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.

Courthouse Project Team

Project Lead or Principal
Hualin Hsu-Wingard – OC Parks

Client or Owner Firm/Organization Name
Flynt Bradley – OC Parks

Lead Architect, Engineer, or Designer Address
John Lesak – Page & Turnbull, Inc.

Photographer
James Sanderson Visual Communications

Old Orange County Courthouse Rehabilitation

Old Orange County Courthouse Rehabilitation is a winner for the 2021 Preservation Design Award for Preservation or 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/awards.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards

About Old Orange County Courthouse Rehabilitation

The Old Orange County Courthouse Rehabilitation Project included the maintenance and repair of the building’s exterior in a multi-phase project taking almost five years. Following the failure of a stone corbel, an investigative phase was initiated by a preservation architect. Survey of the building identified flaking stone surfaces, cracking and spalled stone and concrete, inadequate reinforcing at window transom stones, and deteriorated decorative friezes. Additionally, laboratory analysis of Arizona sandstone and concrete was completed, and trial repairs and mock-ups were completed during preparation of the bid documents. Scope of work included repairing and repainting of all the historic wood windows, replacing wood windowsills, strengthening the transom stone between windows on the third floor; securing and patching the sandstone facade, repair of the protruding concrete bond beam, patching and repainting the plastered gable; cleaning sandstone and granite, and replacing copper roofing and drain at a decorative stone balcony.

James Sanderson Visual Communications
Historic black-and-white photo of a large stone courthouse with a central clock tower, surrounded by palm trees and other greenery on a quiet, empty street.
A large brick building with a flag pole in front of it with Old Orange County Courthouse in the background.
Historic red stone courthouse with arched windows, steep gabled roofs, and a stone foundation, surrounded by green lawn, trees, and a flagpole under a clear sky.
A historic red-brick building with a steep red roof, large windows, and lit street lamps in front. A white car is parked on the left side near the entrance, and palm trees are visible in the background.
Aerial view of a historic red-roofed brick building with arched windows and steps, surrounded by palm trees, green lawns, and nearby city streets.
A red brick historic building with arched windows and a red roof; a lift truck raises workers to the upper facade. Two old cannons are displayed on the lawn, with tall palm trees and clear blue sky.
A person measures and marks a spot on a sandstone wall with a tape measure and holds a drill bit against the stone near a window for precise drilling.
A person points with a tool at blue chalk outlines marking areas on a weathered brown stone windowsill on a building’s exterior, standing on a blue platform above the ground.
A wooden beam in a window.
A hand holds a square tile with a circular patch of reddish material up to a stone wall, comparing colors for restoration; scaffolding and exposed wires are visible nearby.
A historic brick building with red-tiled roofs is covered in scaffolding and black netting for renovation. Construction equipment and materials are visible near the entrance, and the building is surrounded by a green lawn and palm trees.
A close-up of a reddish stone building corner with intricate carved floral designs, showing some weathering and damage on the top edge. Shadows from scaffolding are cast across the surface.
Featured Image Courtesy James Sanderson Visual Communications