Huh?

I mean, I'm sure if you want to put some [scooters] in there they will [get rented]. It's just how long will it [take].

Quin goes into a lengthy explanation of the intuition and hedging strategies involved in selecting locations for his scooters. He speaks with authority like a seasoned poker player. I have omitted this to respect his privacy. Our conversation moved to issues of access and equity.

What about micromobility and where it’s available in the city? You said it's mostly downtown and in the beach communities, what about the outlying neighborhoods?

There are nests everywhere in San Diego. I remember when I was a charger back when they had these nests in like the worst part [of town], and we could never get the scooters. They get them, they take them to their house, whatever. You go to some spots and dudes [threatening] like “pssh, yeah these are my scooters, come get ‘em.”

Bird encourages placement of scooters equally throughout the city, but as an experienced fleet manager, Quin avoids the areas that have proven troublesome in the past. Our conversation continued, covering topics ranging from his music career, to cultural differences between California and Texas, to the invisible boundaries between San Diego’s communities. We eventually cruised it back to our meeting point and said our goodbyes.

I came away from this conversation feeling energized and better equipped as an urban designer. Energized to see technology enabling entrepreneurship from the ground-up. Happy to see that the micromobility industry has a viable future because it is not turning into a vertically-integrated monopoly, but rather a dynamic ecosystem with niches for go-getters like Quin to find and fill.

After seeing Quin’s warehouse and charging setup, I also felt equipped with a closer understanding of the spatial needs of a scooter fleet and with the resolve to advocate for micromobility facilities in our urban design projects. As it turns out, scooter fleets don’t require all that much space or electricity -- they don’t need windows, water, or air-conditioning. We can (and should) shoehorn them into our new visions of the city. Doing so will help to get cars off the street, keep people smiling as they ride, and expand the realm of opportunities to the next generation of business-owners.

Benjamin Arcia, M.U.D.
Senior Associate

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Client of the Month:
Architects Mosher Drew

San Diego High School / Rendering courtesy of Architects Mosher Drew

Our November Client of the Month has a long legacy of quintessential projects to San Diego, including the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, 225 Broadway (the former NBC Tower in San Diego’s Horton Plaza district), UC San Diego Math and Science Building, SDSU Love Library, and Coronado Bridge – the latter of which received the Legacy Award from American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Diego Chapter in 2019!

We are excited to announce Architects Mosher Drew as our Client of the Month!

Architects Mosher Drew (AMD) was established over 73 years ago in 1948 by Roy Drew and Robert Mosher. Drew and Mosher were both raised in Los Angeles and they met in Paul Haynes’ Los Angeles office. After starting their firm, formerly Mosher and Drew Architects, they worked primarily on residential and commercial commissions in La Jolla. During a short period early in the firm’s history, House Beautiful Editor Elizabeth Gordon requested that Mosher work as Building Editor for the magazine. Drew agreed to take a sabbatical while Mosher spent two years commuting to Manhattan daily for the position. He had the fortunate opportunity to live with Frank Lloyd Wright for two to three weeks while House Beautiful prepared a landmark dedication of an entire issue to Mr. Wright. This invaluable period of his life left a lasting impression on Mosher and significantly impacted his professional life.

This experience has set the tone through several new generations that have made their mark at AMD. The firm currently has seven principals led by Senior Principals Ed Holakiewicz, AIA and Bill Magnuson, AIA, and a full-time staff of 26 professionals, including 11 licensed architects. Their focus is primarily on Education, Healthcare, Federal/Military, Civic, and Commercial projects in the Southern California region. The firm values a commitment to creating exceptional environments that successfully fulfill the needs of the end-users.

The firm’s guiding vision statement speaks volumes about their work approach:

Architecture is a shared endeavor.

We craft innovative solutions which enrich programmatic and sensory intent, engage the greater community, and achieve tangible success.

AMD considers sustainable thinking, respect for the landscape, and biophilic design as critical components to their work. One driving passion that is collectively shared at AMD involves creating magnificent places for people and doing so with a high standard of excellence.

Senior Principal Ed Holakiewicz, AIA shared that, for projects that he is involved with, he is just as proud of the landscape design as he is of the architecture.

“As a design philosophy, the idea of enhancing people’s lives and experiences through the built environment, both architecture and landscape architecture, has been very near and dear to me for my personal career as well as for AMD. Working with the McCullough team has been part of a larger, broader spectrum of projects that have brought wonderful things to San Diego in terms of campus design and other project designs.”

Ed Holakiewicz, AIA
Senior Principal, Architects Mosher Drew

Ed’s relationship with our firm Principal David McCullough goes back 13-14 years when Ed was at a previous architecture firm. Over the years, they have enjoyed many opportunities to work collaboratively and attribute much of their success to the mutual respect that each brings to the table. Some of those project collaborations prior to Ed’s time at AMD include design-build work with San Diego Community College District: San Diego City College Career Technology Center and Mesa College Exercise Science Center.

However, this hardly covers the extent of McCullough’s experience with AMD. David had the privilege of knowing Robert Mosher prior to his passing in 2015 and has also worked closely with Senior Principal Ben Meza. Our firms have pursued and completed many projects together that have helped shape San Diego as we know it. Some of the most notable projects include the animal exhibits at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego High School Whole Site Modernization.

SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL WHOLE SITE MODERNIZATION

San Diego High School / Rendering courtesy of Architects Mosher Drew

San Diego High School / Rendering courtesy of Architects Mosher Drew

As the oldest school in San Diego County, San Diego High School has gone through layers and layers of changes throughout its 139-year history. The campus sits on leased Balboa Park property. Having recently renewed their long-term lease, San Diego Unified School District has initiated a Whole Site Modernization (WSM) for the campus. This is an incredible opportunity for AMD and McCullough to reinvigorate the campus and pay tribute to its incredible history as an iconic feature in the San Diego downtown – a center of learning for generations of San Diego residents. The modernization will revitalize the high school experience on campus and contribute to a healthier educational environment for future generations of faculty and students.

In 2017, AMD and McCullough began this project by completing a campus assessment and pre-design scope. During this phase, they reviewed the entire campus, the physical buildings, the program requirements for the high school, and the physical environment itself. They authored an Assessment Book, which defines campus modernization needs in 2018, including a master plan that outlines multiple phases of campus over time. Phase I of the project proceeded to the design phase and developed over a couple of years, expanding in scope to address academic building improvement needs. 

