Downtown/Midtown San Diego

Allen, Dr. Phillip Office
Sixth & Ivy
Designed by Richard Wheeler

Anthony's Fish Grotto (1965)
360 N. Harbor Drive

Designed by Liebhardt & Weston


Benbough Professional Building


Benbough Medical Building

Burnham Office Building (1962)
1555 6th Avenue
Designed by Frank L. Hope & Associates

California Steel Building (1965)
Main Street
Designed by Lloyd Ruocco

City Concourse Plaza (1964)
Front Street
Designed by Lloyd Ruocco and William Rosser

County Admin Bldg. (1933)
1600 Pacific Coast Highway

Designed by William Templeton Johnson, detailing by Lloyd Ruocco


Crabtree Building (1962)

Crabtree Building (1962)
303 “A” Street
Designed by Deems, Martin & Associates
Comments: Light, fragile, floating Miesian box; its delicacy makes this a classic product of the 60s. The pre-stressed flat concrete floors cantilever from four central columns giving the building appearance of floating.

Crest Importing Co. (1965)
2643 Fourth Avenue
Designed by Scholl & Geritz

Design Center (1949-50)
3611 5th Avenue
Designed by Lloyd Ruocco
Year Designed/Built: 1950
Comments: A glass box in the pure Miesian tradition, but much lighter than one finds in the work of the master. This quality of lightness is accentuated by delicate extended sun trellises and sheltering fences. Integrates interior/exterior landscaped space by use of glass and open planning. Nestled amidst a canyon of eucalyptus trees, wooded walks, steps, and trellises structures, each glass-enclosed office becomes a tree house barely distinguishable from its neighbor by sliding glass panels that roll open to fresh air and sunlight. Ruocco would go on to inspire other great San Diego architects Home Delawie, Paul McKim and Russell Forester (the latter of which will be profiled in Mid-Century San Diego Part Two, the two met in 1942 while both were Navy ship draftsmen).

First National Bank Building (1966)
530 B St

Designed by Tucker, Sadler & Bennett

Hallmark Building (1962)
6th & Cedar
Designed by Hope, Frank L. & Associates

Home Savings Tower (1962)
707 Broadway
Designed by Hope, Frank L. & Associates

Kaplan, H.R. Storefront (1954)
905 Fifth Avenue
Designed by Sim Bruce Richards

Lightner & Hilmen Building (1967)
3104 4th Ave.
Designed by Mosher and Drew
Comments: Quiet refined solution to problems of locating an office building on a busy street in a residential area. Reception/conference areas are screened from the street with canyons and the San Diego Harbor to the West.

LKR Medical Buildin g(1967)
3260 3rd Ave.
Designed by Deems Lewis Martin

Main Post Office (1936)
815 E St
Designed by William Templeton Johnson

Mills Office Building (1964)
4th & Nutmeg
Designed by Lloyd Ruocco

Mr. A's Building
2550 Fifth Avenue
Designed by Jim Bird

Parking Garage (1965)
Centre City Concourse
Designed by Tucker, Sadler & Bennett


Rubin, Seltzer & Salomon Building (1964)

Rubin, Seltzer & Solomon Building (1964)
3003 4th Avenue
Designed byDeems-Lewis-Martin & Associates
Comments: Detached Miesian box of offices floats above its garage structure. The block is suspended over its site, with light, highly refined details.


Salomon Apartments, 1959

Salomon Apartments (1959)
3200 6th Avenue
Designed by Henry H. Hester

San Diego Civic Theater (1965)
1100 Third Avenue
Designed by Llloyd Ruocco, William Rosser


San Diego Gas & Electric (1967)

San Diego Gas & Electric (1967)
101 Ash
Designed by Richard Wheeler

Shearson-Hammill Building
NE corner of 6th & A
Designed by Richard Wheeler

Tucker, Sadler & Associates Office (1962)
2411 Second Avenue
Designed by Hal Sadler

Union Bank Building (1968)
525 B St
Designed by Langdon & Wilson

US National Bank (1963)
190 Broadway
Designed by Raymond Ervin

Watts Office Building (1964
2970 Main Street

Designed by Lloyd Ruocco