The Laurel Apartments, located in Santa Monica, combine rehabilitation of the City Landmark Nikkei Hall—built in 1957 by Japanese American community leaders—with complementary new infill construction to provide 57 units of supportive housing. Nikkei Hall was repurposed principally into a community room for residents of the surrounding new building. The property was designated as a City Landmark in 2018 and formally determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022 as part of review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. In 2025, the project received a California Preservation Foundation Design Award for Reconstruction or Contextual Infill and was selected to receive a Trustee’s Award for Excellence.

Jim Simmons Photography

Constructed in 1957, Nikkei Hall is a one-story building that served as a social hall and apartment dwelling for a Japanese American social organization. The surrounding landscaping originally had Japanese garden elements in the front yard set between the building and sidewalk.

Current owners, non-profit housing development and management organization EAH Housing, received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the City of Santa Monica Landmarks Commission in 2020 for the Laurel Apartments Project (The Laurel). After taking on Chattel as a preservation consultant, an addendum to the Section 106 consultation package was issued in 2023. The project includes preservation and reuse of the Nikkei Hall building as the community room for residents and the manager’s unit of 100% affordable supportive housing project. The new infill construction, designed by KFA Architecture, consists of 57 all-electric units in a four-story building that wraps around a landscaped central courtyard. With additional on-site services, The Laurel provides stability and support for residents who previously experienced homelessness.

The exterior stucco was reconstructed using an in-kind replacement of the original stucco. Adjustments made to the windows avoided creating a false sense of history by retaining as much historic material as possible while also distinguishing new and original material. Japanese garden specialist, Professor Kendall H. Brown, was engaged by the owner to collaborate with the project landscape architect, Mark Beall + Associates, on how best to rehabilitate the Japanese-style gardens. Salvaged garden stones were reincorporated in a new configuration and the garden maintains a simple, functional design. In addition to rehabilitating the original ground level landscaping, a green roof was added to Nikkei Hall with a small wooden deck to provide access to view the rooftop plantings.

The Laurel serves as an important example of how preservation and sustainable new infill construction can come together to respond to community needs. Without compromising historic integrity, the project successfully combines much needed affordable housing while promoting sustainable construction practices.