At this time, Phase I design is complete and necessary agency approvals are being finalized while the District coordinates funding and phased development strategy. Swinerton Builders has been selected as the contractor to build the project as it now moves into the construction phase. We are looking forward to the outcome of this important project, when faculty and students will benefit from the revitalized, modern campus.

Click here to learn more about the San Diego Unified School District's modernization plans, including the history of the oldest school in San Diego, from the District website.

SAN DIEGO ZOO

When McCullough and AMD began working with the San Diego Zoo, the Zoo was undergoing a rebrand or rediscovery with the goal of converting existing animal exhibits to be more interactive and provide guests with a much closer look at the animals. Although the guests' experience was an important aspect, the design also needed to be consistent with the animals’ natural habitats to provide them with healthy spaces that make them feel at home. Our project team worked closely with zookeepers and zoo coordinators to achieve a design that served both of these important factors.

Asian Leopard Exhibit

The updated design for the Asian Leopard Exhibit has created an exciting and memorable experience for Zoo guests. The exhibit was created above and around a walking pathway for guests with a barrier and branches that stretch out over the walkway. This allows the Asian leopards to move freely among the branches while guests watch from below, just feet away from the magnificent creatures.

Polar Bear Exhibit

The Polar Bear Exhibit provided us another opportunity to play creatively with the interaction between the bears and Zoo guests. Our teams design a glass enclosure with a panel strategically placed so that zookeepers can feed the animals as they speak to guests at the exhibit. We learned that the polar bears often stand on their hind legs and lean on the glass during feeding times, eager for their meals. Because of this, we designed a separate, additional panel on a swivel that allows it to tilt. When bears lean against this panel, it tilts forward toward the zookeeper just enough to surprise and excite guests.

Additionally, our teams developed “pads” that float atop the water in the enclosure that represent floating sheets of ice. They are strategically spaced close together at one end and then further and further apart across the water, which demonstrates the effects of climate change on the bears’ natural habitat.

Our other collaborative project work at the San Diego Zoo includes the Mountain Lion Exhibit and the Asian Hornbill Exhibit. However, we have completed many other projects with AMD over the past two decades.

A sample of notable project work that our firms have completed together, in addition to those above, includes:

• Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center Healing Garden

• All Souls Episcopal Church, Point Loma

• Reformation Lutheran Church

“I have really enjoyed my collaborations with David McCullough,” said Ed. “Everybody at the McCullough office is terrific, and most importantly, David brings such vision and energy to our work together. When you have somebody that brings that kind of vision and energy, it inspires everybody to produce unique, innovative designs solutions. I’d say the common denominator on our projects together over the years has been that we inspire each other, and we ask a lot of each other. Because of that, the work is better.”

Architects Mosher Drew is a firm steeped in San Diego’s history that we are honored to partner with for many meaningful projects. Our mutual respect, ambition, and inspiration helps lead us to unique, innovative designs that truly reflect our collaborative focus on the quality of the human experience.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Midway village+
A Place for all of us

Rendering courtesy of Joe Cordelle

Rendering courtesy of Joe Cordelle

Rendering courtesy of Joe Cordelle

Rendering courtesy of Joe Cordelle

Midway Village+ / San Deigo, CA

It’s an exciting time for San Diego! The City is in the process of accepting proposals, with priority to affordable housing developers, for the redevelopment of the Midway District – a prominent area between Mission Bay and the San Diego Bay.

McCullough is thrilled to be part of the Midway Village+ team creating a plan to re-imagine the Midway District with an emphasis on affordable housing and a new arena. Our team has strong local roots and includes leading experts from outside the region with decades of experience in San Diego and across the globe. Two of our master developers, Toll Brothers and Oak View Group, have multi-billion-dollar balance sheets.

THE TEAM

• BRIDGE Housing (master developer and affordable housing developer)

• Toll Brothers (master developer and market-rate housing developer)

• MAAC (affordable housing developer)

• Waterford Property Company (middle-income housing partner)

• San Diego Loyal Soccer Club (soccer venues developer and operator)

• Live Nation (concert venue operator, live entertainment provider to arena and concert venue)

• CRUZAN (hotel, office, and retail developer)

• AVRP Studios (architect)

• McCullough Landscape Architecture (landscape architect/urban designer)

• David Malmuth Development (entertainment developer and project executive)

• London Moeder Advisors (financial/market/strategic real estate advisor)

The Midway Village+ team has a vision to transform the space with a diverse, vibrant pedestrian village anchored by affordable homes, sports and entertainment venues, park space, and more.

Standing amongst San Diego’s greatest neighborhoods, Midway Village+ will help promote health and wellness, spark economic growth throughout the Midway District, and carve a new path for our city. Midway Village+ is a place for all of us.

MIDWAY VILLAGE+ PLAN FEATURES

Outstanding features of our Midway Village+ plan include:

• Affordable Homes: More than HALF the homes are for low-income and middle-income families

• Open Space: The centerpiece of MV+ is a 12-acre central park

• New Sports Arena: Approximately 15,000 seats

• New modular soccer stadium (temporary home for San Diego Loyal): 12,000 to 15,000 seats

• PLUS – New permanent Soccer Stadium for the Loyal: Approx. 20,000 seats
  (Would be built on adjacent 17-acre site northwest of 49-acre Sports Arena Site)

“We believe we have the best plan and the best team, but this is a competitive process so we’re going to need your support to bring this plan to life. This is a plan designed specifically for San Diego, but this process is just beginning, and our plan will evolve and become stronger as we hear from members of the community.”

– David Malmuth, Project Executive, Midway Village+

On Sunday, October 17, the MV+ team joined with community members at Stone Brewing Liberty Station to introduce our plan at a VIP Briefing. The meeting was followed by a Loyal Soccer Game at USD Torero (one 'r') Stadium. During the event, community members had the opportunity to meet various MV+ team members and ask any questions they had about the project. Project Executive David Malmuth of David Malmuth Development introduced the plan as well as our many great collaborators, and Doug Austin of AVRP Studios shared some of the exciting details being developed. One of the highlights of the plan is that, not only will Midway Village+ consist of more that 25% affordable housing, but more than 50% of total units will consist of affordable homes for low- and middle-income residents, addressing San Diego’s “missing middle” challenge.

