Design
Restoration
The two-story building at 3855 Market Street in downtown Riverside had for over 50 years “masked” the architectural treasure beneath. Slated for demolition in 2011, the building along with the adjacent site was purchased for a future culinary and performing arts center.  The design team’s structural engineer did a new analysis that showed the original building was sound and based on this analysis the District decided to renovate the building.

Members of the team had been informed by Old Riverside Foundation (ORF) that a 1920’s building was beneath the brick and steel façade installed in the 1960’s but no one knew exactly what would be discover. With the removal of the 60’s façade a separate structural system revealed itself which protected the marvelous ornate carved façade beneath.  The free-standing structure had been placed by Carl Fowler a local historian to preserve the building by Stiles Oliver Clements: one of Southern California’s most celebrated architects.  The Spanish Colonial Revival building’s façade is an excellent example of Stiles Clements exuberant themed designs and is his only building in Riverside County.

With the discovery of this important building the design team engaged ORF: a collaboration that continued until the completion of the building.  A subcontractor who specializes in concrete restoration of this era was brought in to restore the ornate carvings. Using vintage photos as reference the heads of Balboa and Cortez that had been sheared off the front elevation were recreated and again mark the building entry.  As the restoration work on the façade was nearing completion a vintage postcard documented the building's original color. A preservation expert was called upon to find the right shade of white to match the color of the building’s “period of significance” determined as 1926-30 that guided the renovation.

Interior Design
The design for the interior of the building follows the program need for open exhibit space by using neutral materials and the original structure as backdrops for the artwork and displays.  The ground floor materials of polished concrete and the exposed structural and building systems expand the ceiling height for the displays which accents the neutral colors. The bow string trusses discovered during construction are exposed adding volume and a structural beauty and simplicity fitting of the art gallery and museum program.  The judicial use of materials, primarily concrete, wood and plaster were used simply in the gallery and museum exhibits.  The renovated building now houses the permanent collection of Riverside-born artist Mine Okubo who died in 2001. Okubo was interned during World War II and left her collection of letters, paintings and drawings to the Community College District which now has a permanent home for this important collection.