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.
Tioga Project Team
Project Lead or Principal
Carolyn Kiernat – Page & Turnbull
Client
Leigh Hitz – Hotel Tioga Investors LLC
Project Lead
Carolyn Kiernat – Page & Turnbull
Owner’s Representative
John Martin – Tioga Investors LLC
Project Architect
Steven Lee – Page & Turnbull
Contractor
Larry Crawford – Swinerton Builders
Construction Manager
Lonnie Sortor – Construction Management & Consulting Group
Construction Manager
Jerry Meyer – JD Meyer & Associates
Structural Engineer
Alan Burr – Murphy Burr Curry LLC
MEP Engineer
Max Saiidnia – Fard Engineers
Civil Engineer
Ryan Carter – KPFF
Code Consultant
Bevan Jones – Holmes Fire
Accessibility
Kim Blackseth – Kim R. Blackseth Interests, Inc.
Lighting Designer
Michael Sestak – Sestak Design
Interior Designer
Kate Hanzo – Studio Hatch
Joint Trench Consultant
Tim Whitlow – Millennium Design and Consulting
The Tioga of Merced
The Tioga is a winner for the 2021 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 Tioga
The Tioga, built in 1928 as the Hotel Tioga, was rehabilitated as a 70-unit apartment building for professionals and UC Merced graduate students. Rehabilitation of the Tioga, strongly supported by the City of Merced, was a catalyst for Main Street’s resurgence, bringing new jobs, economic opportunity, and nightlife to the city’s historic core. The project included the redesign of the existing rooms into studio, one, and two-bedroom units with 20 units adaptable for persons with disabilities. The ground floor and mezzanine level provide a tenant lounge and other shared amenities. The project completely reimagined the original historic lobby that had been divided into five rooms. Exterior facades were restored, including replacement of existing windows with energy-efficient windows of the same style. As the tallest building in Merced, the Tioga is visible from a distance, especially at night when the restored rooftop sign is illuminated. Rehabilitation of the Tioga created desirable rental housing downtown, targeting students at UC Merced and others who are seeking an urban living experience. With a brewery planned for the ground level, a renovated theater and restaurant across the street, and a new hotel a block away, Merced’s Main Street is again becoming a destination for entertainment, restaurants, and urban living.
