California Preservation Awards Sponsorship

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The 2026 Design Awards Event

A view from above of a circular, multi-level courtyard with ornate railings, white columns, red tile floors, and a central fountain surrounded by greenery. Spiral staircases connect the different levels.We're celebrating 24 award winning projects, as well as the Trustee's Awards for Excellence and four President's Awards at the Mission Inn in downtown Riverside. This special celebration is followed by a ticketed reception with food and drinks. Purchase your tickets before they sell out!

El Rodeo School Voluntary Seismic Retrofit and Historic Rehabilitation

Project Lead: Israel Peña, Senior Project Manager, HMC Architects, Ontario
Client: Will Karrat, Beverly Hills
Lead Architect, Engineer, or Designer: Israel Peña, HMC Architects, Ontario

Project Affiliates:

  • Landscape Architect: Craig Duncan, Landscape Architect, Silver Bar Studio, Mariposa
  • Contractor: Jeff Rising, VP/Executive General Manager, ProWest Constructors, Wildomar
  • Construction Manager: Amin Salari, COO/Executive Vice President, Fonder-Salari, Santa Clarita
  • Historic Architect: Laura Janssen, Senior Architectural Historian, Historic Resources Group, Pasadena
  • Structural Engineer: Les Tso, Principal, Hohbach-Lewin, Inc., South Pasadena
  • MEP Consultant: Tony Ramirez, President, DCGA Engineers, Ontario
  • Fire Protection Engineer: Jonathan Ogdon, Fire Protection Consultant, Jensen Hughes, Anaheim
  • Project Lead / Title: Israel Peña, Senior Project Manager, HMC Architects, Ontario
  • Civil Engineer: Aron Chad Burian, Senior Project Manager, Epic Engineers, Redlands
  • Theatrical Consultant Vance Breshears, Senior Vice President, Technology & Acoustics, Salas O’Brien, El Cajon
  • Geotechnical Engineer Tom Benson, President/CEO, Leighton Group, Rancho Cucamonga
  • Owner / Client Will Karrat, Executive Director, Construction Services, Beverly Hills Unified School District, Beverly Hills
  • Specialty / Sub-Contractor: Suzanne Morris, Art Conservationist (WPA Mural), Zebala & Partners, Santa Monica

El Rodeo School Voluntary Seismic Retrofit and Historic Rehabilitation

El Rodeo School Voluntary Seismic Retrofit and Historic Rehabilitation is a winner for the 2025 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/programs/awards/.

About El Rodeo School Voluntary Seismic Retrofit and Historic Rehabilitation

Originally built in 1927 with cast-in-place concrete, Building A, B, and C are designated historic and therefore renovated according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The campus features 4,200 square feet of Spanish Renaissance Revival cast-stone facades, which were reinforced with helical anchors for minimal visual impact. The tower dome had too much structural damage to restore, so it was carefully replicated. Upgrades include new state-of-the-art security, fire alarm, fire protection systems, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure. Historic elements such as the exterior windows were replaced with insulated versions that honor the original designs. The auditorium ceiling was thoughtfully restored and new theater rigging and advanced audiovisual systems were installed to make a state-of-the-art space. A community garden and new outdoor pathways were created to improve accessibility. Additional upgrades included artificial turf fields, landscaping, irrigation, fencing, and shade structures. This project transformed the campus to meet modern standards while preserving its historical essence.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards
A spacious, modern auditorium with red and beige seating, a wooden stage framed by a red curtain, white walls and ceiling, large arched windows, and tiered seating to the right.
A large auditorium with red chairs and a stage.
Two children sit reading on a wide indoor windowsill with bookshelves underneath, while more children play outside in a garden area. Large windows let in bright natural light.
Aerial view of a school campus with red-roofed buildings, a central courtyard, landscaped gardens, sports fields, and surrounding trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A historic, ornate building with beige stonework and a blue-tiled dome rises against a partly cloudy sky, framed by green leafy branches in the foreground.
A group of children with backpacks walk and run outside the entrance of a large, ornate building with arched doorways and tall windows on a tiled courtyard.
A well-lit, white stucco school building with a bell tower and multiple windows at dusk. Wide steps with handrails lead to the entrance, surrounded by landscaped plants and lampposts.
An ornate beige stone tower with a blue tiled dome and arched openings stands against a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Geometric blue and turquoise tile patterns decorate the structure.
A large, colorful mural above a wooden double door depicts various historical and mythological figures, surrounded by symbols and scenes of creativity, education, and progress in a grand hall with a hanging lantern.
View from a stage looking out at an empty auditorium with rows of wooden seats, large arched windows, red curtains framing the scene, and a balcony in the back under bright overhead lighting.
View from a theater stage with red curtains, looking out at empty rows of brown seats and a balcony in a well-lit auditorium with large windows and a decorative white ceiling.

Community Importance

Beverly Hills’ legacy of fine civic buildings is aptly illustrated by the five public schools within the city limits. A unifying thread of architecture, keynoted by towers, characterizes not only the schools, but also the City Hall building and the La Cienega Water Treatment Plant, tying the community together. Additionally, most of the historic civic buildings, including the schools, are variations on Spanish Revival styling. The services of some of the most prominent architects in the Los Angeles region were utilized here and unlike many of the surrounding communities, Beverly Hills has maintained most of its school buildings from the 1920s instead of building anew.

The El Rodeo School Voluntary Seismic Retrofit and Historic Rehabilitation project is a beacon of what is possible when heritage preservation meets modern innovation. By marrying seismic safety with meticulous historic restoration, this endeavor has safeguarded a beloved landmark while equipping it for the future. From the meticulous replication of architectural details to the seamless integration of sustainability and advanced educational facilities, the project is a testament to the power of thoughtful design. It preserves a symbol of cultural and architectural significance and breathes new life into a campus that will inspire generations. This achievement exemplifies a commitment to preserving the past, protecting the present, and pioneering a resilient future.

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.