Hughes Marino, Inc.

Earlier this year Hughes Marino moved into its two-story, 12,367-square-foot space at 1450 Front Street in downtown San Diego. The new office is part of the company’s long-standing commitment to the San Diego community and, in particular, downtown San Diego.

Hughes Marino purchased the former offices of San Diego Magazine on the corner of Front and Beech Streets in 2011 and dedicated itself to restoring the building with special attention to San Diego’s historical architecture.

“The space is unlike anything we’ve seen in downtown San Diego today,” said Jason Hughes, President of Hughes Marino. “This office environment really speaks to the culture of Hughes Marino that places the highest emphasis on personal esteem and a sense of family. Our new office has more living space than office space.”

The entire first floor of Hughes Marino’s wholly owned building consists of a large living room and entertainment area equipped with an 80” high-definition TV, a set of Taylor guitars, and a self-playing baby grand piano. The space also sports a state-of-the-art gym with showers and personalized lockers for employees, a gourmet chef’s kitchen, a billiards room with a pool table and putting green, multiple conference rooms and media rooms, and plenty of space for pleasure. Upstairs, the perimeter is lined with offices – with an open atrium looking down onto the ground floor “living room” – drenched in light from the multiple skylights and original barrel-vaulted, truss-laced raised wood ceiling.

“We love the people we work with, and we want to make working here as enjoyable and rewarding as possible,” Shay Hughes, COO of Hughes Marino, said. “We also want to share this space with the community and are already opening our doors to a variety of non-profit groups and philanthropic events. Giving back is an important value at Hughes Marino.”

Warming up the downstairs living room are wide-planked, fumed European white oak floors, gorgeous Calacatta Michelangelo marble throughout the walnut and white-painted gourmet traditional kitchen with multiple Subzero refrigerators (five in all), a Wolf induction cooktop, oven and hood, and a 24 foot entertainment center you’d typically find only in a multi-million dollar home. Each employee has a tray with their name on it to store their lunch in the refrigerator, and Shay has a local grocery store deliver fresh fruit and snacks every Monday morning for the team.

Drenched in sunlight pouring in from the skylights above, there is a sunny feel to the entire place. Perhaps that sunny disposition is why the old-fashioned English roses (a favorite of Shay’s) seem so fitting, dressing up the distressed antique furniture and concrete farm tables surrounded by grey velvet chairs where staffers have family style meals together. The 15 x 20 foot hand-knotted Pakistani wool rug lying under the baby grand piano in the living room adds more warmth to the homey environment.

Playful and whimsy abound in the billiards room, with overstuffed grand chaises in lavender splendor damask that beckon you to put your feet up and enjoy a tootsie pop or a caffe latte from the two gourmet espresso makers. The nearby putting green, flat screen TV, Taylor guitars, and cheery watercolor painting of a giant lollipop by Southern California artist, Robert Townsend, adds a happy glow to the fun-filled space.

But Hughes Marino’s offices are much more than just a place to lounge and play. The three conference rooms are dominated by a stunning 16 foot graphically-veined Calacatta Paonazza marble table they designed, fully equipped with the latest cutting edge technology, and surrounded by Geiger’s award-winning Sotto chair in plush espresso leather.

The complete makeover of the building, inside and out was managed by the Hughes Marino CM team and the firm’s LEED certified specialists.