James R. Mills Building

James R. Mills Building
James R. Mills Building
	James R. Mills Building and Ebel Clock Tower
Alternative names	MTS Tower
General information
Type	Governmental office
Architectural style	Modernism
Address	1255 Imperial Avenue; San Diego, California; United States
Coordinates	32°42′21″N 117°09′12″W / 32.70583°N 117.15333°W
Current tenants	San Diego Metropolitan Transit System; County of San Diego
Named for	James R. Mills
Groundbreaking	November 19, 1987
Opened	January 3, 1989
Cost	$43.6 million
Owner	San Diego Regional Building Authority
Height	120 feet (37 m)
Technical details
Floor count	10
Floor area	180,000 sq ft (17,000 m2)
Grounds	3.4 acres
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Homer Delawie
Architecture firm	Delawie, Bretton, Wilkes and Associates
Developer	Starboard Development
Main contractor	M. H. Golden Company
Awards and prizes	1990 American Institute of Architects, California Council Honor Award; 1991 Urban Land Institute Award of Excellence
Other information
Parking	1,020-space garage (adjacent)
Public transit access	12th & Imperial Transit Center
References

The James R. Mills Building is a 120-foot (37 m) mid-rise governmental office tower in San Diego, California, United States. The building is alternatively known as the MTS Tower, as it is the headquarters of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The building also houses various offices in the County of San Diego. The building was completed in 1989 and is located directly above 12th & Imperial Transit Center, a major transfer point in the San Diego Trolley system, with trains passing through the base of the building.

A 200-foot (61 m) clock tower is located in the plaza in front of the building. There is a 1,020-car parking garage located adjacent to the building which offers paid parking for employees and MTS patrons.

The building is named in honor of James R. Mills (June 6, 1927 – March 27, 2021), a California state lawmaker who authored legislation creating the San Diego Trolley. He was also chairman of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (the predecessor of today's Metropolitan Transit System) from 1985 to 1994.

^ "The James R. Mills Building Turns 30". Delawie (Press release). April 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
^ "James R. Mills Building". Emporis. Retrieved March 30, 2021.^{[dead link]}
^ "Request for Proposals Provide Property Management Services for the James R. Mills Building and Auto Park" (PDF). San Diego County. San Diego Regional Building Authority. August 6, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2021.

[1] "The James R. Mills Building Turns 30". Delawie (Press release). April 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2021.

[2] "James R. Mills Building". Emporis. Retrieved March 30, 2021.^{[dead link]}

[SDRBA_Management-3] "Request for Proposals Provide Property Management Services for the James R. Mills Building and Auto Park" (PDF). San Diego County. San Diego Regional Building Authority. August 6, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2021.

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