Deni & Jeff Jacobs Challenged Athletes Center
Salas O’Brien provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering for the retrofit renovation of the Deni & Jeff Jacobs Challenged Athletes Center in San Diego, California.
Our client
The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is based in San Diego, California, but it makes an impact around the world. The foundation’s goal is to provide physically challenged people with the tools they need to pursue healthy lifestyles, physical fitness, and competitive athletics. CAF’s efforts help and inspire athletes while raising awareness for the sponsorship needs that exist and facilitating fundraisers to meet those needs. With global partners like Nike and the YMCA, CAF is making a huge difference in the lives of challenged athletes throughout the United States and internationally.
Project highlights
Their challenge
When CAF leadership started making plans for a retrofit renovation to its office in the Mira Mesa commercial park, they made accessibility and an open aesthetic top priorities. It was important for the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design to integrate with both the visual and functional redesign.
Our solution
Rising to the challenge, Salas O’Brien designed air distribution and lighting that would reinforce CAF’s goals for the space and provide maximum functionality. Our team also specially designed a control system to meet the client’s unique requirements.
The results
The new creative façade and ample use of glass in the space give the center a feeling of openness and vibrancy, and our team’s solutions complement these features. The finished building’s expertly designed mixing chamber and education center allow the foundation to host onsite wheelchair basketball, stationary cycling, mobility clinics, and other fitness support initiatives. The space empowers the foundation to reach the community in new and better ways and to fulfill their mission in the region and across the country.


