Farm House Collective

Farm House Collective is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award, receiving the prestigious Trustees’ Award for Excellence in the category of Restoration. Award recipients are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/programs/awards/.

About Farm House Collective

The Farm House Collective project revitalized the historic Farm House Motel, a 1953 California Ranch-style motor court located along University Avenue in Riverside. After years of vacancy, fire damage, and deterioration, the landmarked property was thoughtfully rehabilitated and adaptively reused as a mixed-use retail, dining, and cultural destination.

The project retained and restored the motel’s defining features – including its linear layout, wood siding, distinctive roof forms, and iconic neon pole sign – while introducing contemporary elements necessary for modern use. Fire-damaged structures were reconstructed in kind, historic facades were preserved, and new outdoor gathering spaces were sensitively integrated into the original site plan.

Through careful adherence to preservation standards and community-oriented programming, Farm House Collective transformed a blighted site into an active public space that celebrates Riverside’s history, supports local businesses, and reactivates University Avenue as a social and economic corridor.

Community Importance

Farm House Collective plays a critical role in Riverside’s Eastside community by preserving a beloved historic landmark while reintroducing vitality to a long-underutilized corridor along University Avenue. For years, the former Farm House Motel stood vacant and fire-damaged, contributing to blight and safety concerns. Its transformation replaced deterioration with purpose, restoring pride and activity to the neighborhood.

The project provides an inclusive gathering place that blends local food, retail, arts, and community events in an accessible, walkable environment. By prioritizing small, locally operated businesses and flexible vendor spaces, Farm House Collective supports entrepreneurship, encourages economic diversity, and creates opportunities for start-ups and minority-owned businesses.

Equally important, the project reconnects residents with a shared piece of Riverside’s cultural memory. Generations recall the motel as a gateway for travelers and visitors to the Riverside Speedway, and its preservation maintains that collective identity. The reimagined site offers outdoor recreation, farmers’ markets, cultural programming, and informal social spaces that enhance quality of life for nearby residents and visitors alike.

Ultimately, Farm House Collective demonstrates how historic preservation can serve as a catalyst for community renewal – honoring the past while creating meaningful, contemporary public value.

About CPF and the Awards

Held in conjunction with CPF’s 2026 Annual Conference in Riverside, the 2026 Mission Inn Preservation Design Awards Ceremony and Reception will spotlight excellence in historic preservation in a setting that reflects the very spirit of the work being honored. This special evening brings together award recipients, conference participants, preservation leaders, and supporters from across California to celebrate outstanding preservation projects and leadership through the Preservation Design Awards and President’s Awards.

Founded in 1978, the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) is California’s statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of historic places and cultural heritage. Through education, advocacy, and community-centered programs, CPF supports the people, projects, and policies that keep California’s historic resources vital and valued. We now support a national network of more than 36,000 members and supporters. Click here to learn how you can become a member.