Midway Village+ VIP Briefing October 17 / Stone Brewing at Liberty Station

“We know the need for affordable homes and middle-income homes is tremendous throughout our region, which is why our plan puts such an emphasis on housing San Diegans can afford. BRIDGE is looking forward to creating a diverse and inclusive community with a variety of housing choices.”

– Aruna Doddapaneni, Senior Vice President of Development, BRIDGE Housing

 Read more about Midway Village+ by visiting midwayvillageplus.com.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

Reimagining Our Downtown Parklet for International Park(ing) Day

McCullough Headquarters, Downtown San Diego

What is Park(ing) Day?

Park(ing) Day is an international annual event that encourages community organizations, design firms, artists, business owners, planners and students around the globe to transform metered parking spaces into temporary parklets for a single day every third Friday in September. The parklet is small-scale, encompassing one or more adjacent parking spaces, and can take a wide variety of beautiful, artful, educational, or playful forms.*

*American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) San Diego

Friday, September 17th, our firm participated in International Park(ing) Day. We are thrilled to have collaborated with our neighbors on the 700 Block, 16th Street, AVRP Studios and Moniker Group, to activate our shared parklet and hold a mock late night tv show featuring AVRP Studios’ Senior Urban Designer, Howard Blackson.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES?

To kick things off and narrow down some ideas about what we wanted to do, we invited Brooksie Hughes of BAH Productions to facilitate the conversation in our high concept design charette. Brooksie has over two decades experience as an event producer and placemaking consultant creating experiences of all kinds, shapes, and sizes nationwide - often pushing the limits of what is possible. Alongside her work in events, she also works with developers, architects, and city planners to help shape the public realm in communities through the “end-user’s” point of view. Recently, she has been focused on parklets beyond the normal uses, home and abroad.

Bright and early on September 7th, Brooksie joined us at our San Diego office to guide us through a Park(ing) Day Design Charette complete with fun, interactive exercises that inspired our Park(ing) Day project. Our team was energized by the experience (as well as the coffee and donuts!), and after narrowing down precisely how we wanted to participate in the event, we were only left with how to execute our plan.

“IF I COULD MAKE SAN DIEGO A BETTER PLACE, I WOULD…”

After spending the following ten days planning and preparing, on Friday, September 17th, we transformed our parklet into a mock late night tv studio, featuring fun activities and the chance for guests to sit in the “hot seat” and be interviewed on LIVE! with Howard Blackson.

Early Friday morning, our team spruced up the parklet with fresh succulents and began setting up for the day. We installed four 2”x4” posts along the outer frame of the parklet and strung flags made from architectural plans from the building to the posts, creating a cloud-like canopy overhead. On the parklet tables, guests were invited to write their ideas about “big sky possibilities” for our city on colorful flags, answering the prompt, “If I could make San Diego a better place, I would…” Guests then pinned their flags to our Idea Board to be used as discussion points in the mock late night tv show.

We were excited to have the company of many guests right when LIVE! with Howard Blackson commenced at 11:00 AM. Howard took the (sidewalk) stage and began hosting the show with introductions and a few jokes in his characteristic witty style. A few of our guests volunteered to take one of the three “hot seats” in which they wore different hats and tried to answer Howard’s questions from the perspective of whose “hat” they were wearing: one hat was labeled “City Planner,” another was labeled “Architect,” and the third was labeled “Community Member.” Howard pulled flags from the Idea Board to use as topics for the interviewees to answer questions about. We loved hearing the interesting and insightful responses to our guests’ ideas about how to make San Diego a better place.

We’d like to offer a special thanks to Howard Blackson for being our entertaining host, as well as AVRP Studios and Moniker Group for all of their support before and during the event! We are honored to have been the only downtown parklet participating in International Park(ing) Day this year – there were also 14+ participants in Chula Vista, coordinated by the San Diego Chapter of ASLA!

THE STORY OF OUR 700 BLOCK 16TH STREET PARKLET

The 16th Street Parklet project, in front of the historic Snowflake Bakery building, was a joint effort between Kate Goodson of Pop-Arch, Moniker Group, East Village Association, McCullough Landscape Architecture, and Rob Nelson Architecture. Permitted in 2016, the design was intended as a pilot project to create an easily replicable template for parklets throughout downtown to increase walkability and community engagement. It was one of the first permitted parklets under the new regulatory process.

The original design focused on using natural materials and textures to invoke a park-like feel while still giving a nod to the industrial roots of the East Village neighborhood. Along the street length side of the parklet were printed steel mesh panels with photos of the Snowflake Bakery throughout history – from the turn of the century when it was constructed to modern day. It was even honored in a grand-opening ceremony, with former Mayor Kevin Faulconer and former Council Member Todd Gloria, as “Rob Nelson Memorial Parklet” in memory of Rob Nelson following his passing during completion of the project. Although the original parklet with the photo panels was damaged in an accident, Moniker Group completed a replacement parklet in early 2021.

TIMELY APPROVAL OF MAYOR GLORIA’S SPACES AS PLACES PROGRAM

On Thursday, September 16th, the day before the global Park(ing) Day event, the City of San Diego’s Land Use & Housing Committee approved Mayor Todd Gloria’s Spaces as Places program, an important step forward toward City Council’s approval.

The Spaces as Places program was designed in response to the pandemic, during which outdoor dining within public spaces became critical to the survival of many restaurant businesses, given that it allowed them to continue operating under public health orders restricting indoor operations. Spaces as Places allows businesses to transition existing, temporary outdoor spaces from an emergency response to a permanent program, which includes specific design and safety standards.

“San Diegans have made clear how much they love the outdoor dining and spaces that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic, and I have been committed to finding a way for them to stay. This program will create an avenue for temporary outdoor structures constructed in response to the pandemic to become permanent installations, ensuring long-term options that are safe, equitable and accessible for everyone.”

– Mayor Todd Gloria

This is an exciting stride ahead for the City of San Diego and our community’s relationship with the public realm. Given the timing, we can’t help but think that the combined efforts of all those involved in Park(ing) Day played an important role in the Land Use & Housing Committee’s approval of the Spaces as Places program. We couldn’t be more pleased.

Learn more about Spaces as Places by visiting: sandiego.gov/spaces-as-places

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Client of the Month:
Safdie Rabines Architects

Diversionary Theatre - San Diego, CA

McCullough is eager to announce Safdie Rabines Architects (SRA) as our September Client of the Month!

