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!

Santa Monica Clock Tower Building

Project Lead:  Ann Harrer, PE, Principal and Project Manager, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Pasadena
Client:  Beau Baiocchi,  Rockwood Capital, LLC,  San Francisco
Lead Architect, Engineer, or Designer:  Ann Harrer, PE, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Pasadena

Project Affiliates:

  • Owner/Client & Title: Mike Hubert, JT Costa, LLC (Client), Peabody
  • Owner/Client & Title: Avon Ventura, Cushman & Wakefield (Client), Santa Monica
  • Owner/Client & Title: Beau Baiocchi, Rockwood Capital (Owner), San Francisco
  • Contractor: Dave Monk, KC Restoration, Gardena

Santa Monica Clock Tower Building

Santa Monica Clock Tower Building is a winner for the 2025 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/programs/awards/.

About Santa Monica Clock Tower Building

Located blocks from the Pacific Ocean, the Clock Tower Building experienced severe exposure to ultraviolet light and airborne salt since construction in 1929, resulting in deterioration of the architectural concrete exterior and the metal cladding. Almost 100 years later, spalling of concrete due to corrosion of reinforcement was present throughout the building as well as corrosion of the exposed metal panels at the clock tower. Previous repair work had also deteriorated. The building had been painted many times, with up to seventeen layers of paint in some locations. In 2019, our firm was engaged to address the condition issues at the façade. We employed methods to obtain the most useful and accurate data about the structure and used the data to develop a preservation approach for the façade. We observed the repair implementation to ensure that a high level of craftsmanship was employed and maintained throughout the project.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards
A tall, beige building with a clock tower stands in the center of a coastal cityscape, surrounded by other buildings, palm trees, and roads, with the ocean and beach visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A construction worker in safety gear stands on scaffolding beside a tall, decorative white building, with city buildings and a blue sky in the background.
Two workers wearing protective suits, harnesses, and respirators are restoring or cleaning a stone wall on scaffolding, surrounded by plastic sheeting and safety equipment.
Two construction workers in orange shirts and hard hats work on a concrete wall under scaffolding. One uses a power drill on a wooden panel while the other observes.
Close-up view of a building’s unfinished concrete corner, showing rough, gray surfaces and visible seams. Metal scaffolding bars are in the foreground, indicating construction or renovation work in progress.
A section of concrete wall with a rectangular area cut out, exposing rusted steel reinforcement bars. The surrounding wall has rough edges, and nearby are blue-painted window frames. The photo is dated 11/14/2022, 11:08.
A building facade under construction or restoration, with scaffolding and tools around. The ocean and some palm trees are visible in the background. The photo is taken in bright sunlight, dated 11/10/2022.
A close-up view of a concrete wall with wooden formwork panels and supports attached, showing rough patches of cement and construction materials, suggesting ongoing repair or structural work.
A tall building under construction or renovation, partially covered in black netting, stands behind leafless trees and construction barriers on a sunny day with a blue sky and scattered clouds.
A person in a safety vest, hard hat, and mask stands on scaffolding, inspecting the weathered face of a large outdoor clock with visible numbers and peeling paint.
A tall, white Art Deco skyscraper with vertical lines and stepped roof, rising above nearby trees and shorter buildings on a cloudy day.
A close-up view of a tall buildings concrete exterior corner with visible water stains and weathering, taken from a high vantage point near scaffolding and overlooking the city below.
A tall, white Art Deco clock tower with black clock faces displaying white numbers stands against a backdrop of the blue ocean and clear sky.

Community Importance

The Clock Tower Building located at 225 Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica, California, was constructed in 1929. The building, also known as the Bay Cities Guaranty Building and the Crocker Building, was designed by architectural firm Walker & Eisen and was the tallest building in the City of Santa Monica for decades after it was constructed. The Art Deco style building is highly visible throughout Santa Monica, making it a distinguished landmark located blocks from the Pacific Ocean.

At that time in local history, for a number of reasons, it was highly debated whether Santa Monica should be annexed by Los Angeles. The construction of Santa Monica’s first high-rise structure was an argument against the annexation because it proved that Santa Monica had large enough financial backers willing to loan money toward the construction of great buildings in the community. After the construction of the first one, the way was paved for other larger projects to be financed, leaving less room for debate. The recent façade repair project has restored much of the Santa Monica Clock Tower Building’s former integrity from the time when it was a beacon of the city’s hope for financial stability and independence, and it is still a prominent landmark within the community, located at the heart of the central business district in the city.

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.