$25M Montefaro Condo Project Complete

LA JOLLA, CA-Nineteen months after developer Centex Homes began work on its Montefaro condominium complex in La Jolla, the $25-million project is now complete. The development, which was started in November 2002, stands at 7255 Girard Ave. in the community’s downtown area.Designed by architectural firm Martinez + Cutri and built by general contractor Roel Construction, Montefaro is a luxury condo complex that reflects an Italian coastal motif. The property is comprised of five separate buildings that have been modeled after Italian villas, says Mike Berryhill, who served as the Montefaro project manager for Roel Construction. This coastal villa theme resonates in architectural details such as wrought iron gates, elevated planters, classic stone work, and walkways between the buildings that are decorated with fountains and statues. Amenities here include a pool, spa, outdoor living area with built-in barbecue and fireplace, a club room, gym, and 121 parking spaces. The La Jolla property houses a total of 48 condo units, with prices starting at $1.6 million. Two of the complex’s units are penthouses, which have an average size of 5,770 sf. The remaining 46 units encompass an average of 2,545 sf. A new structural style that had not yet been used in San Diego was employed in the design of Montefaro, in order to maximize square footage in the units, Berryhill tells GlobeSt.com. The buildings have “low-profile concrete decks between floors and narrow, tube steel columns,” Berryhill says, explaining that “the columns are not as wide and the decks are not as thick, so you can get greater head space and greater wall space and therefore, greater square footage in the units.”Montefaro marks Centex Homes’ first completed multifamily project in San Diego, according to Berryhill. “It’s a new product type for them in the Southern California/San Diego region,” he tells GlobeSt.com, adding that “there’s a lot of growth coming back towards the city and they felt it was time for them to get into the multifamily urban setting.”