433:
42:
444:, the senior partner of Delawie, Bretton, Wilkes and Associates presented his plan for the headquarters to the MTDB. The 10-story building would straddle the 12th and Imperial station with trains passing through the lobby, and the property would also include an iconic 200-foot (61 m) clock tower and a 1,020-space parking garage that was envisioned as a place where people could park and ride the trolley to offices in the
502:, 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.
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for the project, which was targeted for completion in the spring of 1989. 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
397:(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.
429:, 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.
524:, a former California state senator 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.
452:. The building would be trimmed in red (the color of the San Diego Trolley) and the ground floor would contain 7,500 square feet (700 m) of retail space. The project was meant to play key role in plans to revitalize the
471:
created by San Diego County and the MTDB. 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.
405:
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. On August 20, 1979, the MTDB purchased the
425:
By the 1980s, the growing MTDB started to look at moving out of leased office space and into its own headquarters. The agency initially planned to build a three-story building near the railyard and
422:. 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.
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414:. 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
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with Swiss financiers, and upon completion of the building, the debt would be transferred to the San Diego
Regional Building Authority, a
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513: (equivalent to $ 107,000,000 in 2023). The building officially opened on Tuesday, January 3, 1989, after employees spent the
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The building was finished in less than 14 months, significantly ahead of schedule, earning the
Starboard Development Company a
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456:(also called Centre City East), a gritty neighborhood known for its dilapidated housing and aging businesses.
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596:"Request for Proposals Provide Property Management Services for the James R. Mills Building and Auto Park"
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494: (equivalent to $ 1,932,189 in 2023) handmade clock featured in the clock tower was a gift from
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Close up of the James R. Mills
Building showing the "San Diego Trolley red" accents and STO exterior
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for the project was held on
November 19, 1987, with a ceremony that included the launching of
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located adjacent to the building which offers paid parking for employees and MTS patrons.
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509: (equivalent to $ 122,899 in 2023) bonus. The final cost for the building was
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795:"Trolley headquarters pictured – Plans include 10 stories, 'landmark' tower"
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355:, California, United States. The building is alternatively known as the
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is located in the plaza in front of the building. There is a 1,020-car
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Construction of the project was financed with a then-new method: the
937:"Time for a change downtown – New Swiss clock to tick at MTS Tower"
367:. The building was completed in 1989 and is located directly above
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is a 120-foot (37 m) mid-rise governmental office tower in
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system, with trains passing through the base of the building.
753:"Fireworks signal ground breaking for Metro Transit facility"
463:, Starboard Development Company would sell $ 43.5 million in
605:. San Diego Regional Building Authority. August 6, 2008
363:(MTS). The building also houses various offices in the
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520:After opening, the building was named in honor of
714:"Residents see Trolley as a line to better times"
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632:Federal Firefighters, San Diego IAFF Local F-33
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482:. The M. H. Golden Company would serve as the
8:
871:"Plans for downtown transit center on track"
46:James R. Mills Building and Ebel Clock Tower
833:"Top architect shares secrets about design"
31:
448:or events at the then-under construction
830:Baldwin, Debra Lee (October 18, 1991).
533:
266:Delawie, Bretton, Wilkes and Associates
235:180,000 sq ft (17,000 m)
542:"The James R. Mills Building Turns 30"
1092:San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
974:Sullivan, Mark T. (January 3, 1989).
912:San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
654:San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
440:In January 1987, San Diego architect
361:San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
206:San Diego Regional Building Authority
145:San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
27:Office tower in San Diego, California
7:
750:Schmidt, Steve (November 20, 1987).
625:"Trolley Emergency Response Handout"
487:unique window recesses and details.
1011:"San Diego, where California began"
977:"MTDB clears path into new offices"
688:. pp. B-1:3, 5, 6B-2:4B-3:1, 2
679:"Trolley's Euclid line inaugurated"
359:, as it is the headquarters of the
1097:Office buildings completed in 1989
792:Krueger, Anne (January 16, 1987).
