American Public Works Association Honors the San Diego Redevelopment Agency
Restoration of historic Euclid Tower earns 2009 APWA Honor Award
SAN DIEGO, Calif.—The Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego received an Honor Award for the restoration of the Euclid Tower, a cherished city landmark, by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter of the American Public Works Association as a “Project of the Year.” This APWA award recognizes the partnership between the managing agency, the consultant/architect/engineer team and the contractor who work to successfully complete the project.
“Restoring Euclid Tower was important to the neighborhood,” says Janice Weinrick, deputy executive director with the San Diego Redevelopment Agency. “The restoration preserves the character of the community and keeps a part of City Heights’ history alive.”
The Euclid Tower, originally dubbed the Silver Tower, was constructed in 1932 at 4757 University Avenue. It consisted of a two-story octagonal base topped by an ornamental wooden tower. In 1995, the tower’s white façade was replaced with colorful geometric designs to reflect the community’s ethnic diversity. The wooden tower was removed in 1999 for safety and structural reasons.
The tower restoration initiative began in 2005 with architect Richard Bundy assisting the Agency in determining the best approach to restoring the structure. After several meetings with the City Heights Redevelopment Area Project Area Committee (PAC) and a joint meeting between the PAC and the City Heights Area Planning Committee, a decision was made to maintain the 1995 color scheme.
Funding for the restoration was approved by the City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency in May 2007 and the project completed in March 2009 based on the design created by Richard Bundy. The new tower is built of lightweight aluminum cladding on steel I-beams to address the safety issues and ensure a long life for the structure.
“We appreciate winning this Honor Award,” added Astrid Cybulskis, PAC chairperson, “but the real reward is being able to give the community what it wanted and preserve a bit of San Diego’s history.”
About the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego
The Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego, created by the City Council in 1958, uses special legal and financial mechanisms to eliminate blight and improve economic and physical conditions in designated areas of the City. The Agency’s purview encompasses 17 project areas, study areas and affordable housing. Activities within the project areas are carried out by the city’s Redevelopment Division and two public, nonprofit city corporations: Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) and Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). The Agency also administers seven Project Area Committees (PAC) that advise the agency on the adoption of redevelopment plans and implementing redevelopment projects. For more information, visit: www.sandiego.gov/redevelopment-agency/
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