Renovations to the nearly 90-year old Clark Building in Hermosa Beach will begin on Monday, Oct. 7, and are expected to be completed in Spring 2025.
The nearly $2.6 million project was approved in July by the Hermosa Beach City Council and the city celebrated the launch of its renovation on Oct. 2.
Hermosa Beach senior engineer and project manager Saad Malim said as "part of the design, we wanted to keep things as intact as possible."
"We're dealing with a historic structure, an older structure, so there's going to be surprises, but for the most part, it's going to be renovation," Malim said at Wednesday's event.
The areas of renovation that will have a complete rebuild are the bathrooms and a new commercial kitchen, Malim said, something the building has never had.
"All aspects of the building will be ADA compliant," Malim said.
The interior and exterior will be painted close to the building's original colors and some of the interior features and will harken back to the building's early days.
"Even the new light fixtures, they're in place to mimic the Art Deco style of the building," Malim said.
Other renovations include new electric-powered heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; new audio-visual system; asbestos and lead abatement; vinyl flooring; as well as landscape enhancements.
The Clark Building groundbreaking took place in June 1932, but the construction did not happen until 1936. The building was dedicated on May 8, 1937, and ever since has been a favorite spot for weddings and community events.