by Paul Bubny | Connect CRE
Designed by Architects Orange and Kimley Horn, Desert Sky Plaza II will be the second phase of the existing Home Depot-anchored Desert Sky Plaza. This new phase will be anchored by Target, Burlington and other soft goods retailers. The NewMark Merrill development team includes Sandy Sigal, chairman and CEO; Susan Rorison, COO; Jim Patton, SVP of leasing & acquisitions; Sandra Kist, CFO; Brad Pearl, EVP; Luca Giovanardi, chief development officer; Greg Giacopuzzi, VP, leasing and development; and Elaine Weiss, senior project manager, construction & development.
by Steven Sharp | Urbanize Los Angeles
The Azusa City Council recently approved plans to redevelop portions of a golf course near the San Gabriel River. The Azusa Greens project, slated for a property at 919 Sierra Madre Avenue, would involve the redevelopment of roughly 40 acres of the golf course of the same name. Formerly a full 18-hole course, the site has been reduced to 16 holes, and would be further reduced to nine holes after completion of the new project.
by Mia Laureys | Orange County Business Journal
AO, a leading architecture, design, and planning firm, is proud to announce the promotion of nine team members to Associate. Congratulations to Rudy Carbajal, Daniel Danciu, David Esparza, Cortney Hagee, Dinh Le, Tyson McGuire, Jahn Nguyen, William Troeak, and David White, NCARB. These individuals represent the next generation of leadership at AO. Each has demonstrated a strong command of design, technical execution, and project delivery, while consistently supporting clients, consultants, and internal teams with clarity and professionalism.
by Gabriel Clark-Clough | SF YIMBY
As per a recently released statement by BART, the long-awaited Mandela Station development project in Oakland is now taking initial steps towards construction. A portion of the West Oakland BART parking lot is closed this week for preliminary site soil testing and preparations. Site remediation, followed by building construction, is to begin later this year.
by Mia Laureys | Orange County Business Journal
AO’s leadership team combines decades of specialized expertise to deliver award-winning results across diverse sectors. With veterans like Steve Griego, Sonny Labay, and Michael Mayhew providing technical mastery in high-density and mixed-use design, the firm ensures creative solutions to complex challenges. This excellence is furthered by project leaders Maryam Mofakham, Amy Nguyen, Dimitros Tolios, and Ryan Webb, who emphasize precision, sustainable smart design, and collaborative execution to shape impactful environments nationwide.
by Steven Sharp | Orange County Business Journal
Architecture firm AO has unveiled renderings of Bolsa Pacific, a planned mixed-use development that will replace the former Westminster Mall. The project from Shopoff Realty Investments, which recently acquired the remaining components of the mall site, will span more than 83 acres. Plans call for the construction of: 15 acres of parks and open spaces, 2,250 residential units in a mix of for-sale homes, market-rate apartments, and affordable housing with approximately 220,000 square feet of retail space.
by Mia Laureys | Orange County Business Journal
Leading architecture and planning firm, AO is proud to announce the promotions of José Ho, Duc Huynh, and Thanh Trinh to Principal. Their leadership and design excellence continue to strengthen AO’s capabilities, elevating the quality of our work and enhancing the experience we deliver to clients and communities.
by Jason Rupp | Parking Today
When it comes to urban design, the question is not cars versus people. It is whether we waste the most valuable land on circulation and surface parking or concentrate vehicles into a structure that gives the ground back to daily life. Done right, the garage becomes urban infrastructure, supporting walkability, street-level activity, and electrified transportation without gambling on a single mobility forecast.
by Times of San Diego
San Diego’s housing crisis has reached a point where proven, unconventional solutions are no longer optional — they are necessary to make immediate, real headway at scale. Over the past five years alone, rents in San Diego have surged by more than 40%. Nearly half of San Diego households are now considered “rent-burdened,” spending more than 30% of their income just to keep a roof over their heads. Low- and middle-income families — the people who power our economy and anchor our neighborhoods — are increasingly being pushed out of the region altogether.
