Dec 5 2013
Lowe Enterprises has completed the third phase of the County Operations Center (COC) in Kearny Mesa—the 118,500-square-foot Registrar of Voters Headquarters. The project includes Registrar of Voters staff offices, election ballot processing capabilities, warehouse production space and a public art installation. The property was built to LEED Gold certification standards.
“This is another vital component of this modern, sustainable campus serving the County and residents of San Diego. The building is state-of-the-art at all levels creating an efficient work environment and providing ample space for the processing of ballots and vote counting on election night,” said Mike McNerney, senior vice president, Lowe Enterprises Real Estate Group.
The 47-acre County Operations Center, located on Overland Avenue, is being developed in multiple phases. The second phase, completed in August 2011, includes two 150,000-square-foot four-story office buildings, and a 15,000-square-foot Conference Center and cafeteria. The Conference Center was awarded LEED Platinum Certification. The first phase, which was completed in October 2010, includes two 150,000-square-foot office buildings and a seven-level, 1,800-space parking structure and achieved LEED Gold certification. COC has been recognized with numerous awards for its sustainable design and programs, including a Merit Award in the Sustainable Design Category from the 2013 AIA California Council Design Awards, Project of the Year in the Sustainable/Green Category from the San Diego Chapter of the American Public Works Association, Outstanding Non-Profit or Government Building from the California Center for Sustainable Energy, and 2011 Energy Leader for New Construction from San Diego Gas & Electric.
COC has also demonstrated a commitment to public art programs. The Registrar of Voters building features two 6-foot glazed ceramic sculptures by renowned artist Jun Kaneko called Untitled, Heads; two neutral monumental forms that are identically scaled, one with abstract facial features and the other without located at the entrance to the new building plus historical art located throughout the interior of the building. Previous phases of the COC included a first-of-its-kind public art display that showcases art work by local and national artists and a collection of local historic artifacts displayed on each floor. As a result, the County’s first archive of historically significant pieces has been compiled and documented.
When completed, the new campus will comprise more than a million square feet of modern, efficient office space, along with two multi-level parking structures.
The project team also includes RJC Architects, Suffolk Roel Construction, with Project Management Advisors and the County of San Diego Department of General Services overseeing the project on behalf of the County Board of Supervisors.
Lowe Enterprises is a national developer with extensive experience with build-to-suit developments and public-private partnerships similar to the County Operations Center project. Lowe has been an active developer and investor in the area and was recently selected by the San Diego Community College District, with partner I.D.E.A. Partners, to create an urban mixed-use project in downtown San Diego. Through affiliate, Lowe Hospitality Group, the firm operates local hotel and resort properties including the Paradise Point Resort and Spa and the L’Auberge Del Mar.
About Lowe Enterprises
Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises is a leading national real estate investment, development and management firm. Over the past 41 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $21 billion of real estate assets nationwide. Lowe is currently responsible for more than $5.5 billion of commercial, hospitality and residential assets. In addition to its Los Angeles headquarters, Lowe Enterprises maintains regional offices in Washington, DC, Denver, Philadelphia, Southern California and Northern California.