Founded by husband-and-wife partners Ricardo Rabines and Taal Safdie, SRA has accomplished many successful projects in San Diego and around the world. Today, Ricardo and Taal continue to lead the full-service architecture, interiors, and urban design firm of more than 40 talented professionals at their office in San Diego’s Mission Hills. The firm explores all project typologies through their work and holds a diverse portfolio of successful projects that deliver “distinctive, sustainable and site-specific design solutions in a variety of contexts and scales.”

Taal and Ricardo moved from New York to San Diego in 1990 to work with the Chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, who was hired to be the Dean of a new architectural school at UC San Diego. While they initially considered the move temporary, they soon fell in love with the beauty of the city and potential of the region and chose to settle with their growing family. In 1993 they founded Safdie Rabines Architects and began with a strong emphasis in single-family residential projects. Having long held an interest in public work, they strove to expand the diversity of their portfolio.

Through nearly 30 years, SRA has expanded far beyond their early beginnings in public work to a variety of project typologies including education, civic, master planning, mixed-use, commercial, residential, and urban design. Across every type of project, SRA brings their unique vision to create vibrant structures and social spaces that enhance the beauty of the surrounding site and community. This emphasis on creating a sense of place has been realized in projects that range from intimate cultural venues to full-scale neighborhoods that integrate living, learning, and the community experience.

SRA strives to follow these guiding principles in all they do:

• Their work progresses from the client’s vision and goals for the project in concert with the unique conditions of each site.

• They endeavor to create significant and meaningful places through the development of an integrated relationship between building and landscape.

• They strive to be sensitive to context and to responsibly consider and implement environmental opportunities with the design of each building and site.

The fact that these guiding principles align so closely with McCullough’s values is likely a huge part of why our teams collaborate seamlessly together. As Taal recently shared, “For most of our projects, the nature – the landscape – is the main component. It is intuitively important to Ricardo and me, both personally and in our work to maintain a connection with the natural realm. We love to be in nature; when we can be outside, we are. We strive to translate those sensibilities in our designs because we believe people are like us – they like to be outside.”

McCullough and SRA have teamed for a range of different types of projects, such as the Diversionary Theatre in University Heights, one of the oldest LGBTQ theaters in the country; SeaGlass, an 8-unit residential condominium development in Carlsbad; and the Olivetas Residence, a private residence project in La Jolla, to name a few.

DIVERSIONARY THEATRE

Diversionary Theatre is a high-quality theatrical venue for the LGBTQ community that empowers the expression of important cultural discussions. The theater is one of the oldest LGBTQ theaters in the country and has been in its current location since 1994. Through our collaborative work on this project, the two-story, 11,000 SF venue will benefit from refreshed design elements, larger seating capacity of 160 seats, improved sightlines, accessibility for guests, and upgraded, state-of-the-art theatrical technology and equipment. A new courtyard will form part of the entry, welcoming the local community and encouraging gathering and social interactions.

This project had a very limited budget to bring landscape design to the courtyard space. This challenge caused the client to want to cut landscape from the project. However, we were able to quickly develop a solution to the setback. Principal David McCullough went above and beyond to meet with the client, helping them to select all the plants for the project. This solution allowed them to stay true to the project vision while also remaining on budget.

SEAGLASS

SeaGlass is a 22,400 SF eight-unit multifamily condominium development within Carlsbad Village – the suburban “heart” of Carlsbad. This multi-level residential building will hold seven three-bedroom units and one single-bedroom unit. The architectural design maximizes vertical space with a private garage and three levels of living space, providing residents a feeling of spaciousness. Extensive terraces open the units to outdoor natural beauty and captivating ocean views to the west.

OLIVETAS RESIDENCE

The private residence at Olivetas Avenue is an exciting single-family home renovation with a coastal cottage design theme, incorporating drought tolerant Mediterranean and native plant selections that display color and scent throughout the year. By merging the hard and soft elements of the landscape design, the plant palette will be arranged in a “coordinated wildness” that resembles a natural, loose composition. Sustainability is a top priority for this project, and as such, part of our plan is to save two large trees on-site and to relocate and repurpose some smaller palms as well as a fig tree. The owners will enjoy views out of large windows that reveal a verdant garden with plenty of space to gather, entertain, reflect, or exercise. McCullough’s Studio Team Leader and Project Manager, Zeek Magallanes is excited for this project because “…our landscape design supports the playfulness between the indoor and outdoor spaces, prompted by the architectural design of the home. This gives us the opportunity to include some unique, whimsical elements that create a symbiotic harmony between the homeowners and the natural environment.”

These are just a few of the projects that SRA and McCullough have had the privilege to work on together. Our additional project experience with SRA includes:

• Presidio Residence (featured in the San Diego Union Tribune!)

• The Palatine in Bankers Hill

• Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College Instructional Building F1

• Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College Instructional Building F2

• Bishops Lane

• 1627 Kearsarge

• 3rd Avenue Mixed-Use

When it comes to working together on projects, the trust that has developed due to personal relationships between Taal, Ricardo, and David McCullough make collaborating a pleasant experience no matter what the project entails. Taal described how…

“…the personal relationship with David McCullough is part of what makes working with McCullough different from other landscape architecture firms. When we are met with a design challenge, David will come up with creative ideas right away so that the client has different options to move forward with.”

Likewise, McCullough enjoys working with Safdie Rabines because of their committed, holistic approach and dedication to meeting clients’ vision and needs.

For more information about Safdie Rabines Architects, visit www.safdierabines.com.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Zeek Magallanes Promoted to Studio Team Leader

We are very pleased to announce that Zeek Magallanes, formerly an Associate Landscape Designer, has been promoted to Studio Team Leader. Please join us in congratulating Zeek on this well-deserved promotion!

As our Studio Team Leader, Zeek will serve as the key liaison between firm management and technical staff. His collaborative leadership style and open, clear communication will empower our design team to deliver high quality work. His responsibilities will include coordinating project management, design development and coordination, and team support in addition to his former duties.

“Even under the challenge of working remotely through the pandemic, Zeek has excelled in leading our studio designers as well as cultivating positive relationships with clients,” said President/CEO Catherine McCullough. “Given his diligent, focused approach, we are confident that Zeek will continue to flourish in this new role and serve as a guiding force for the success of the firm.”

