The Monterey Conference Center has been a fixture of Monterey’s downtown for more than 40 years, but recent upgrades have created a state-of-the-art destination designed that is attracting more visitors to the coastal city.

“The venue is centrally located and provides an ideal connection between downtown Monterey and the waterfront,” said Michael Shewchuk, WSP project manager. “But when it was built in the 1970s its design was all about function – nothing much more than a concrete-and-plaster block. Not a lot of window dressing.”

Today that ordinary building has been transformed into a bright, vibrant reflection of its seaside neighborhood, featuring a familiar exterior inspired by the wraparound porches found on many homes in that area. The concrete and stucco façade of old has been removed and replaced with perforated steel and transparent glass, connecting to the adjacent Portola Hotel & Spa and improving pedestrian access from downtown to the waterfront.

“By peeling away much of the exterior and reimagining the interior, the center offers better flow throughout the building and a more distinct connection to the neighborhood outside,” Shewchuk said.