July 2009 – Garavaglia Architecture, Inc.

Save California State Parks

The state budget cuts will close state parks.

From the California State Parks Foundation:

The Governor signed a revised Fiscal Year 2009-2010 state budget, based on the package of bills sent to him by the Legislature on July 24. In using his blue-pencil veto authority, the Governor exacted an additional $6.2 million cut to the state park system, bringing the total General Fund cut to $14.2 million. It is expected that this will result in the closure of more than 100 of California’s 279 state parks, more than 1/3 of the state park system!

Take action now to help stop these closures!

The Department of Parks and Recreation has not yet released a list of which parks will be included on this closure list or when exactly park closures will start taking place. We will provide you with updates as details are released.

The news of park closures is not only devastating to park users, but also to local economies. Please take a moment to send a message to your legislators urging them to take action to stop these closures. Our state parks need your support now more than ever before!

Another Win for La Laguna de San Gabriel!

The La Laguna project wins a second award – the CPF Preservation Design Award in the Cultural Resource Studies, Reports category!

"Monster Park" La Laguna de San Gabriel. Photo by Garavaglia Architecture, Inc.

The La Laguna project has just been honored with another award! This time it’s the Preservation Design Award from the California Preservation Foundation in the Cultural Resource Studies & Reports category. Garavaglia Architecture produced the Historic Structures Report and Preservation Plan for the Friends of La Laguna this past year. The same project was just recently awarded a Los Angeles Conservancy Award earlier this Spring. Congratulations again to the team!

Entrance Sign to the Park

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For more information see also the timeline and navigate to the year 1963.

Johnny Cash Tribute & BBQ at Preston Castle

Ambrose Wong visited the Preston Castle for a Johnny Cash Tribute & BBQ event. Garavaglia Architecture has provided consulting services to the Foundation. The Castle is located in Ione, CA.

Preston Castle in Ione, CA. Photo by Sarah Hahn.

Our project manager, Ambrose Wong, headed to a fun concert at Preston Castle this past weekend. The event was hosted by the Preston Castle Foundation and featured a Johnny Cash tribute band with James Garner. Ambrose says, the evening started off with a tri-tip barbecue and just “became better with the start of the music.” The event was a musical journey of Johnny Cash’s hits performed in the same style that they were originally performed. As the day came to a close, the bats came out and the resident white owl made its evening flight from the tower up lit by the building’s lights.

Preston Castle is a brick and stone Richardsonian Romanesque building constructed on land that was purchased from the Ione Coal & Iron Company to house the Preston School of Industry, established by the State Legislature to rehabilitate juvenile offenders. It served as the administrative building and is one of over a dozen associated buildings on the site.

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