Daily Business Report — Feb. 9, 2012

Graham Downes Selected to Design Hard Rock Hotel in Mexico

San Diego-based Graham Downes Architecture has been selected to design the new Hard Rock Hotel in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, scheduled to open in the spring. It is the fifth Hard Rock Hotel the firm has worked on. Besides providing interior design for the San Diego property in 2006 and in 2008, Graham Downes provided interior architectural design for proposed Hard Rock Hotels at Copper Mountain and Mammoth Lakes. The firm also was the interior designer for the $800 million expansion of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The Hard Rock Hotel Nuevo Vallarta is a beachfront property featuring 348 guest rooms, four restaurants, four bars, a nightclub, spa, two swimming pools, and a meeting facility of over 6,000 square feet.

La Jolla Property to be Developed for Townhomes

LJ Ocean View, a limited liability company, has purchased an 11,253-square-foot property at 7417 Olivetas Ave. in La Jolla for $2.41 million and intends to develop an eight-unit townhome project on the site, which currently consists of one-bedroom, one-bath apartments. The seller, Olivetas Associates, was represented by Victor Krebs and Rob Morgan of Colliers International.  The buyer was represented by Eric Eaton of Prudential California Realty.

Luce Forward Partner Elected to Appellate Organization

John T. Brooks, partner with the Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps law firm, has been elected a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Brooks joins fellow Luce Forward partner Charles Bird in the organization. Bird is a former president of the organization, and also served as the organization’s first vice president. Members must have a minimum of 10 years of practice and demonstrate expertise in the appellate field.

Anthropologists Lecture on Photography

The San Diego Museum of Man will sponsor a Feb. 25 panel discussion by anthropologists on how photography and field work aid and legitimize the study of the human condition. The 11 a.m. program will be in the Gill Auditorium. Panelists will be from the San Diego State University  Department of Anthropology — historical anthropologist Seth Mallios, cultural anthropologist Matt Lauer and biological anthropologist Erin Riley. The presentation is in conjunction with the museum exhibit, “Adventures in Photography: A Century of Images in Archeology and Anthropology.”

San Diego Company Sponsors March 10 Nun Run

The Wood & Iron Factory, a San Diego-based manufacturer and exporter of custom-designed pews and chancel furniture, is sponsoring the third annual Nun Run on March 10 at Kiwanis Park in Tempe, Ariz. The 8 a.m. event is a fundraiser to build a cloistered monastery and retreat in Tonopah, Ariz., for the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (PCPA) of Our Lady of Solitude. The event will feature a 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Walk. The Nun Run is for all ages and faiths, and for those outside Arizona to participate as “Shadow Runners.” Last year’s event drew over 900 participants and over 500 Shadow Runners across the U.S. and around the world including Canada, Italy, England, Israel, Australia and Sweden. Nun Run registration is $25 per person through Feb. 25; $30 from Feb. 26 through March 9; and $35 on March 10. To register, participate as a Shadow Runner, form a Shadow Team or become a fundraiser, visit desertnuns.com or active.com. (Photo: Sister John-Mark Maria of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration takes the Nun Run in stride.)