Hometown Team
With strong local roots and a decades-long history of involvement in Santa Monica, David Paul and Jeff Worthe joined with architect Frank Gehry to create a project intended to reflect the character of what Santa Monica is today and create an enduring legacy for the future.
M. David Paul
After graduating from college in May 1959, and his following service in the Army, David began his career in the real estate and construction business in 1961. There followed a number of positions the last being general manager over a number of construction projects for a medium-sized real estate development and construction company. In 1967, David started M. David Paul Associates (MDPA).
In 1974, David started Krismar Construction Company and has been its President since inception. This company has been invaluable to the growth and success of the projects in which David has been involved.
The firm has maintained a long-term view towards its properties, owning some for nearly 40 years. The company has been headquartered in Santa Monica since 1975 and employs over 70 individuals.
Jeff Worthe
Jeff Worthe is a principal of M. David Paul Ventures and President of Worthe Real Estate Group, both Santa Monica based companies. His firm’s main focus is the acquisition and development of Class A projects in Southern California. The firm currently owns in excess of 5 million square feet of properties.
He is a founding board member of the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate. He is also active with many charities in Los Angeles, including Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles where he is a member of the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Finance Committee and Chair of the Real Estate Committee. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute. He serves on the Boards of Evergreen Community School and Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences.
Jeff and his family live in Santa Monica where he has resided off and on since 1991.
Frank Gehry
Raised in Toronto, Canada, Frank Gehry moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1947. Mr. Gehry received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California in 1954, and he studied City Planning at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. In subsequent years, Mr. Gehry has built an architectural career that has spanned five decades and produced public and private buildings in America, Europe and Asia. Hallmarks of Mr. Gehry’s work include a particular concern that people exist comfortably within the spaces that he creates, and an insistence that his buildings address the context and culture of their sites and the budgets of his clients.
His work has earned Mr. Gehry several of the most significant awards in the architectural field including the Pritzker Prize, AIA and RIBA Gold Medals, and the Praemium Imperiale. He was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1974, and his buildings have received over 100 national and regional A.I.A. awards.
Image Courtesy of Gehry Parnters, LLP
Image Courtesy of Gehry Parnters, LLP
Peter J. Schulz, City of Chicago
“We’ve owned the majority of this property for decades and have been searching for just the right project for this very special site and for Santa Monica. We are excited about the potential to create a new cultural anchor for residents and visitors with a Gehry-designed building and museum campus.”
“Our project team has strong local roots, so we have a tremendous amount of personal interest and responsibility to create a truly special project that residents can enjoy and be excited about and we look forward to working with the community on this project.”
“After 25 years, I am excited to finally design a project in my hometown of 40 years.”