Peter J. Weber House
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Overview
Designed and built by architect Peter J. Weber in the 1930s as a family residence and conceptual showcase of his creative work, The Peter J. Weber House (also known simply as "The Weber House") is City of Riverside Landmark #52[1] located at 1510 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92507. The house is notable not just for its architect (Peter J. Weber was the lead draftsman for the architectural firm of G. Stanley Wilson), but for its eclectic Depression-era design and its reliance on salvaged materials.
Elements of Design & Construction
Built between 1932 and 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials and finishes, ornate hand-carved details, colorful decorated ceilings, and some ahead-of-their-time systems including a roof-mounted solar water heater enclosed by repurposed Model T windshields and seismic fittings in the basement to protect against earthquake damage, informed by Weber's early work with architect Julia Morgan following the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. Many of the house's design details were inspired by Weber's year-long honeymoon travels in Europe and North Africa, in particular Moorish architecture and Tudor Revival architecture. The house was initially designed to be expanded into a multi-bedroom private getaway for guests, but Weber never finished the intended expansion. The house was surrounded by 8.8 acres of citrus, stone fruit, and nut trees and bordered a branch of the Gage Canal at its south end.
Saved from Demolition
In the early 1970s, the Webers moved away and their home was rented while they searched for buyers of their property, divided into four parcels. Two graduate students from University of California, Riverside, Lisa Conyers[2] and Bob Kneisel[3], rented the house and began the work of restoration and archiving its history. Through their efforts along with Riverside’s Cultural Heritage Board, local advocacy group Old Riverside Foundation, and Alan Curl of the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the house was recognized as Riverside City Landmark #52 in 1981. An extensive additional review was done for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and the house was determined eligible, but the nomination was opposed by Weber’s son Peter N. Weber, who worried National Register status would affect his ability to sell the property. After the death of Peter J. Weber in 1983, the parcel containing the house was sold to Days Inn for redevelopment, who initially sought demolition or relocation of the house, but the Cultural Heritage Board determined the house must remain intact at its original location, so the hotel built their parking lot and swimming pool around it. It has since been restored[4] to much of its original condition and is available for tours[5].
References
- ↑ "Landmarks of the City of Riverside" (PDF). January 11, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Patterson, Tom (1980-07-01). "Grove's gone, Riverside gawks at architect's curious handiwork". The Press-Enterprise.
- ↑ "Bungalow Heaven Origins". www.bungalowheaven.org. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ↑ Fiske, Joanne (1986-07-01). "Saving this historic house is no easy job". The Press-Enterprise.
- ↑ Allen, David (February 11, 2023). "Weber House in Riverside is a folk-art wonder worth hunting for". The Press-Enterprise.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
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