Beneath our feet, the pulse of San Diego’s transit system hums. We are standing before the James R. Mills Building. It is also known as the MTS Tower. The MTS Center is more than just an office building. It’s a testament to San Diego’s commitment to public transportation.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is headquartered here. The MTS oversees the San Diego MTS bus system. It also operates the San Diego Trolley and Rapid bus rapid transit. The agency even controls the San Diego and Arizona Eastern freight railway.
Back in 1975, California established the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board. Its mission was clear: plan, construct, and operate a mass transit system. In 2005, the MTDB changed its name to the Metropolitan Transit System.
Look up at the 200-foot clock tower. It stands proudly in the plaza. This clock tower was a gift from Ebel. Ebel is a Swiss watch company. The clock features red Roman numerals. Its black hands are six-foot-long. The clock’s white faces are powerfully backlit.
The MTS Center is named after James R. Mills. He was a California state lawmaker. Mills authored the legislation that created the San Diego Trolley. He also chaired the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board from 1985 to 1994.
The MTS Tower sits directly above the 12th and Imperial Transit Center. San Diego Trolley trains pass right through the base of the building. Imagine that.
In the 1980s, the MTDB outgrew its leased office space. It needed its own headquarters. The County of San Diego offered to expand the building. This expansion would house some of its agencies. The planned building grew to ten stories.
Homer Delawie designed the MTS Tower. He was a San Diego architect. The ten-story building straddles the 12th and Imperial station. Trains pass through the lobby. The building is trimmed in red. Red is the color of the San Diego Trolley.
The MTS building played a key role. It was part of a plan to revitalize the East Village. The East Village was once a gritty neighborhood.
Construction was financed in a new way. The developer sold bonds to Swiss financiers. The debt was then transferred to the San Diego Regional Building Authority.
Groundbreaking occurred on November 19, 1987. The ceremony included fireworks. The building was completed in less than 14 months. This was significantly ahead of schedule. The building officially opened on January 3, 1989.
The MTS Tower stands as a symbol of progress. It represents San Diego’s dedication to efficient public transportation. As the trains rumble beneath us, remember the visionaries. They made this integrated system a reality. The MTS Center connects San Diego. It moves people. It drives the city forward.