Landscape Architecture was not always the path for Zeek. After earning a degree in Cultural Anthropology from San Diego State University and spending several years in the Biotech industry, he took a complete change of direction. He underwent a five-year career transition, which culminated in earning his master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Southern California.

Zeek first joined McCullough as an Associate during January 2020, after several years working as a landscape designer with other local firms. Since 2013, he has completed over a dozen small to medium scale residential landscape designs through his side project, Integrifolia Landscape Design. He brings a reliable history of leadership and accountability to the projects he works on and is passionate about the intersection of urbanism, social and environmental resiliency, and the business of design.

Reclaiming Green Space Over San Diego’s Interstate 5

Imagine… Downtown San Diego bursting with an abundance of park space, walkable bridges over Interstate 5 healing divisions between fractured communities, and lush new green spaces that embody climate-positive benefits for a more sustainable future.

Could this be a possibility for San Diego?

Not only is it possible, but it is an important component of the Downtown Community Plan established in 1989. San Diego Commons (SD Commons) is a nonprofit organization focused on efforts to heal the divide created by Interstate 5 (I-5), aiming to gain park space that was part of the Downtown Community Plan. By covering the freeway trench with parkland “caps,” the new spaces will provide “common ground” that reconnects underserved communities.

Johanna Mall, McCullough Associate Landscape Designer and member of the San Diego Commons Board of Directors, has been spreading the word about San Diego Commons’ initiative to reconnect communities. This month, firm Marketing + Creative Manager Nikki Holloway met with Johanna after her presentation to the San Diego Green Building Council in June to learn more and find out how we can support the cause.

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An Interview with San Diego Commons Board Member Johanna Mall

Let’s jump right in! Most San Diegans are all too familiar with the roaring Interstate 5 that cuts through downtown. Although it’s an important means for getting around, the reality of its presence is disruptive. How has it affected the original vision for the City?

Before construction of the I-5 freeway began in the 1950s, San Diego had an intimate connection with Balboa Park and its surrounding neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the building of I-5 severed the connection between downtown and communities such as Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, and Golden Hill. This is significant because constructing the freeway meant cutting these neighborhoods off from economic and social opportunities. 

It comes as no surprise that this transition has stirred many people, leading to a push to do something about it, which is part of how I got involved with SD Commons. 

SD Commons is a nonprofit started in 2019 by San Diego civic leaders and professionals in the effort to install an important component of the Downtown Community Plan that would give 40 acres of park space back to our communities. The organization builds upon several years of work by like-minded community activists. The goal is to repair significant damage done to San Diego communities by developing cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of our society. This forms a “Commons” in the form of developed parks as covers over portions of the I-5 freeway downtown. Reconnecting Communities is a current working title of the mission of San Diego Commons.

You mentioned that, like many San Diegans, you were stirred to do something and ended up getting involved with SD Commons. What’s the background of this group, and how have you personally gotten involved?

A few years ago, the topic of the freeway covers originally came up at a Lambda Alpha International meeting. Freeways caps had been talked about for years and they were starting to show success in other cities around the country, such as Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas. After the presentation, a group got together and formed “Heal the Gash” to ensure that this component was implemented. This vision is stated and proposed in the Downtown Community Plan.

I got involved with SD Commons over a year ago when our Principal, David McCullough told our staff about a collective meeting to discuss the implementation of freeway covers in San Diego. My ears perked up and before I knew it, I was participating at the in-person meeting. A group got together and formed a plan to ensure that this component was implemented. Other SD Commons board members are a collective of community activists, local architects and landscape architects, urban designers, residents, engineers, environmentalists, lawyers, and community program coordinators.

SD Commons is a way for me to get directly involved in my community and instill the values I believe in – for the welfare of the environment and the affected communities. I have very strong opinions and perspectives when it comes to our approach to the built environment and how it directly affects local culture and quality of life. I have always been intrigued by policies and how they shape our cities, so SD Commons was an opportunity for me to learn the grassroots process and have a say in the process itself.

Wow! SD Commons is a means for you to participate in real change that will shape the future of our City. What are your responsibilities as a member of the Board?

I serve as a general board member as well as a part of the Public Relations and Marketing Committee. As board members, we collaborate, providing feedback on documents and issues. I help wherever I can and have worked heavily on our presentation to community leaders, including iterations of the PowerPoint presentation. Each member individually reaches out to public officials, district representatives, and community leaders to spread the word of the Community Plan vision. The goal is to gain moral support from the communities that will be directly affected and benefit from this mission so that we can gain traction and ultimately implement the covers.

To be as involved as you are, you must be intimately familiar with the details of the SD Commons mission. Would you share a little about the plans being developed and what areas would be affected? How much park space would result from these plans?

There are two freeway covers over I-5 identified in San Diego’s general plan that are meant to provide new open spaces to downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.

The first is Sherman Heights to East Village, from Island Avenue to K Street. A freeway cover here would bring open parkland to the neighborhood. It would also relieve some of the blight by covering the noise and pollution and bringing economic opportunity by reconnecting that community with downtown San Diego. Although the Balboa Park expansion is stated as the priority in the Downtown Community Plan, we believe it is more important that the underserved and underrepresented community of Sherman Heights be given the first opportunity of reconnection.

The second cover would be from Balboa Park to Cortez Hill in downtown, blocks from 2nd Avenue to 6th Avenue. This would expand Balboa Park so that it is more accessible from downtown, connecting Cortez Hill with Balboa Park and Bankers Hill. Development land could also be available in the Balboa Park Lid.

Those two covers would give San Diego about 20 new acres of public open space – 4.5 acres from the Sherman Heights/East Village lid and 14 acres from the Balboa Park/Cortez Hill/Bankers Hill lid.

Opening so much additional space downtown seems like it would present many exciting opportunities! What are the benefits of covering the freeway with green, usable land?

While the immediate environmental benefits of having open parkland over the freeway are obvious, the most important factor of this initiative is to reconnect the communities that have been severed from downtown and the economic stress they have experienced because of the direct physical location of I-5.

This should also be seen as an opportunity for climate mitigation through carbon sequestration, the elimination of refractive heat (a.k.a. the urban heat island effect), noise reduction, and habitat restoration. The green spaces would help filter vehicle emissions and replace toxic, unusable airspace.

Although there are so many important benefits to this, have you had any opposition to these plans? What are the arguments against it?

