James R. Mills Building
James R. Mills Building and Ebel Clock Tower
Alternative namesMTS Tower
General information
TypeGovernmental office
Architectural styleModernism
Address1255 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, California
United States
Coordinates32°42′21″N 117°09′12″W / 32.70583°N 117.15333°W / 32.70583; -117.15333
Current tenantsSan Diego Metropolitan Transit System
County of San Diego
Named forJames R. Mills
GroundbreakingNovember 19, 1987 (1987-11-19)
OpenedJanuary 3, 1989 (1989-01-03)
Cost$43.6 million
OwnerSan Diego Regional Building Authority
Height120 feet (37 m)
Technical details
Floor count10
Floor area180,000 sq ft (17,000 m2)
Grounds3.4 acres
Design and construction
Architect(s)Homer Delawie
Architecture firmDelawie, Bretton, Wilkes and Associates
DeveloperStarboard Development
Main contractorM. H. Golden Company
Awards and prizes1990 American Institute of Architects, California Council Honor Award
1991 Urban Land Institute Award of Excellence
Other information
Parking1,020-car parking garage (adjacent)
Public transit access12th & Imperial Transit Center
References
[1][2][3]

The James R. Mills Building is a 120-foot (37 m) mid-rise governmental office tower in San Diego, California, United States. The building is alternatively known as the MTS Tower, as it is the headquarters of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The building also houses various County of San Diego offices. The building was completed in 1989 and is located directly above 12th & Imperial Transit Center, a major transfer point in the San Diego Trolley system, with trains passing through the base of the building.

A 200-foot (61 m) clock tower is located in the plaza in front of the building. There is a 1,020-car parking garage located adjacent to the building which offers paid parking for employees and MTS patrons.

The building is named in honor of James R. Mills (June 6, 1927 – March 27, 2021), a California state lawmaker who authored legislation creating the San Diego Trolley. He was also chairman of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (the predecessor of today's Metropolitan Transit System) from 1985 to 1994.

History

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) was formed in 1975, and was tasked with planning, constructing a mass transit system for the region.[4] On August 20, 1979, the MTDB purchased the San Diego and Arizona Eastern (SD&AE) Railway which had its main railyard in Downtown San Diego.[5] Using the facilities of the SD&AE, in July 1981 the agency was able to open the first line of the San Diego Trolley, between Downtown San Diego and the international border in San Ysidro.[5] The San Diego Trolley added a second line to the east on March 20, 1986, with the two lines meeting at a station near 12th and Imperial Avenues, just outside of the railyard.[6][7]

By the 1980s, the growing MTDB started to look at moving out of leased office space and into its own headquarters.[8] The agency initially planned to build a three-story building near the railyard and 12th & Imperial station, but during planning, the MTDB was approached by the County of San Diego which offered to increase the size of the building to house some of its agencies. The planned building grew first to five stories before the group finally settled on a ten-story building.[9]

Close up of the James R. Mills Building showing the "San Diego Trolley red" accents and STO exterior

In January 1987, San Diego architect Homer Delawie, the senior partner of Delawie, Bretton, Wilkes and Associates presented his plan for the headquarters to the MTDB.[9][10] The 10-story building would straddle the 12th and Imperial station with trains passing through the lobby,[11] and the property would also include an iconic 200-foot clock tower and a 1,020-car parking garage that was envisioned as a place where people could park and ride the trolley to offices in the Downtown Core or events at the then-under construction San Diego Convention Center.[9] The building would be trimmed in red (the color of the San Diego Trolley) and the ground floor would contain 7,500 square feet of retail space.[11] The project was meant to play key role in plans to revitalize the East Village (also called Centre City East), a gritty neighborhood known for its dilapidated housing and aging businesses.[8]

Construction of the project was financed with a then-new method: the developer, Starboard Development Company would sell $43.5 million in bonds with Swiss financiers, and upon completion of the building, the debt would be transferred to the San Diego Regional Building Authority, a joint powers authority created by San Diego County and the MTDB.[3][9] The debt was repaid based on floor space with the MTDB occupying two stories or approximately 28 percent of the building, while San Diego County leases the remaining 72 percent.[12]

Groundbreaking for the project was held on November 19, 1987, with a ceremony that included the launching of fireworks. The M. H. Golden Company would serve as the general contractor for the project, which was targeted for completion in the spring of 1989.[8] Construction would present additional challenges with trolleys continuing to operate through the site and the architect choosing to use unusual material called STO for the exterior which is insulated, waterproof and allowed for unique window recesses and details.[10]

The huge $750,000 handmade clock featured in the clock tower was a gift from Ebel, a Swiss watch company. The donation was arranged by the Swiss banking official who helped sell the construction bonds. The four-sided clock has red roman numerals, 6-foot-long black hands, and white faces with powerful backlighting so it can be seen at night. The clock also has musical chimes with electronic speakers. It was shipped unassembled to San Diego from Switzerland in a jumbo jet and over 12 days, Swiss technicians put the timepiece together on site. In recognition of the donation, on December 1, 1988, the structure was dedicated as the Ebel Clock Tower.[13]

The building was finished in less than 14 months, significantly ahead of schedule, earning the Starboard Development Company a $50,000 bonus.[14] The final cost for the building was $43.6 million.[14] The building officially opened on Tuesday, January 3, 1989, after employees spent the New Year's Day holiday weekend moving in.[14]

After opening, the building was named in honor of James R. Mills, a former California state senator who authored legislation creating the San Diego Trolley.[15] He was also chairman of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (the predecessor of today's Metropolitan Transit System) from 1985 to 1994.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "The James R. Mills Building Turns 30". Delawie (Press release). April 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ "James R. Mills Building". Emporis. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Request for Proposals Provide Property Management Services for the James R. Mills Building and Auto Park" (PDF). San Diego County. San Diego Regional Building Authority. August 6, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Trolley Emergency Response Handout" (PDF). Federal Firefighters, San Diego IAFF Local F-33.
  5. 1 2 "History". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. May 22, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  6. ↑ Weisberg, Lori (March 21, 1986). "Trolley's Euclid line inaugurated". The San Diego Union Tribune. pp. B-1:3, 5, 6B-2:4B-3:1, 2. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  7. ↑ Jahn, Ed (March 16, 1986). "Residents see Trolley as a line to better times". The San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  8. 1 2 3 Schmidt, Steve (November 20, 1987). "Fireworks signal ground breaking for Metro Transit facility". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-2. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Krueger, Anne (January 16, 1987). "Trolley headquarters pictured – Plans include 10 stories, 'landmark' tower". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-1. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  10. 1 2 Baldwin, Debra Lee (October 18, 1991). "Top architect shares secrets about design". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. F-1. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  11. 1 2 Hughes, Joe (January 8, 1988). "Plans for downtown transit center on track". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-4. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  12. ↑ Adopted Fiscal Year 2020 Budget (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (Report). May 9, 2019. p. 71. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  13. ↑ Hughes, Joe (November 4, 1988). "Time for a change downtown – New Swiss clock to tick at MTS Tower". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-5. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  14. 1 2 3 Sullivan, Mark T. (January 3, 1989). "MTDB clears path into new offices". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-1. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  15. ↑ Mills, James R. (June 1, 1985). "San Diego, where California began" (5th ed.). San Diego Historical Society. OCLC 16373514. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  16. ↑ "James R. Mills". JoinCalifornia. Retrieved March 31, 2021.

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