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.
Guerneville Bank Project Team
Project Lead
Crista Luedtke – boon-ito consulting
Owner/Client
Bob Pullum – owner
Architect/Landscape
Ingrid Emming – Designing Dimensions
Author & Title
Bob Pullum – owner
Historic Architect
Carl I. Warnecke – Miller & Warnecke
Landscape Architect
Christopher Reynolds – Reynolds-Sebastiani Design Services
Historic Preservation Consultant
Bob Pullum – owner
Contractor
Mark Gnat – General Contractor Lic # 912258
Additional Participant(s)
Margo Warnecke Merck – Warnecke Ranch & Archives
John Schubert – Russian River Historical Society
Jessica Hische
Damon Styer – New Bohemia Signs
James Weathers
Caleb Callahan – Caleb j Callahan Woodworking
Benjamin Sauder – Tile & Restoration
Alice Warnecke Sutro – Warnecke Ranch & Archives
Ray Barrio – Construction
Steve Triolo – Electric
Branon Zapp – Plumbing
Marcus Myres – Flooring FX
Darrin Rogers – Quality Painters
Historic Bank of Guerneville Building
The Historic Bank of Guerneville Building is the winner of a 2020 Preservation Design Award for Rehabilitation. 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. The Award will be presented on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at an online awards ceremony. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/awards.
About this project
The Historic Bank of Guerneville Building, built in 1921,sat abandoned for nearly 30 years. Designed by John Carl Warnecke’s father, Carl I. Warnecke, the original building is an early example of Miller & Warnecke. Additions were added in 1954 & 1962, architect unknown. After the last owner died in 2014, a new owner started its rehabilitation. A restricted budget due to flood plain constraints by the Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department focused the work on essential elements to help return the building to service including ADA accessibility upgrades. Lack of retail spaces on Main Street in Downtown Guerneville influenced the final use of the building as a collective of local small businesses and include a small exhibit space for the local historical society. Many original elements were discovered and revealed during its rehabilitation including an original mosaic tile floor, hidden since the 1940s. Historical “easter egg” statements placed throughout the building help educate visitors.
