GPI Companies, in partnership with UC San Diego, has completed the development of 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive, a new nine-story, 114,000-square-foot state-of-the-art academic facility located at the corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Villa La Jolla Drive.
The new building is directly across from UC San Diego and serves as a gateway to the main campus. It includes academic, administrative, and research space and will be a hub for students, faculty, and patients and the home for various programs offered by UC San Diego Health Sciences and UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies.
Designed by Gensler’s San Diego office and built by Swinerton Builders as the general contractor, the new building is managed by JLL. The 8980 building achieved LEED silver status and features contemporary architecture, indoor-outdoor space on all levels, high ceilings, and large windows to bring in natural light.
It also provides dedicated parking. The ground floor of the building will be home to Bird Rock Coffee Roasters.
“This exciting project was made possible through an innovative public-private partnership between GPI Companies and UC San Diego,” said AJ Taylor, director at GPI Companies. “Despite a challenging construction climate, our collaboration with UC San Diego improved efficiency, reduced costs, and drove schedules.”
Lee Wagman, managing partner at GPI, added that “the entire team that was engaged in this project delivered extraordinary results, and we are immensely proud to have developed this exquisite building. The project is a great addition to this world-class university.”
The project completes GPI’s expansion and renovation of its five-building seven-acre campus that was recently renamed the La Jolla Wellness Center. The property is located west of the I-5 freeway, close to the UTC Transit Station, and it is connected by a bridge to the university.
The entire University City area has become the home to many bio and life science companies, new housing, and retail and restaurants. The building is also situated in proximity to Scripps Memorial Hospital, Birch Aquarium, the UTC Mall, Torrey Pines, and the Salk Institute.