While it’s hard to imagine why someone would be against covering the freeway with parkland, there are a few arguments against freeway caps. First, there is the question of funding and feasibility – how is it going to be funded? Teralta Park over the I-15 was supposed to be one out of seven caps. However, after several years working to make progress with Caltrans, this was the only park cover that made it into construction.

The next concern is the matter of gentrification. This is a hot topic with some pointing at the overly successful Highline in New York City, but I see it as a catch-22. We can’t ignore our under-served communities out of fear of serving them better.

Is the solution to gentrification to continue ignoring underserved communities out of the fear of rising real estate value displacing residents?

I personally do not think it is. While people point to Highline, I think it’s safe to say Teralta Park has not displaced residents in City Heights. The main difference is now there is a neighborhood park where children play basketball, shaded tables for sitting, paths and grass to walk and play – simple, but necessary amenities making a positive impact on the health and welfare of neighborhoods. There’s a difference between design attracting outside visitors versus design meeting the needs of a community. The proposed freeway parks are a blank canvas. They have yet to be designed. The intent is to involve the surrounding communities so they can take part in the process and have a say in their environment.

Have parkland freeway covers been successful in other cities? Perhaps there are inspiring ideas and lessons-learned to be found in those successes.

The Highline in New York City is a good example of how too much success can dramatically bring more change than the community can handle, leading to issues of gentrification. A burst of real estate development followed the implementation of the Highline, which skyrocketed real estate values and caused a loss of affordable housing.

While the Highline is a beautiful landmark and the “poster child” of the environmental and architectural ideals that we strive for, a main criticism of the Highline is that it has failed to serve the surrounding neighborhood it was originally meant for. To avoid that pitfall, SD Commons would hold community workshops and design charrettes in close coordination with community leaders to ensure that we truly meet the needs of the community while dancing the fine line of attracting visitors.

Hollywood’s Central Park has completed their feasibility studies and are in the CEQA documentation phase. They are years ahead of us in the process and have been very valuable, helping us with advice regarding the bureaucratic process.

What other obstacles need to be overcome to make this a reality? 

The first thing that needs to be done is an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and it’s not going to be cheap. We also need a feasibility study to determine the opportunities, constraints, and costs of the project. A big challenge we’ve faced is obtaining the funding for these expensive reports. This is why it is crucial for us to get support from the communities. We’re doing so by working to make them aware of the vision behind the Downtown Community Plan, in order to help them share our desire to make it happen. 

One promising opportunity for our mission is the U.S. Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure deal, which includes $550 billion in federal investment in America’s infrastructure. One section of the deal focuses on “Reconnecting Communities” that past transportation investments have divided. In July, SD Commons President Roger Lewis went on a mission to Washington D.C. to speak to and gain support from senators and representatives of San Diego. We have high hopes to gain funding from this deal. 

It sounds like SD Commons needs two things to get this moving: funding and volunteers. What can people do to get involved?

That is exactly it! This project cannot be done without community support. These park covers are meant for the communities. In partnership with SD Commons, the Sherman Heights Community Center is hosting the very first community design charrette in the beginning of Fall (late September/early October) to discuss the Phase One freeway cap in the Sherman Heights neighborhood. The knowledge base from the citizens themselves is crucial in this process. Please come out, bring your thoughts and opinions, and be part of the discussion! Keep an eye out at SDCommons.org for the announcement of the date and help spread the word.

We are always looking for new people to join our board to help with community outreach.

Besides that? Donate. Donate. Donate. We need all the financial help we can to fund the EIR and feasibility studies. SD Commons has an optimistic goal to enter the CEQA phase by 2025 and begin construction in 2028-2029. We have a lot to do to reach that goal.

Get involved with SD Commons by contacting us at info@sdcommons.org! We’d love to have the help!

If this became reality, how would it personally affect you?

Since San Diego is severed by several freeways, air quality and blight caused by the harsh vehicular environment is a real and major concern for me. The City is also severely lacking in open green space in downtown itself. When I first began working in San Diego, I would walk around outside to find a nice spot to eat my lunch – that’s when I quickly realized there is no common open space to go to in downtown San Diego. I am fortunate enough to live a few blocks away from Balboa Park, whereas residents in the neighborhoods of East Village and Sherman Heights must hop into a car or travel to find green open space and escape the built environment.

It’s clear to me that public space and public realm play a huge role in social justice. Investment in these green spaces means providing social and economic stimulation in underinvested, low-income communities. Urban building development without serious and sensitive consideration of neighborhood contexts leads to the lack of sense of place. My goal is to make meaningful places in San Diego while working to bring its communities the amenities they deserve. It is crucial to restore the feeling of identity in those communities that have been segregated by transportation infrastructure by returning open space back to them.

Thank you for sharing this important mission! Do you have anything else you’d like to add?

Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C3) did a great interview of SD Commons activists Mike Stepner and Vicki Estrada in this podcast episode – they share so much great information.

Want to get involved with San Diego Commons? Here’s how:

• Contact info@sdcommons.org to learn about volunteer opportunities.

•  Make a donation to SD Commons in support of reconnecting San Diego’s communities.

• Don’t forget to check SDCommons.org for details about design charrettes for each of the affected communities, including the Sherman Heights Design Charette coming this Fall!

Johanna Mall, ASLA
Associate

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Client of the Month:
Gafcon 

Seaport San Diego

Our August Client of the Month has contributed to more than $50 billion in bond projects, has won over 150 awards for projects delivered in the past 10 years, and has worked with us on iconic local and international projects including Seaport San Diego…

We are thrilled to feature Gafcon as our Client of the Month!

For over 33 years, Gafcon has been a leader in providing owner representative services to private and public clients. Gafcon’s expertise is made evident by their talented team of people, cutting-edge technology, and unique processes. They are easily set apart from their competition and currently ranked #44 among Engineering News Record’s (ENR) Top 50 Program Management Firms for 2021!

Based in San Diego, with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County, Gafcon’s portfolio showcases a diverse mix of local and international projects in education, entertainment, mixed-use, municipal, waterfront, and healthcare. Their services include program/project management, construction management, digital technology, labor relations, claims solutions, multifamily renovations, and development.

Genuine. Adaptive. Dedicated. Articulate. Decisive.

