Since buying the original Bank of America building in Downtown last year for $20.5 million, La Jolla investor Emanuel Torbati has moved his offices in and embarked on a major refurbishment of the handsome tower at 625 Broadway. Torbati discounts broker speculation, repeated in the August edition of San Diego Metropolitan, that the building might be converted to condominiums. Rather, he and his agents say the goal is to turn the 245,000- square-foot, 14-story mid-rise into a showcase.

“We intend to do a lot of changes around here to bring it back to what is used to be,” Torbati says. Among the improvements under way is removing the carpeting from the hallways and restoring the marble floors.

Before buying the building, Torbati researched its history. He can tell you it was constructed in 1926 by John D. Spreckels — “You still see the name JDS and the year on the building as you walk on Broadway and come inside the building” — and that Home Fed, which bought the building from Bank of America, spent $18 million to remove asbestos and perform other upgrades.

The luxurious use of stone throughout the building, and especially in its high-ceilinged lobby, draws regular visitors. “We have a lot of people who come into the building and look at the lobby and say they would like to move their office here,” Torbati says.

With 450 spaces in its own structure, 625 Broadway is not lacking for parking. Among the building’s tenants is On Broadway, the sophisticated nightclub that on weekends has customers lined up on the street waiting to enter.

The building’s leasing agent is BRE, with Lin Martin and Ryan Jessee as the main contacts. Those interested in learning more about the building can contact them at (619) 515-0017.