San Diego County Administration Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Diego County Administration Center |
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The center with the statue Guardian of Water in the foreground
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| Former names | San Diego Civic Center; City and County Administration Building |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts, Spanish Revival, Streamline Moderne, Mission Revival |
| Address | 1600 Pacific Hwy., San Diego, California |
| Coordinates | 32°43′19″N 117°10′20″W / 32.7219°N 117.1721°W |
| Groundbreaking | December 5, 1935 |
| Construction started | January 4, 1936 |
| Completed | December 23, 1938 |
| Inaugurated | July 16, 1938 |
| Height | 150 feet (46 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 7 (incl. 2 basement floors) |
| Floor area | 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Samuel Wood Hamill, William Templeton Johnson, Richard Requa, Louis John Gill |
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San Diego Civic Center
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| Area | 16.7 acres (6.8 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000554 |
| Added to NRHP | May 16, 1988 |
The San Diego County Administration Center is a beautiful historic building in San Diego, California. It was built in a mix of styles, including Beaux-Arts and Spanish Revival. This building is where the main offices for the San Diego County government are located. It was finished in 1938 and got most of its funding from the Works Progress Administration, a program that helped create jobs during the Great Depression.
This building was once known as the San Diego Civic Center and the City and County Administration Building. Because of its stunning design and its spot right next to San Diego Bay, people often call it the Jewel on the Bay. Famous architects like Samuel Wood Hamill, William Templeton Johnson, Richard Requa, and Louis John Gill helped design it. The building was made using special methods to protect it from earthquakes. It was even seen as a model for how other government buildings could be built in America. On May 16, 1988, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
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A Look Back: How the Center Was Built
Long ago, the city and county government offices were spread out all over downtown San Diego. To bring them together, a city planner named John Nolen was asked to design a central area called a civic center. His first idea in 1908 was rejected by voters.
In 1926, Nolen finished a new plan. This time, the civic center would be built on land that was created by dredging (digging up) the tidelands. Voters approved this plan in March 1927. Some people worried about building on tidelands because they thought the building might not be stable during an earthquake. However, engineers made it strong by driving 30-foot-long steel poles deep into the ground. Some of these poles were placed in a special way to handle sideways shaking, which was a very new idea at the time.
Building the center was delayed because of these engineering challenges and the Great Depression. Finally, in 1935, the project received $1 million from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This was combined with $750,000 from local funds. The WPA was a government program that helped people find jobs during a tough economic time. On July 16, 1938, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially opened the building. About 25,000 people came to see it!
What Happens Inside Today?
In 1964, the city government moved its offices to a new place downtown. Since then, the San Diego County Administration Center has only housed county offices. Today, many county offices are in a different building called the County Operations Center. The county also has several smaller offices around the area to help people.
However, the historic County Administration Center is still very important. It's where the Board of Supervisors meets. The Board of Supervisors is a group of elected officials who make important decisions for the county. It's also home to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Assessor (who values property), the County Clerk (who keeps official records), and the Treasurer/Tax Collector. Many public records are also stored here.
In 2014, a beautiful waterfront park was opened right next to the building. This park used to be the building's parking lots.
Cool Architecture and Art
The design of the San Diego County Administration Center was meant to look good with other buildings in Balboa Park. It combines styles like Spanish Revival and Beaux-Arts architecture. You can see special touches from the Southwest, like a red tile roof, colorful Franciscan pottery tiles, and arched doorways and windows.
The main office tower also shows elements of a style called P.W.A. Moderne. This building also features details from Zigzag Moderne. You can see this in the many decorations, windows that are set back in vertical lines, and smooth columns.
Art Inside the Building
Inside the building, there's a collection of art from the county. This includes works by artists like Charles Reiffel and Charles Fries. There's also a portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Donald Armand Luscomb.
Outside, on the side facing the harbor, you'll find a sculpture fountain called Guardian of Water. It was created by Donal Hord in 1939. Inside the building, there are also murals painted by Arthur Ames and Jean Goodwin. These murals were made using a special painting method called egg tempera. This was a popular way to paint in Italy hundreds of years ago.
Fun at Waterfront Park
In May 2014, the 12-acre (4.9 ha) County Administration Center Waterfront Park opened. This park is located on both the north and south sides of the building. Before it was a park, these areas were just parking lots.
The Waterfront Park took more than ten years to plan and build. It has wide, open grassy areas where you can relax. On the north side, there are gardens filled with flowers that don't need a lot of water. On the south side, you'll find picnic areas, a playground with colorful swings and slides, and a fun water fountain that kids love to play in!
Gallery
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Detail of west entrance
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Closeup of headstone on mosaic, west entrance
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County Building, west facade
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County Building, seen from across Harbor Drive
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Fountains, Waterfront Park
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Playground, Waterfront Park
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Building lit in Los Angeles Lakers shortly after the death of Kobe Bryant
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