Much like McCullough, Gafcon considers its people and their collective values and goals to be the foundation of their success. They define success by projects that create impact and benefit the needs of the communities they serve. The “Gafcon Tribal Code” of company values includes:

• Delivering complex projects that power vibrant communities

• Continually seeking new knowledge and delivering with the highest quality

• Looking beyond the obvious to find solutions to complex problems

• Becoming their clients’ partner and anticipating their needs

• Work hard, play hard

• Creating value for their clients, communities, and for each other

McCullough is honored to have had the opportunity to partner with Gafcon for some of our most valued, prestigious projects over the past several years. We continue to team with Gafcon for current and upcoming pursuits. Two of our favorite, most notable projects are Seaport San Diego and Zizhu Purple Bay.

ZIZHU PURPLE BAY, SHANGHAI, CHINA

In 2016, Gafcon gave McCullough the unique opportunity to join the team of visionaries leading the master planning and development for a 3,200-acre, waterfront urban center in Shanghai, China. As the landscape architect, our collaborative project partners include AVRP Studios, Gensler, City Design Studio, Moffat & Nichol, OdySea, Perkins Eastman, Fentress, and many others. Yehudi “Gaf” Gaffen, Gafcon’s CEO, said it best when he shared, “This is a legacy project at a tremendous scale. We are essentially building a new city from the ground up.”

Phase one of the Zizhu Purple Bay Development is an 800-acre mixed-use community surrounding a lake, known as Purple Lake, with yacht homes, condos, a nature and education center, an aquarium, and a botanical garden. The meticulous design embraces the natural waterfront along the Huangpu River at the edge of the property and features a man-made canal that passes through the site, a retail center, a waterfront park, and a nature walk leading to the water's edge.

The second phase involved enhancing amenities and features and will provide a business, tech, and education district; housing for the business workforce; hotels; a health center; senior housing; an equestrian center; a library tower; a winter sports facility; a mobility system; a nature-interpretive park; an aquarium; an arboretum; and artist community with sculpture gardens, exhibition spaces, workshops, and more.

For the third phase, Gafcon retained McCullough to study gardens that will surround a new luxury hotel for Zizhu. The hotel is the Orchid Lake Luxury Resort Hotel, which will reside on the east end of Purple Lake. Named Purple Garden, the gardens, spanning nearly 100 acres, will consist of a series of spaces that will encapsulate the hotel at Purple Lake’s edge. Read more about Purple Garden.

The images of Seaport San Diego above reflect early project work and may differ from the current design.

SEAPORT SAN DIEGO

Spanning 70 acres of land and water that make up San Diego’s Central Embarcadero, Seaport San Diego is a highly anticipated mixed-use redevelopment that will “offer visitors world-class recreational, commercial, cultural and educational attractions, while incorporating the rich aquatic heritage and industry of the region.” Yehudi “Gaf” Gaffen is the active managing partner guiding the project to successfully bring the new vision to reality.

McCullough has been involved in the first phases of the conceptual design for the development leading up to the project entitlements for the port. We look forward to helping bring the vision to life in later portions of this pivotal, multi-phased project for the City.

Our additional collaborative project experience with Gafcon includes:

• Mission Ridge Apartments Renovation

• Master Planning for a Confidential Tribal Client

• Harborside Park on Oxford

• Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College Instructional Building F1

• Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College Instructional Building F2

• Other eco, community, tribal, and transit-oriented development projects

We are excited to share more about these monumental projects as our work progresses. To learn more about Gafcon, visit their website at www.gafcon.com.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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From San Diego to the Bay Area: Industry Trends in California

This past month, Principal David McCullough participated as a BISNOW panel member for three important discussions for the State of California.

BAY AREA ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Kicking things off in San Francisco July 29th, David was part of the panel for “The Future of Architecture & Design in the Bay Area.” With great insights from all panel members, David shared why he’s excited for the current shift in focus toward the public realm:

“We like to encourage this idea of the City as an amenity. It’s not just about your building, it’s not just about your project. It’s the things around it and how they interact with each other… The thing that’s really exciting is the agencies are realizing that the cost of purchasing property for parks and things like that is very expensive. So, the new model, which I’m just so happy–could not be more excited about, is to take the public realm that they already have, the streets, the sidewalks, and utilize them in a more productive way.”

– David McCullough, ASLA

Principal

SAN DIEGO STATE OF THE MARKET

During the San Diego State of the Market event August 3rd, much of the panel discussion was centered around current growth in the industrial, life science, and multi-family markets. Along with fellow “State of SD Supply & Demand” panel members, David looked ahead to several years of development and predicted that one of the biggest trends we’re going to see in San Diego is a shift in focus toward transit-oriented development and amazing growth along our transit lines.

LOS ANGELES ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Most recently, David joined a panel to discuss “The Future of Architecture and Design in SoCal” at the Los Angeles Architecture & Design event August 10th. He shared a different approach to initiating projects which involves first asking “What are the possibilities? How great can this be?”, rather than the common practice of addressing the codes and policies first. Once the vision is established, the best way to fit within the codes and policies would then be determined.

“It should start with inspiration, passion, and love for what you do, and people around you feel and recognize that.”

– David McCullough, ASLA

Principal

Thank you to Bisnow for hosting such exceptional events and providing us the opportunity to participate! We are grateful to be part of the dialogue surrounding the future of the built environment in California.

Client of Month: [oo-d-a] studio inc.

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

For the month of July, we are thrilled to feature another exceptional client as our Client of the Month: [oo-d-a] studio inc. and Owner Dominique Houriet. The firm is a collaborative studio of designers, architects, developers, and general contractors with a shared purpose to design, develop, and build beautiful “land sculptures” – functional works of art that improve the everyday lives of the people who live, work, and play within them.

Curious about the firm’s unusual name? Pronounced ooh-dee-ay, the firm’s name comes from a phonetic spelling of Houriet, Dominique’s last name.

[oo-d-a] has a strong focus on responsive, contemporary design focusing on both commercial and multifamily/residential projects located in the U.S. and Mexico. They are licensed for architecture as well as general contracting.

After graduating from Texas Tech University with a Master of Architecture degree, Dominique wasted no time moving to San Diego. However, it was short-lived since he quickly landed a job with the revered Sebastian Mariscal Studio. During his four years there, Dominique gained a wealth of experience taking projects through design and development and managing construction crews. His projects at the Studio were focused mainly on residential work, such as a single-family lot split in San Diego’s Little Italy and a condo project in La Jolla.

