880 West Broadway

onion
This is the new monolith planned by The Irvine Company to be placed on Broadway in front of the One America Plaza Building (the philips head screwdriver in our downtown tool set). While I don't find anything too atrocious with the architecture to describe it entirely as an onion, other than the fact that it's extremely boring and plain to be set in as the new crown jewel of our skyline, I definitely can't call it an orchid. This building is all wrong for our downtown which has taken on a much more modern and glassy feel like Vancouver. This building screams mediocrity, it looks like a relic from the 80s and 90s and doesn't really fit in with everything else. It's stark white, while most of the other modern towers are glass reflecting the blue of the sky and the bay. While some may argue that the Manchester Hyatt buildings pulled off white at least they have some architectural interest...this thing is a block. The architect is apparently an accomplished one that built the US Bank Tower in LA but this style is all wrong for San Diego. As eccentric as One America Plaza is I'd rather not see it eclipsed by this.
Project Information
Project Address: 
880 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101
Project Owner/ Developer: 
The Irvine Company
Owner Contact Name/ Email: 
webmaster@irvinecompany.com
Project Architect/ Designer: 
Harry Cobb - Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Image
880 Broadway for web.jpg
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Picture 1.png
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Comments:

Very Plain Jane

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 20:41.
I have to agree with the author. This building will attract attention to itself, because it doesn't fit in with the rest of the skyline. I generally like the direction the San Diego skyline is moving in, but this building will be an eyesore. I think in any city in which height limits are an issue, more consideration needs to be applyed to building design (maybe to make buildings appear taller than they are, by making them thinner). Height limits are definitely an issue in my city, and we have some of the worst architectural designs (IMO) of any large American city (so I consider myself an expert on the subject :) John H. - San Jose, CA

@ ignorance & love it

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/08/2010 - 08:36.
I don't think people coming to San Diego, or living in San Diego or going to take the time to research the architect or the inspiration behind this building. Unfortunately they're going to look at it and think ugly, which it is.

Poor Coronado

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 22:59.
I live in Banker's Hill so One America still gets to be the center of my view, I feel really bad for the bay-front houses in Coronado! I hope their property value doesn't drop with this eyesore.

A city is known by the

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 10/20/2009 - 07:00.
A city is known by the skyline it portrays to its visitors. One America Plaza is an instantly recognizable building against the San Diego skyline that will all but be hidden from the bay once this project is completed. Planning at its least favorable.

JUST SAY NO. Or, in this

Submitted by Shannon on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 15:13.
JUST SAY NO. Or, in this case, no way. I know, I know. Too late. Our skyline is schizophrenic enough, don't you think?

Construction time

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 11:22.
I believe construction started during mid 2008 and it will take two and half year for completion of the project.....so Califonia can see the monolith in early 2011.

Yuk

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 04:10.
Really Tragic design. I cant imagine why Irvine Company would go with this building. Well - maybe I can. They seem to build whatever they want = traditional, safe (NO LEED)..why take a risk? Some people just don't get San Diego - local talent is fine on a 20k sf tilt-up, but if you have a major project- go see the big boys in NY. In summary, YUK

uggg

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 08/26/2009 - 21:55.
did Mussolini design this building?

880 West Broadway

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 08/26/2009 - 16:34.
A city's skyline becomes its signature, if you will, that not only residents begin to recognize, but also the many tourists visiting beautiful San Diego. What I love about the views to downtown from the bay is the fact that the buildings are not just flat topped large rectangular towers, but have some sense of grace as they meet the sky. This building looks to be an odd-ball intruding into a city that is known for life, vitality and fun. I don't think it works.

880 West Broadway

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 08/17/2009 - 20:20.
Whoever designed it, it does not fit with the architecture of San Diego's skyline. It looks like a refugee from Downtown Los Angeles... what a horror.

I love it!

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 07/26/2009 - 04:09.
There really is meaning to the buildings design, i hated it at first, but after more research about it i learned to love it and i cant wait for this building to be built. oh yea and I'm living in San Diego. There are videos exploring the building and stuff like that. just search it on google and you'll find videos. The very top of the building is suppose to represent a crown, at night it'll light up and will look really nice.

Matter of opinion

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 11/21/2009 - 22:54.
I agree the building isn't the worst thing, it does look pretty at night, but to have it smack in the center of the skyline, this big white brick of a thing is the architectural equivalent of putting a censored bar right in the middle of a bay front it doesn't match at all. I think it might be more appropriate in the middle of downtown like say the Civic Center.

Terrible design

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 16:10.
This may be designed by Cobb, but it is not one of his better works. It feels as if it was designed by a 2nd year structural engineering student. Just because Cobb is a respected older architect doesnt mean he is right. In this case he is just plain wrong.

Ignorance!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 20:57.
"The architect is apparently an accomplished one" Are you kidding?! Do you not realize that the Pei, in Pei, Cobb, Freed and Partners is I.M. Pei and Henry Cobb is one of the most respected architects today. Study some architecture if you are going to critique it.

Look at the Results

Submitted by Veritas on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 15:38.
I don't care WHO designed it. The fact is that it's a monolithic beast of a building with no redeeming style or character. It looks cheap and slapdash. This deserves a 50-story tall Onion!

A lack of grace.

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 21:50.
I agree, this thing is going to ruin the skyline...it's just a block. Along with the Broadway Pier Terminal and the Lane Field buildings our city's image is going to change drastically--for the worse.