Mark Mitchell’s architectural firm is in Pacific Beach, but more importantly he lives, breathes and works in the coastal community. “We were doing green before it was ‘green,’” he said. This business community advocate might be found walking to grab lunch down Mission Boulevard or working on his new project development in La Jolla. Living and breathing in the area he designs, Mitchell’s ideas flourish with each new project he undertakes. “I just love being able to walk, live and work in the community,” he said in his Mission Boulevard office. Just two blocks from home, Mitchell walks to work in the neighborhood he plans to improve. A San Diego resident since 1981, Mitchell opened Mark Mitchell Architecture and Planning in 1990 and moved the company to Pacific Beach 2 1/2 years ago. Besides improving the community aesthetic with his designs, Mitchell is a Discover Pacific Beach board member, Pacific Beach Town Council member and a former Pacific Beach Community Planning Group board member. “I would like to see PB become more polished,” he said. “I’d like to get something moving forward to get PB a nicer area. Not that it’s really bad, it just has some rough edges.” Apart from his efforts to clean up Garnet Avenue, Mitchell has improved many places of San Diego County with his innovative designs, from additions to commercial and residential home remodels. His repertoire includes sleek modern properties in Mission Bay and comfortable spaces in Borrego Springs. “What’s fun for me is to do a lot of different styles. I like to mix it up,” he said, labeling his style “contemporary with a Spanish flair.” With an expert team of consultants on his side, working with Mitchell is often eye-opening for clients, especially since he can take projects 3-D. Few other architectural firms in the area can give potential clients a 3-D view of a remodel or addition like Mitchell can, he said. The unusually modern format “that our clients love” allows them to see “a living model where changes can be made on the fly,” he said. From his computer, a window or doorframe can shift positions with just a click of the mouse. Since opening his business in 1990, Mitchell has noticed only one constant when proposing new developments. “It is never the same,” he laughed. “Getting through the bureaucracies, they just seem to be getting more complex.” Even so, Mitchell claims it is “the best time to build.” With building supply costs down and consultants more competitive than ever, construction today can be simple. One way to reduce the bill is to conserve. With the hype surrounding green building, living with the environment in mind reduces costs. “Conservation is the most important part about being green,” Mitchell said. A skilled green builder who lives consciously in a three-story home off Law Street, the architect had a handle on eco-friendly construction decades ago.
