The Laurel

The Laurel is a winner for the 2025 Preservation Design Award for Reconstruction or Contextual Infill. 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 The Laurel

The Laurel Apartments combines historic preservation with complementary new infill construction to create 57 units of supportive housing in Santa Monica. At the heart of the project is the restored Nikkei Hall, a mid-century modern landmark built in 1957 by Japanese American community leaders. Once a vital gathering place for Japanese Americans, the Hall has been restored and repurposed as a community room for residents. The new four-story building wraps around a landscaped central courtyard and features sustainable, all-electric  apartments designed to provide stability and support for individuals overcoming homelessness. Residents, many of whom are seniors or individuals with disabilities, also benefit from on-site services. By thoughtfully integrating preservation with modern design, The Laurel Apartments honors the legacy of Nikkei Hall while addressing Santa Monica’s critical need for permanent supportive housing.

Community Importance

The Laurel Apartments illustrate how affordable housing development and historic preservation can work hand-in-hand to serve the needs of the community. From the outset, affordable housing was a core part of the vision for this site, addressing the critical need for supportive housing in Santa Monica. The preservation and integration of Nikkei Hall into the project’s design were driven by its cultural and historic significance as a Locally Designated Landmark. By repurposing a long-neglected site near downtown Santa Monica, this project demonstrates the feasibility and value of preserving historic structures while incorporating modern functionality. The project advanced historic preservation by integrating existing site features and materials into its new design, aligning with Santa Monica’s architectural heritage and the broader goals of preservation in Los Angeles County. Retaining key elements, such as facade treatments and original materials, allowed The Laurel to maintain a tangible connection to the past while contributing to the vitality of its urban surroundings. The public benefit is multifaceted: The Laurel provides affordable housing in a high-demand area, supporting economic diversity and addressing housing shortages. The project promotes sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of new construction, offering a model of resource conservation. The Laurel Apartments fosters stability within the community by providing housing opportunities to low- and moderate-income residents near public transportation, schools, and essential services. It serves as a model for similar developments, showcasing how preservation and adaptive reuse can respond to community needs without compromising historical integrity.

About CPF and the Awards

The California Preservation Awards are a statewide hallmark, showcasing the best in historic preservation. The awards ceremony includes the presentation of the Preservation Design Awards and the President’s Awards, bringing together hundreds of people each year to share and celebrate excellence in preservation.

The California Preservation Foundation (CPF), a 501c3 nonprofit, was incorporated in 1978. We now support a national network of more than 36,000 members and supporters. Click here to learn how you can become a member.