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.
Proper Hotel Team
Project Lead – Morgan Sykes Jaybush, OMGIVNING
Client – Noah Gigliotti, Vice President, Development, The Kor Group
Interior Designer – Luke Kielion, Kelly Wearstler
Entitlements Consultant – Elizabeth Peterson-Gower, Elizabeth Peterson Group, Inc.
Structural Engineer – Ryan Wilkerson, Nabih Youssef Structural Engineers
Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer – Ryan HAUG, Henderson Engineers
Historic Preservation Consultant – Tara Hamacher, Historic Consultants
Lighting Designer – Tom Ruzika, The Ruzika Company
Landscape Architect – Dawn Dyer, Studio MLA
Waterproofing Consultant – Jeff Neilson, formerly with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Specifications Writer – Gloria Abston, Pawprint Specs, LLC
Pool Consultant – Drake Woods, Addison Pools
Low Voltage Consultant – Martin Thornos, Convergent Services
Construction Manager – Ed Kustanovich, Kustanovich Construction Consultants
Civil Engineer – Kira Delk, KPFF
Electrical Engineer – Dennis McVay, Salas O’Brien
Food Service Consultant – Frank Muller, Muller Design
Acoustic Engineer – Wayland Dong, Veneklasen Associates, Inc.
Facade Access Consultant – David Ortiz, Olympique
Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel
The Proper Hotel of Los Angeles is a winner for the 2022 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. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/awards.
About the Proper Hotel Project
Adaptive reuse conversion of the 1926 Commercial Club to a 148-room hotel, the Downtown LA Proper Hotel. Compliance with the City of LA’s mandatory Non-Ductile Concrete Retrofit Ordinance. Participation in the Rehabilitation Tax Credit program with the National Parks Service.
Located on South Broadway in the South Park district of Downtown Los Angeles, the building was constructed as a private men’s club called the Commercial Club of Southern California. The lower floors were operated as a part of the club, including lounges, a billiard room, card room, grill room, main dining room, gymnasium, racquetball court, locker rooms, barbershop, and a swimming pool on the 7th floor. The remaining upper floors were devoted to 126 guest rooms for the members. The conversion to the Downtown LA Proper Hotel included retention and rehabilitation of as many of these spaces that still remained as possible. The hotel now contains 148 guest rooms and suites, and two restaurants along with a rooftop spa, bar, and restaurant. The racquetball court and 7th-floor pool have been retained and converted to premier suites, while the main dining room was preserved in its entirety.