LogoHead

Preservation Projects
thorsen exterior

thorsen terrace

Thorsen House
Adaptive Reuse and Rehabilitation
Berkeley, CA

The last of the masterfully designed and elaborately crafted wooden bungalows designed by Greene and Greene Architects during their classic period of 1907-10, the Thorsen house has received international recognition as an American Arts and Crafts masterpiece. Since 1943, it has been the home of the California Sigma Phi Society but remains an excellent example of the Greene's bungalow style. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978

Thomas Saxby is currently working on preparing a Historic Structures Report for the total rehabilitation of the property including seismic strengthening, building code and accessibility improvements, interior repairs and minor alterations, exterior restoration, building systems upgrades and site improvements. The project includes conservation recommendations for the treatment of historic fabric and a detailed concept cost plan outlining the proposed project budget. Project Completion in 2008 (projected).

Higgins House-After

Higgins House-Before

Higgins House
Fire Damage Reconstruction
Oakland, CA

The Higgins house, circa 1876, is a beautiful Italianate Victorian building located in Preservation Park, and is currently being used for offices. In June 2007, a portion of the front facade and roof was damaged by a fire. The front rooms were extensively fire-damaged while other rooms were primarily smoke-damaged. The project involved developing drawings for reconstruction of the front facade and renovation of the interior. The entire front bay was reconstructed using many of the historic decorative elements salvaged from the fire. The project was completed in December 2007.

Front Facade

DeMartini Winery

Civic Center / DeMartini Winery
Adaptive Reuse & Rehabilitation
Clayton, CA

Adaptive reuse of a circa 1885 stone masonry winery building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, into the city offices and police facility. This project involved site planning the 8-acre site, seismic strengthening of the historic building, and interior remodeling aimed at preserving the winery character while converting it to a modern office. A complete new infrastructure of mechanical and electrical systems, as well as elevator, stairs and exits were integrated into the existing building. Rehabilitation of the exterior focused on repairing historical features and mitigating the deterioration of the historic materials. Project completed in 1998.

Awards:
California Preservation Foundation,
1998 Design Award
Governor's Historic Preservation Award,
1998

Front Facade

Endeavor Hall

Endeavor Hall
Rehabilitation & Addition
Clayton, CA

This historic community building, owned by the City of Clayton , was originally built in the 1860's but had become unusable due to earthquake damage and deferred maintenance. The project included the complete rehabilitation of the historic building as well as an extensive addition to accommodate a small stage, a commercial-grade catering kitchen and accessible toilet facilities. The rehabilitation included seismic strengthening, new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and improvements to bring the facility into compliance with current building codes. The renovated building includes an assembly room that accommodates up to 130 people and an exterior courtyard for larger receptions and activities. Project completed in 2001.
Awards:
Governor's Historic Preservation Award
2002

Front Facade

Keller Ranch House
Historic Resource Evaluation &
Master Planning
Clayton, CA

The Keller Ranch House, built in 1912, is listed on the California Register of Historic Places for its association with cattle ranching, as well as for being a rare local example of Mission Style architecture with Craftsman elements. The project involved working with the City to develop a master plan for rehabilitating the historic structures and utilizing the 2-acre site. The project is waiting for funding to implement the approved master plan, completed in 2003.
Arlington Building

 

 

Victorian Row / Old Oakland Historic District
Adaptive Reuse & Rehabilitation

Oakland, CA

National Register Historic District featuring ten circa 1864 to 1884 buildings considered to be the finest collection of commercial Victorian structures on the West Coast. Project involvement included all phases of design and construction including restoration of historic exterior facades, reconstruction of building interiors for contemporary office, retail, and restaurant use, seismic retrofitting of unreinforced masonry structures, installing new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and constructing new public street improvements. (With Storek & Storek Architecture)


Copyright 2007, Thomas Saxby Architect
return to top