In 2008, Dominique took a four-month sabbatical to South America and returned to a different world – a world amid The Great Recession. “The world came crumbling down. I came back from South America facing despair at the state of the economy. For the first time, I had to ask myself, 'How am I going to eat?’” shared Dominique. Not one to be discouraged by the setback, he persisted in looking for architectural work while also welding and building elegant, artistically-crafted furniture, which is still featured on the firm’s website. It wasn’t long before the volume of Dominique’s architectural work ramped up, and so [oo-d-a] was born.

Now, 13 years later, the firm carries a portfolio of successful projects including many residential, single and multifamily projects as well as shopping centers; office spaces; a winery collaboration with Sebastian Mariscal Studio; several restaurant projects such as The Patio on Lamont and Kettner Exchange in collaboration with Tecture Design and Fabrication; and a Tijuana office space collaboration with Lindsay Brown of The Brown Studio, Inc. Dominique is now also joined by Christian Dimeling of VonDimeling Studio, who partners with [oo-d-a] for many projects.

[oo-d-a] and McCullough have collaboratively completed several urban infill projects and currently have multiple projects in progress. The following are just a few of our favorites:

1929 COLUMBIA STREET

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

One of our first projects together was a seven-story multifamily infill development in San Diego’s Little Italy called 1929 Columbia Street. A unique, vertical infill project central to the Little Italy neighborhood, the development was designed with textural and diverse elements that have become part of the character of this prominent, downtown area.

C STREET

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

C Street is a project recently kicked off and is currently in progress with [oo-d-a]. This 27-unit multifamily development in San Diego’s North Park area is a partnership with Uruguayan firm Estudio UCS, Ian Mahon of Level 3 Construction, and builder Danny Fitzgerald of Endeavor. We are excited to join this avant-garde team that is pressing the boundaries of affordable design, utilizing creative approaches and materials to create a development that is – all at once – beautiful, functional, completed within budget, and beneficial to the community.

THE COMMONS

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

[oo-d-a] and McCullough partnered with Boardwalk Development for this small, retail shopping center on San Diego’s Mission Gorge Road called The Commons. Although the project footprint is small, Dominique’s design has given The Commons a personality of its own – more than just a retail space, it is a place that creates a pleasurable experience for its end-users. Street frontage that provides valuable visibility for retail tenants, shaded outdoor seating that encourages social interaction, and a stylish green roof on the street-facing corner – these are just a few features that exemplify how [oo-d-a]’s passion intersects with their pragmatic design sense to create a positive impact for local residents.

Images by [oo-d-a] Studio Inc.

LE PARC

We are excited to be working with [oo-d-a] on another multifamily infill project in North Park known as Le Parc, which is French for “The Park.” [oo-d-a] and Christian Dimeling are developing this 32-unit development together, and having recently finished drawings, the project is commencing the permitting process. This project is particularly interesting due to the vertical nature of the design. North Park recently passed an ordinance known as the Complete Communities Code that lifted former height restrictions for buildings in its neighborhood. This allows developers and designers to accomplish more with vertical space, and as early adopters, our design team intends to take advantage of the ordinance with this project. Principal David McCullough commented,

“Dominique has his own vernacular, his own style. He’s not doing what everyone else is doing, in the best way. He is truly passionate about his design work and is pushing the envelope vertically with Le Parc.”

Given the project’s location adjacent to North Park Community Park, Dominique and his associate, Christian Dimeling, originally had the idea to call the project The Parklane, which was the name of the high rise building that Christian’s father managed while Christian was growing up in Pittsburgh, PA. Christian tells us, “When I met Dominique, he was wearing a very stylish beret and told me he was of French and Peruvian descent. It seemed natural we give the name some flavor!”

Not only that – we have it on good authority that they listened to Polo & Pan’s Le Parc on repeat for three months straight while they designed Le Parc! You can listen to a short snippet on the website for the development.

Christian continued, “We hope it's not just a name but the spirit of the place.”

Evident through their work, [oo-d-a] aims to integrate the vision of each project into its context, which is the same, aligned approach that we value at McCullough. We believe that creating a space that is connected to its location – the culture, geography, and community – is a recipe for a structure that will stand the test of time. 

Our mutual value for this depth of purpose is what Dominique considers crucial to our many successful projects together. Of working together, he stated, “I have a great appreciation for the way that McCullough works to weave the vision and story behind the project into its design and development. We, at [oo-d-a] strongly believe that a proper design solution goes hand-in-hand with a higher-quality everyday life.”

“When you work with Dominique, it doesn’t matter whether the project is big or small, he puts his soul into it. It’s not about ego, it’s about excellent design and the value it brings to people’s lives.” – David McCullough

To learn more about [oo-d-a] studio inc., please visit www.oo-d-a.com.

Nikki Holloway
Marketing + Creative Manager

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Help Us Welcome Our New Hire: Adam crowell

Adam fell in love with San Diego when he took part in the ASLA conference the city hosted in 2019. He made it his goal, upon graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Landscape Architecture program, to start his career in sunny San Diego and could not imagine doing what he is passionate about anywhere else. Adam was drawn to landscape architecture and the world of design through his love for our planet. As he begins his career as McCullough's newest Junior Associate, he feels the need to help create public spaces that leave an impact on people – whether that be through preserving historical sites, working diligently on combining an ecological approach, or pulling in aspects unique to the surrounding community. He is excited to be part of changing San Diego's landscape for the better.

Outside the walls of McCullough, Adam loves to spend time with his boyfriend, hiking, going to the beach, and exploring new food spots. As a new resident to San Diego, Adam says, “All recommendations are welcome!”

Some little-known facts about Adam are that he has played the piano since the first grade, has seen pretty much anything and everything on TV, and could talk about aliens any day of the week.

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New Website Address!

The McCullough website is now searchable at McCulloughLA.com!

We are proud to announce our new website address, which better reflects our firm’s name: McCullough Landscape Architecture, or simply “McCullough LA.”

What this means for you, our clients, colleagues, and friends –

• You can now visit our website at www.McCulloughLA.com

• Please update our email addresses to [Name] @ McCulloughLA.com

• Our old website address and email addresses will still work for now

Our LinkedIn and Twitter names have changed, too! You will still find us in the same places on Instagram and Facebook.

Connect with us for project news, firm announcements, and insights from our design team!

LINKEDIN

@McCulloughLandArc

INSTAGRAM

@McCulloughLandArch

TWITTER

@McCulloughLArch

FACEBOOK

@McCulloughLandArch