Since our founding in 1986, the vast majority of our projects have been custom homes and remodels. Occasionally, however, our expertise in building unique, comfortable and safe living spaces has been put to use locally in the commercial construction market. Here are a handful of our favorites.
OJAI VALLEY INN: This three-month project took place during the 220-acre luxury resort’s slow season, with strategic tenting to keep the workflow moving and protect new excavations during winter storms. The scope included a new pool pavilion with hot tub, dressing rooms, outdoor showers, a dozen private cabanas, and a commercial kitchen and adjoining dining area, plus spa treatment rooms with fireplaces. Suite access was opened up with improved pathways, surrounded by five acres of newly installed specimen trees, decorative gardens and an edible greens garden for the inn’s chef. Architecture by David Bury & Company. Landscape architecture by Leland Walmsley. Photo by Jim Bartsch.MONTECITO DINING: Located in the heart of Montecito’s Coast Village corridor, this extensive upgrade — formerly Oliver’s vegan restaurant — opened up parking and ADA access as modern spaces showcased a comfortable ambiance without upstaging the menu. Moroccan and South of France influences complimented the building’s original rustic highlights, including exposed beams and patio dining. Architecture by AB Design Studio. Interiors by SFA Design. Photo by Jim Bartsch.CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL: Overseen by Geoff Crane, whose grandfather co-founded the private school in 1928, the project’s scope included an all-new kindergarten classroom to match the surrounding historic buildings, plus a state-of-the-art library and art center. For more efficient drop-off and pickup, the parking lot was expanded and remodeled with a roundabout, and also upgraded with permeable pavers over a deep layer of gravel to facilitate groundwater basin replenishment during the rainy season. Architecture and engineering by Blackbird Architects and Fields Devereaux Architects & Engineers. Photo by Jim Bartsch.MIXED USE: Working closely with two clients with differing tastes and budgets, this mixed-use project was handled as all-new construction across a pair adjoining lots on a Summerland hillside. ADA-compliant businesses occupy the ground floor, accessible via the main road through town, while the second levels feature cottage apartments with their own driveways and primary access from the backstreet. Architecture by Shubin Donaldson.
