The Sasan Lofts in Mission Hills (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)
Real Estate Development, Mission Hills
‘Orchids’ Descend on North Park, South Park, Mission Hills and Downtown
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
The San Diego Architectural Foundation gives kudos each year to the designs of various buildings and interior makeovers throughout the city in the form of coveted “orchid” awards. It also points to unsightly and ill-conceived projects by tossing them “onions.”
In metro San Diego, the properties that recently fetched orchids include North Park’s historic Lafayette Hotel, which underwent a dazzling interior renovation last year by new owner CH Projects to the tune of $31 million. The redo gave way to multiple bars, restaurants, and a couple of bowling alleys within different venues that feed the imagination with detailed craftsmanship.
Mothership in South Park was also awarded for its interior design, which presents a far-out vibe of a spaceship that crashed onto some distant planet teeming with exotic plant life. Celestial lighting and moody soundtracks give this must-see restaurant/bar its trippy ambiance.
The new eight-story Sasan Lofts in Mission Hills fetched an orchid for its “tropical modernism” architecture. It is replete with a pretty-pink exterior, curvy balconies, and most recently, the addition of green foliage winking down on Washington Street from most levels. The building offers 53 “micro units” in various floor plans. Yes, it looks straight out of Miami’s South Beach. But the project’s detractors have seemingly quieted down. Commercial spaces were reserved on both the ground floor and rooftop. (Coming soon are a couple of eating and drinking establishments that we will cover once their contracts are secured.)
An orchid for landscape architecture was given to the Children’s Park downtown. The judges cited the park as a “revitalized, bustling hub” that features a civic pond and boardwalk, a “tree house” playground, a dog park, and a new vendor/restroom building. In addition, the park’s expanded lawn encompasses sections for games, picnics and exercising.
An “onion” was given to the obtrusive video billboard installed by the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) at the foot of Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter. The judges lambasted the triangular-shaped flashing light board for being “monstrous in size” and “too close to the ground.” Their summary of the project goes on to say that “San Diego gets the worst of the Las Vegas strip.”
Click here for a complete list of winners and losers.
