McCarthy Building Companies, in partnership with Sharp HealthCare’s Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group and Cuningham Group Architecture, has completed the tenant improvement of Sharp Rees-Stealy’s Kearny Mesa medical office building, delivering a modernization of an existing two-building campus designed to improve patient experience and operational efficiency.
Located in San Diego, California, the completed tenant improvement includes approximately 100,000 square feet of improved space across two buildings and represents an investment of $65 million. The project brings together a new pharmacy, centralized imaging services and a variety of departments. The scope of work also included upgrades to a separate parking structure, as well as landscape improvements and exterior enhancements. Construction began in June 2024, with Sharp Rees-Stealy opening the updated facility to patients in early February 2026. The upgraded MOB brings together services previously housed across multiple locations into a more efficient, centralized care environment for the Kearny Mesa area.
McCarthy served as the Design-Build contractor for the tenant improvement, coordinating phased completion and owner turnover while performing work within the active healthcare campus. During construction, the project team experienced challenges due to structural limitations that prevented placement of major mechanical equipment on the roof. To mitigate this, an alternative systems approach was developed that relocated equipment to a newly constructed canopy. The solution allowed systems to serve both buildings while reducing the rooftop loading and minimizing visual impacts to the site. The canopy also supports an elevated exterior area intended for patient use.
McCarthy also leveraged its in-house Virtual Design & Construction team to support coordination throughout the project, including the use of laser scanning following demolition to capture existing conditions and inform BIM coordination adjustments. The team also performed targeted destructive testing to reduce uncertainty associated with existing construction.
The project prioritizes patient access and ease of movement throughout the campus. Improvements include new pedestrian bridge connections that link the existing parking structure directly into one of the buildings across four floors, providing more direct access to care and reducing the need for patients to navigate exterior walkways. A connector bridge between the two buildings further enhances circulation and operational flow.
