The new 525 Olive mixed use San Diego tower was inspired by the coastal experience and luxury travel. The 300,000 sf, 20-story structure is connected to St. Paul’s Cathedral, located on the edge of 1600 acres of parkland and the museums of Balboa Park. Residents occupy 204 rental units (186 market rate and 18 deed-restricted low-income units). The building also houses a corner street-level retail/restaurant space.
Amenities include a rooftop pool deck with sweeping 270 degree views of San Diego from Mission Bay to the north to Mexico to the south. Several 18-foot stone arches on the feature wall are a nod to the gothic architecture of St. Paul’s Cathedral’s cloister and are visible for miles approaching the building. The fifth floor accommodates a state-of-the-art fitness deck that overlooks the treetops of Balboa Park. Additional luxury amenities include organic courtyards with outdoor seating, a pet spa with grooming stations, and conference rooms.
The building features a striking marble entry, pulling elements from the interior design out into the public street. A custom-designed installation composed of hundreds of fluttering hand-cut metal mesh butterflies adorn a see-through wall in the main lobby. The butterfly display is a reference to the surrounding parklands and natural environs.
All units were designed with high-end finishes and a soft, modern gray palette. Studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units feature wood emulating plank flooring with quartz countertops
throughout. Kitchens are equipped with high gloss cabinetry with a herringbone marble backsplash. Washer and dryers are available in each unit.
Penthouse units feature 270 degree views, soaring 14-foot ceilings, engineered wood
flooring, and quartz countertops. All units have access to subterranean parking shared with St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The project preserves the historic architecture of the Cathedral, adding modernized and expanded spaces and upgrades to its public courtyard. Despite being in the midst of a bustling, walkable neighborhood, the location and the properties outdoor spaces afford residents an unexpected level of serenity and quiet.
On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: Greystar Real Estate and Development, Joint Venture with St. Paul’s Cathedral
Design architect: Jules Wilson Design Studio and Joseph Wong Design Associates
Architect of record: Joseph Wong Design Associates
Interior design: Jules Wilson Design Studio
MEP engineer: McParlane & Associates
Structural engineer: KorStructural (Formerly known as BMZ)
General contractor/construction manager: Greystar Real Estate and Development
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Jun 12, 2023
Goettsch Partners completes its largest China project to date: a mixed-used, five-tower complex
Chicago-based global architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) recently announced the completion of its largest project in China to date: the China Resources Qianhai Center, a mixed-use complex in the Qianhai district of Shenzhen. Developed by CR Land, the project includes five towers totaling almost 472,000 square meters (4.6 million sf).
Architects | Jun 6, 2023
Taking storytelling to a new level in building design, with Gensler's Bob Weis and Andy Cohen
Bob Weis, formerly the head of Disney Imagineering, was recently hired by Gensler as its Global Immersive Experience Design Leader. He joins the firm's co-CEO Andy Cohen to discuss how Gensler will focus on storytelling to connect people to its projects.
Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023
Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization
Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities.
Urban Planning | Jun 2, 2023
Designing a pedestrian-focused city in downtown Phoenix
What makes a city walkable? Shepley Bulfinch's Omar Bailey, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, believes pedestrian focused cities benefit most when they're not only easy to navigate, but also create spaces where people can live, work, and play.
Mixed-Use | Jun 1, 2023
The Moore Building, a 16-story office and retail development, opens in Nashville’s Music Row district
Named after Elvis Presley’s onetime guitarist, The Moore Building, a 16-story office building with ground-floor retail space, has opened in Nashville’s Music Row district. Developed by Portman and Creed Investment Company and designed by Gresham Smith, The Moore Building offers 236,000 sf of office space and 8,500 sf of ground-floor retail.
| Apr 28, 2023
$1 billion mixed-use multifamily development will add 1,200 units to South Florida market
A giant $1 billion residential project, The District in Davie, will bring 1.6 million sf of new Class A residential apartments to the hot South Florida market. Located near Ft. Lauderdale and greater Miami, the development will include 36,000 sf of restaurants and retail space. The development will also provide 1.1 million sf of access controlled onsite parking with 2,650 parking spaces.
Mixed-Use | Apr 27, 2023
New Jersey turns a brownfield site into Steel Tech, a 3.3-acre mixed-use development
In Jersey City, N.J., a 3.3-acre redevelopment project called Steel Tech will turn a brownfield site into a mixed-use residential high-rise building, a community center, two public plazas, and a business incubator facility. Steel Tech received site plan approval in recent weeks.
Green | Apr 21, 2023
Top 10 green building projects for 2023
The Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex in Boston and the Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis are among the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards honorees for 2023.
Urban Planning | Apr 17, 2023
The future of the 20-minute city
Gensler's Stacey Olson breaks down the pros and cons of the "20-minute city," from equity concerns to data-driven design.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 17, 2023
World's largest multifamily building pursuing ILFI Zero Carbon certification under construction in Washington, D.C.
The Douglass, in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8, is currently the largest multifamily housing project to pursue Zero Carbon Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
