San Diego Civic Center
Also known as: San Diego County Administration Center
Why it's listed
Built between 1936 and 1938 on reclaimed bayfront tidelands, the San Diego Civic Center originally housed both city and county offices and now serves as the County Administration Center. The reinforced concrete building combines Spanish Revival and Streamline Moderne styling with Beaux-Arts touches, a Mission tile roof, inlaid Franciscan pottery tile, and a ten-story central tower. Inside are marble-covered lobbies, bronze detailing and Philippine mahogany stairs. Over 1,500 steel pilings and a five-section structure were used to resist earthquakes. Four San Diego architects designed it: Louis J. Gill, Samuel W. Hamill, William T. Johnson and Richard S. Requa. Funding came largely from the Works Progress Administration. The site includes Donal Hord's granite Guardian of Water sculpture and fountain, placed in 1939, and Roland Hoyt's landscaping. The location reflects John Nolen's 1926 city plan, which envisioned a paseo linking civic buildings to Balboa Park, though that was never realized. Stories were added to the wings in 1968.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the project's link to the New Deal Works Progress Administration and its place in John Nolen's 1926 Plan for San Diego. It also points to the architectural and structural quality of the building, the symbolic public sculpture by Donal Hord, and the landscaping by Roland Hoyt. Together the building, art and landscape are presented as an example of three disciplines working together.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000554, listed May 16, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1600 Pacific Hwy., San Diego |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | May 16, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000554 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1936-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Gill, Louis J.; Hamill, Samuel W. |
| Architectural style | Moderne; Spanish Revival (Spanish Revival with Streamline Moderne influences and Beaux-Arts touches) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture, Art, Engineering, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The historic Civic Center building remains in government office use and the nomination says it retains a fairly high degree of integrity. A 1958 public health building on the site was vacated and slated for demolition. |
| Acreage | 16.7 |
| Coordinates | 32.73120, -117.17168 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000554.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5761215
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.