Project Data:
Completion Date: 3/14/2019
Square Footage: 5808
Building Use: European style cafe and office space
Design Architect: SFJones Architects
Project Description:
The project was a two-level 5,808 sf reconstruction of a structurally condemned historic landmark building located on the original town center circle of the city of Orange, CA. Originally it was a one-story building built in 1886 and then in 1920 an additional floor was added above and a two-story building added immediately adjacent to create one larger building. Over the years the original facade was stuccoed over and new windows were added. The interior plaster wall had been removed and the city condemned the building for occupancy where it sat vacant for years. A new owner bought the building with the program to convert the ground floor into the Urth Caffe restaurant and leasable office space on the upper level along with restaurant back of house space.
The upper floor of the brick building still had the original windows and stone cornice. In order to maintain its original brick facade and to structurally upgrade the building we had to completely remove the roof and craned in new structural steel frame columns and beams to support the ground and second floor, facade, and new roof. We also sandblasted to paint over the brick and removed stucco to achieve the look from original photos. Additionally, a new elevator was added for ADA access. During the demolition, we uncovered the original steel columns of the original structure that supported the facade above it and an advertising mural from the early 1900s that was once on what was the exterior facade of the original one-story building (now facing the added on portion). Since none of the ground floor windows remained we reimagined what they would look like from photos we acquired and made them operable to open the interior seating to the exterior seating along the sidewalk.
Since the building interiors were all new we took the liberty to create a new two-story space exposing the newly installed steel frame in the display order counter and added an interior brick facade with windows to the upper level. We also added a light well shaft to the middle of the dining room for natural light and to display a new copper hood and exhaust for a new communal table and fireplace. Using found elements from the original structure we incorporated them into the interior design such as steel tension tie rods, the uncovered interior brick wall with mural, column and capitals, and reused a few doors. Additional challenges included upgrading underground utilities to the square, uncovered abandoned underground vaults causing structural crakes to the facade, and deteriorating wood floors. The completed project achieved the goal of both addressing restoring the urban fabric of the community and creating a social space for the community in the form of a restaurant.
Urth Caffe
Category
Commercial > Built
Winner Status
- Citation Award