Real Estate Roundup

Construction Completed On $12.9M Church Project

General contractor T.B. Penick & Sons Inc. has completed $12.9 million of construction on a new 16,300-square-foot sanctuary and two ancillary buildings, a parish office and social hall totaling 11,000 square feet, for the parish of St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Poway.

The design/build project began in March 2008 as a competition for the design and construction of an authentic California Mission-style church. T.B. Penick & Sons teamed with Cardiff-by-the-Sea-based Hyndman & Hyndman Architecture to create the design.

Grading the 13-acre hill site for the sanctuary was challenging from the outset. Nearly $500,000 went toward clearing the area of boulders averaging 6 to 10 feet in diameter. Approximately 300 tons of boulders were relocated and engineered onsite to create rockery walls around the parish campus.

The wood and steel sanctuary features a cruciform configuration and spans 125 feet wide by 32 feet high with a sandblasted heavy wood open beam interior ceiling system with a red clay tile roof. Topping the church is a copper dome 12 feet in diameter with bronze penny-colored patina finish and an 8-foot dark metal bronze spire. The dual entry glass doors span 32 feet wide and 20 feet in height. Exterior windows are adorned with Spanish-style wrought iron coverings. 

On each side of the entry to the sanctuary are 35-foot-tall bell towers featuring five custom church bells designed and manufactured in Orleans, France.

Exterior campus amenities include stations of the cross marked by 14 full-size wood crucifixes 15 feet in height. Water for the church’s landscaping is provided by a well drilled on the site that draws water from a local, natural aquifer. All water drainage from the grounds is directed to a central basin area where it is filtered for sediment.  

The T.B. Penick project team included John Sandoval, design and project manager; Tom Donovan, superintendent; Ron Tickner, project engineer; and Susanna Bingham and Judy Deese, the project administrators.

 Major subcontractors included Sierra Earthwork, grading and underground; Team C, concrete; DA Whitacre, framing; A&P, drywall; Helfers Electric; and Arrow Automatic, fire protection.

Community College Photo Lab Gets Modern Makeover

Echo Pacific Construction announces the completion of Photo Lab Building 570 on the Southwestern Community College campus. This 50-year-old photography building is one of the last major infrastructure projects utilizing Proposition AA funding.

In 2000, South Bay residents passed Proposition AA, allowing Southwestern College to access $89 million in general obligation bonds used for infrastructure, renovation and modernization. The proposition passed with a 70 percent voter approval and opened the door for some of Southwestern Community College’s most ambitious and community improving projects including the modernization of buildings 510 and 570.

Modernization of the 570 building into a 21st century digital photography lab right in the middle of the campus posed unique challenges. Logistics required all new rooftop air conditioning equipment to be craned in from the campus drive. Bringing power, data, intercom and fire alarms in from an adjacent building had to be accomplished by running conduit overhead on the roof of the covered walkways. Demolition of the building required working over the winter break to ensure the noisy operations did not occur while the campus was occupied. Upgrading the foundations to current earthquake and building codes meant cutting out large portions of the floors, anchoring new reinforcing and pouring new footings. As a result, three new digital classrooms were provided with the latest technology and a complete photo studio was constructed with state-of-the-art lighting.

Currently under way is the second phase of the project, the classroom and central custodian facility modernization of building 510 scheduled for completion in December.

Schubach Aviation Celebrates Its New Headquarters

Schubach Aviation celebrated the grand opening of its spacious new 45,000-square-foot headquarters with an exclusive cocktail reception held Sept. 7 in its private hangar at Palomar Airport. The nearly 250 guests who attended the festive gala experienced a fusion of sights, tastes and sounds epitomizing modern, luxury living.

Located at 2026 Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad, Schubach Aviation’s new headquarters are situated just 100 yards west of its former location. The company had outgrown its previous 33,000-square-foot headquarters. Schubach Aviation has signed a 10-year lease agreement for the new, larger hangar and office space. 

The grand opening celebration was hosted by Schubach Aviation along with its select partners: the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, Symbolic Motors, Laura Barry of Barry Estates, and Maria Barry of Le Dimora. The event showcased several of Schubach Aviation’s luxury aircraft, which guests were invited to tour and relax in. The featured aircraft included a Challenger 601-1A, Challenger 601-3R, Citation CJ3 and the company’s newly acquired Gulfstream G-IVSP.

Another highlight of the evening was an exhibit of luxury automobiles provided by Symbolic Motors, which premiered a brand new, stunning white Lamborghini, together with a Rolls-Royce, two Bentleys, and a Bugatti.

Dinners by David, featuring Chef Cristy Bell, orchestrated an assortment of delectable culinary offerings. Donovan’s Steak & Chop House and Cupcakes Squared also catered the affair. Country Wine & Spirits, Rodney Strong Wine Estates, The Macallan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, St. Petersburg Vodka, and Azunia Tequila provided beverages.

Solo guitarist Don Clark was the featured musician. A video, custom-produced for the grand opening occasion, played center stage on an immense screen. Proceeds from a silent auction, featuring a unique array of collectibles, benefited the Jammer Family Foundation.

Businesses Lease Space at Renovated Office Building

Renovations on the 30,000-square-foot Bonita View Plaza office building in Chula Vista have been completed.

Previously occupied entirely by a health club, the building was gutted and remodeled as a multitenant building for office and medical tenants. General contractor for the project was Burger Construction. Design services were provided by RBN Design.

Western Health has signed a five-year lease for 8,011 square feet at a lease value of $1,470,349. Chula Vista Physicians Group has leased 3,557 square feet for seven years at a lease value of $758,740. PT In Motion, O.T. Therapy Etc. and Excel Speech Therapy have leased 4,389 square feet at a lease value of $579,348.

Brokerage services were provided by JP Huntington of Cushman & Wakefield, Tracy Clark of Voit Commercial, and Tim Rhea of Rhea Properties.

The project owner is Bonita View Office Partners LLC, with Kirk Phair as the project manager.

Poway Corporate Center Lots Purchased for $5.6M

According to CoStar Group, Hamann Cos., a construction and property management firm, purchased two vacant lots in the Poway Corporate Center from Tech Business Center Ventures LP for $5.628 million, or about $813,300 per square acre.

The deal totals 6.92 acres and includes 11886 Community Road and 11900 Community Road in Poway. The lots are both part of Phase III in the master-planned business park at the Poway Corporate Center.

Ted Cuthbert of Colliers International represented the seller, GTL Inc. Hamann Cos. used in-house representation.

Parkway Villa Center in Escondido Sold for $2.8M

Parkway Villa Center, a 15,330-square-foot building located at 1815 E. Valley Parkway in Escondido, has been purchased for $2,810,000. The seller, Natcat LLC, was represented by Justin Earley with Capital Real Estate Ventures Inc. The buyer, Fisher Wells LLC, was represented by Jason Cox with California Commercial Realty Advisors Inc.

The one-story strip center was constructed in 1986 on 1.46 acres and has nine tenants.