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!

Woolworth’s Building

Owner / Client
Sherod Waite – Woolworth’s LLC

Owner / Client
Emily Waite – Woolworth’s

Project Lead
Emily Waite – Woolworth’s LLC

Lead Architect
Daniel Cater – Cater Design Group

Architect
Brianne Banducci Feng – Cater Design Group

Contractor
Daniel Aguilar – Wallace & Smith Contractors

Contractor
Phillip LeVasseur – Wallace & Smith Contractors

Contractor
Joshua Slayton – Wallace & Smith Contractors

Historic Consultants:
Elisa Skaggs – Page & Turnbull

Carolyn Kiernat – Page & Turnbull

Clare Flynn – Page & Turnbull

Woolworth’s Building

Woolworth’s Building is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award in the category of 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 Woolworth’s Building

Built in 1950, the Woolworth Building exemplifies Late Moderne commercial architecture with distinctive curved corner, ribbon windows, and original terrazzo. The comprehensive rehabilitation preserved character-defining features including the complete luncheonette with L-shaped counter, fixed seating, and decorative tilework. The project reimagined the basement as a multi-purpose venue supporting music, educational events, dance, theater, and private functions, maintained the historic first-floor lunch counter alongside a new music conservatory/school (future opening) and local coffee cart, converted the second floor to modern offices, and adapted the third floor for additional office storage. Exterior restoration included cleaning concrete facades, re-glazing original steel-sash windows, and reinstating “WOOLWORTH’S” signage. Interior work revealed and restored original volumes while integrating modern systems. The project demonstrates how historic commercial buildings can adapt to contemporary needs while maintaining architectural integrity.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards
A restored Woolworth’s lunch counter with retro stools and tables, a colorful geometric mural on the back wall, and modern lighting. Text overlays mention Bakersfield Woolworth’s Building Restoration and a 2026 Preservation Design Award.
A white three-story building with black vertical accents and large windows houses Woolworth’s, with a red sign wrapping around the corner. Several parked cars and bicycles are visible on the street in front.
A spacious, retro-style diner with tan tables and chairs, large windows, and a sign reading Woolworth’s Luncheonette near the entrance. The room features mid-century lighting and a staircase on the right.
A modern, empty cafeteria with wooden tables and chairs, counter seating with stools on the left, and bright overhead lights. A colorful abstract mural covers the far wall behind the counter.
A bright, modern lounge with large windows, circular and rectangular tables, various chairs, a curved sofa, and built-in bench seating. The space features neutral colors, rugs, plants, and wall art.
A modern interior space with exposed concrete beams, green chairs, wall art, a large window, and ceiling lights. A small office or reception area with wood cabinets is visible on the left.
A modern office lounge with exposed concrete ceiling, pendant lights, green armchairs around a black coffee table, and a large rug on a wood floor. Art hangs on the walls and glass doors lead to another room.
A modern office lobby with exposed concrete ceilings, green chairs around a black coffee table, light wood floors, and artwork on white walls, illuminated by a large hanging lamp.
A three-story white corner building with black vertical accents and red signage reading “Woolworth’s,” surrounded by parked cars and a partly cloudy sky. The building has large windows and accessible ramps at the entrances.

Community Importance

The Woolworth’s rehabilitation serves as a catalyst for downtown Bakersfield’s revitalization, transforming a vacant historic landmark into a thriving community hub. The project preserves an irreplaceable piece of American retail history – the last surviving Woolworth luncheonette in the United States – ensuring this cultural touchstone remains accessible to future generations.

The mixed-use program addresses critical community needs: The Basement provides Bakersfield a multi-purpose venue supporting music performances, educational workshops, dance, theater, and private events, fostering arts engagement across disciplines while providing accessible space for local businesses and nonprofits. The new music conservatory/school (future opening)

will offer professional music education downtown, complemented by the local coffee cart creating a vibrant street-level experience. Second and third-floor office spaces moved businesses downtown, providing modern workspace in a historic setting.

The project demonstrates economic revitalization through preservation, creating more than 50 permanent jobs while generating significant property tax revenue. By adaptively reusing this prominent corner building, the rehabilitation activates the streetscape and encourages further downtown investment. The building serves diverse populations – from longtime residents sharing Woolworth memories at the lunch counter to future students attending classes at the conservatory.

Community programming includes concerts, educational workshops, nonprofit fundraisers, and cultural events celebrating Bakersfield’s diversity and heritage. The preserved luncheonette features a large-scale art piece honoring the civil rights sit-ins, ensuring this history remains visible and creating a space where community memories can be shared and remembered. This thoughtful rehabilitation proves that honoring the past while embracing the future creates spaces that unite communities across generations, making downtown Bakersfield a destination for residents and visitors alike.

 

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.