393:The building is named in honor of
369:12th & Imperial Transit Center
326:12th & Imperial Transit Center
25:
915:(Report). May 9, 2019. p. 71
676:Weisberg, Lori (March 21, 1986).
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1009:Mills, James R. (June 1, 1985).
934:Hughes, Joe (November 4, 1988).
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294:, California Council Honor Award
292:American Institute of Architects
40:
904:Adopted Fiscal Year 2020 Budget
868:Hughes, Joe (January 8, 1988).
548:(Press release). April 25, 2019
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1:
408:San Diego and Arizona Eastern
1015:San Diego Historical Society
983:The San Diego Union-Tribune
943:The San Diego Union-Tribune
877:The San Diego Union-Tribune
839:The San Diego Union-Tribune
801:The San Diego Union-Tribune
759:The San Diego Union-Tribune
720:The San Diego Union Tribune
711:Jahn, Ed (March 16, 1986).
685:The San Diego Union Tribune
517:holiday weekend moving in.
450:San Diego Convention Center
427:12th & Imperial station
168:November 19, 1987
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18:Mills Building (San Diego)
568:"James R. Mills Building"
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183:January 3, 1989
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1077:James R. Mills Building
382:A 200-foot (61 m)
349:James R. Mills Building
248:Design and construction
35:James R. Mills Building
469:joint powers authority
437:
125:32.70583°N 117.15333°W
1079:at Wikimedia Commons
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322:Public transit access
274:Starboard Development
416:international border
298:Urban Land Institute
282:M. H. Golden Company
214:120 feet (37 m)
130:32.70583; -117.15333
90:1255 Imperial Avenue
365:County of San Diego
300:Award of Excellence
149:County of San Diego
121: /
77:Architectural style
72:Governmental office
64:General information
484:general contractor
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412:downtown San Diego
1075:Media related to
377:San Diego Trolley
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305:Other information
287:Awards and prizes
263:Architecture firm
219:Technical details
56:Alternative names
16:(Redirected from
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657:. May 22, 2015
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515:New Year's Day
500:roman numerals
476:Groundbreaking
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388:parking garage
373:transfer point
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1051:. Retrieved
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1026:. Retrieved
1004:
994:– via
988:. Retrieved
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917:. Retrieved
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888:– via
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511:$ 43,600,000
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454:East Village
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313:1,020-space
253:Architect(s)
95:, California
29:
492:US$ 750,000
384:clock tower
224:Floor count
128: /
116:117°09′12″W
103:Coordinates
1086:Categories
528:References
507:US$ 50,000
420:San Ysidro
371:, a major
337:References
317:(adjacent)
232:Floor area
187:1989-01-03
172:1987-11-19
113:32°42′21″N
1053:March 31,
1028:March 31,
919:March 30,
649:"History"
609:March 30,
577:March 30,
552:March 30,
490:The huge
480:fireworks
461:developer
357:MTS Tower
353:San Diego
271:Developer
243:3.4 acres
155:Named for
93:San Diego
81:Modernism
59:MTS Tower
1023:16373514
996:NewsBank
990:April 9,
956:NewsBank
950:April 9,
890:NewsBank
884:April 9,
852:NewsBank
846:April 9,
814:NewsBank
808:April 9,
772:NewsBank
766:April 9,
732:NewsBank
726:April 9,
698:NewsBank
692:April 9,
661:April 9,
572:Emporis
546:Delawie
401:History
375:in the
310:Parking
240:Grounds
185: (
170: (
87:Address
1021:
315:garage
211:Height
180:Opened
907:(PDF)
628:(PDF)
599:(PDF)
465:bonds
296:1991
290:1990
203:Owner
1055:2021
1030:2021
1019:OCLC
992:2021
952:2021
921:2021
886:2021
848:2021
810:2021
768:2021
728:2021
694:2021
663:2021
611:2021
579:2021
554:2021
496:Ebel
347:The
195:Cost
69:Type
418:in
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