A white church building with a pointed steeple topped with a cross, surrounded by green trees under a clear blue sky.

CARMEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Junipero St & Ocean Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea

The historic seismic retrofit and restoration of Carmel Presbyterian Church stands as one of the most technically demanding and architecturally significant preservation projects on the Monterey Peninsula. Designed by Architect Paul Davis, AIA, the project required the installation of tens of tons of structural steel beams and columns to strengthen the historic sanctuary while meticulously concealing the new structure within handcrafted clear-heart pine tongue-and-groove ceilings, exposed beam wraps, and custom architectural millwork fabricated and installed by master craftsmen. Throughout the sanctuary, artisans applied hand-troweled integral-color plaster veneer finishes, preserving the warmth and authenticity of the church's historic interior while complementing the restored woodwork and architectural detailing. Over the course of a year, the church's historic stained-glass windows were carefully removed, documented, releaded, restored, polished, and reinstalled into engineered, thermally broken high-performance glazing systems that preserved their historic beauty while meeting modern building and energy standards. The comprehensive renovation also included new HVAC systems, fire suppression, Lutron lighting controls, theatrical stage lighting and sound engineering, a new organ and pipe system, restored pews, upgraded commercial kitchens and restrooms, engineering spaces, a new entry sequence, and the restoration of the monumental hand-carved entry doors. Throughout the project, every effort was made to preserve the church's historic character—including sourcing authentic adobe materials to match the original construction—creating a once-in-a-generation restoration that seamlessly united modern performance with enduring craftsmanship.

Contact Us
A small white church with a pointed steeple topped with a cross, surrounded by green trees with some branches and string lights visible on the left. The sky is clear and blue.
Interior of a church with wooden ceiling, stained glass windows, and rows of pews. Hanging light fixtures and an organ at the front.
Inside a church with wooden pews and a wall of stained glass windows depicting biblical figures and scenes, illuminated by overhead lights.
Interior of a church with wooden ceiling beams, stained glass cross at the front, seating and musical instruments on stage, and a person playing the piano.
Interior of a church with a wooden ceiling, a stained glass cross at the altar, a piano on the left, and chairs arranged in front.
Interior of a church with wooden ceiling, rows of pews, a cross with stained glass design at the front, a piano, and two large screens on either side.
Interior of a church with wooden ceiling, hanging lights, pews, and stained glass windows. A piano is visible at the front with a large illuminated cross on the wall behind it.
Interior view of a church or chapel with wooden pews, a patterned aisle runner, a high vaulted wooden ceiling with recessed lighting, and two hanging pendant lights. There are two large flat-screen monitors on either side of a organ with metal pipes.
Interior view of a church hallway with wooden beamed ceiling, brick floor, and pews leading to an altar with a cross at the back, illuminated by natural light.
A white church with a tall, narrow steeple topped with a cross, surrounded by green trees and foliage under a blue sky.