Watsonville planning commission OKs renovation plans for historic Porter Building

The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday approved plans to renovate the historic Porter Building in the heart of downtown Watsonville. 

The Porter Building, built in 1903 and historically designated in 1984, currently serves as a gallery and museum for nonprofit Pajaro Valley Arts, according to Justin Meek, the city’s assistant community development director. The organization acquired the building in 2022, he said. 

“We’re really excited about this project. It’s going to be nice to bring some vitality back to that corner and improve the Porter Building,”  said Brian Spector, lead architect for the project. 

Renovations to the space will primarily focus on the outside of the building, said Meek. There will be two new front entrances and one located on the side of the building facing the parking lot. Just outside the side entrance, a new 576-square-foot sculpture patio will also be built, he said. Other outdoor renovations include restructuring the parking lot, adding vibrant landscaping and making the building more compliant with the American with Disabilities Act. 

The inside of the Porter Building will also undergo a makeover, as Pajaro Valley Arts plans to create a retail space to sell pieces from local artists, expand its gallery and create performance spaces on its first floor. 

Pajaro Valley Arts board president Judy Stabile told commissioners that the Porter Building offers so much potential for the arts community, by providing a space for visual and performing artists. 

The renovation project will not change the architectural integrity of the historically designated building, said Spector. “The openings in the front of the building are actually going to fill structural openings that already exist,” he said. “So, we’ll be bringing it back closer to what the building actually was historically.” 

In comparison to its Sudden Street location, Pajaro Valley Arts will be able to host more workshops and events for the community to enjoy without having to worry about space and capacity, Stabile said: “The goal is to have larger spaces that the community can enjoy and really participate in, especially in the performing arts, which we haven’t done in quite a few years.”

There is no exact date when renovations to the Porter Building will begin. Stabile and Spector did not provide an estimate of costs at the commission meeting.