by Mann Report
Full-service architecture firm AO announced the launch of its Automotive Studio, a practice area dedicated to delivering integrated design solutions for automotive dealerships, service facilities and evolving mobility-focused retail environments. The new studio will be led by Lyle Hutson, NCARB, who joins AO as a principal, bringing three decades of specialized experience designing automotive facilities for national and international brands, including Porsche, BMW, Lexus, Audi, Genesis and more, expanding AO’s ability to meet growing client demand at the intersection of brand, retail and customer experience.
by Mia Laureys | Orange County Business Journal
Leading architecture, planning, and design firm AO is proud to announce the promotions of Rene Boggio, Mike Connell, and Edward Wu to the firm’s leadership role of Partner. These promotions mark an important milestone in AO’s continued growth and evolution, recognizing three individuals who have consistently demonstrated exceptional expertise, leadership, and dedication to the firm’s clients, projects, and people.
by Mia Laureys | Orange County Business Journal
AO is pleased to welcome Lyle Hutson as Principal and leader in the firm's newly launched Automotive Studio. Hutson brings more than 35 years of experience specializing in automotive facility design, branded retail environments, and complex commercial projects across the United States.
by Building Design+Construction
AO’s design reflects Prime’s values of precision and performance, expressed through a material palette of deep navy, teal, graphite, and warm neutrals. Premium finishes—matte black stainless steel, ash veneer, charcoal porcelain, and backlit glass—reinforce a modern identity rooted in trust and technological clarity.
By David Barista | Building Design+Construction
This 71-page report includes six articles that cover the top trends in affordable housing, senior living, and student housing; the 2026 multifamily market outlook; 17 innovations from multifamily firms; and an AIA course on multifamily amenity innovations.
by Multi-Housing News
On December 4th, Multi-Housing News hosted its 19th annual Excellence Awards, recognizing some of the industry’s top developments, business ventures and professionals. The event, hosted at Oasis at 437 Madison Ave. in New York City, awarded 101 Bronze, Silver, and Gold accolades across 33 different categories. AO's Rosette Apartments brought home Silver for the Best Unbuilt category this year.
by AZ Big Media
AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with design expertise spanning the full spectrum of commercial real estate, has announced its latest surf-anchored destination, PHX Surf, a 40- acre, mixed-use resort, expected to break ground in Maricopa city in March 2026. Developed by PHX Surf, the project will deliver an immersive, surf-centered experience powered by Endless Surf’s pneumatic wave technology, producing world-class waves for surfers of all skill levels.
by David Barista | Building Design+Construction
AO developed Archetype, a kit-of-parts-based design system aimed at reducing the time, complexity, and cost of developing multifamily buildings. “By leveraging standardized yet flexible components, the system ensures more predictable budgets, smoother permitting and entitlement processes, and greater consistency across developments, all while maintaining the design excellence and site-specific customization,” according to the firm.
by Orange County Business Journal
The newly opened Bay Shores Peninsula Hotel marks the second hospitality project in Orange County led by Blake Marriott and Spencer Samuelian. The business partners, also brothers-in-law, bought the former 1960s surf motel in 2021. Marriott told the Business Journal he was convinced of its potential after seeing the view from the rooftop of not only of the Balboa Peninsula but also the harbor and the Pacific Ocean. That rooftop has been renovated as one of two ocean-facing venues that can host parties.
by Niall Patrick Walsh | Archinet
The Los Angeles Business Council has announced the winners of its 55th LA Architectural Awards. Taking place less than a year after wildfires devastated areas in and around the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the 2025 edition of the series was aimed at “honoring organizations that are uniting Angelenos around wildfire recovery and rebuilding and celebrating innovative designs that reflect the region’s leadership in culture, sports and mobility.”
by Steven Sharp | Urbanize LA
Arrimus Capital, owner of the Woodland Hills Country Club, is seeking approvals to redevelop the northern portion of the golf course with housing, per an application submitted to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. The project, which would span across a roughly 20-acre portion of the golf course at 4868 Canoga Avenue, calls for the construction of a mix of single-family homes, apartments, and affordable housing.