The cultural focus of Old Town Orange is getting a boost with the adaptive reuse of an obsolete warehouse into the Hilbert Museum of California Art. It's a complex bit of work, R.D. Olson Construction president Bill Wilhelm tells us. The project involves the repurposing of a structure connected to an active Chapman University dance studio, Bill explains. "Adaptive reuse projects always have their challenges. The project specifically attempts to provide an exposed material design that fits the architectural framework of Chapman University and the historic Old Town Orange area." The 10k SF building on North Atchison Street will house 500 California-themed paintings from the collection of Mark and Janet Hilbert.

Located close to industrial, retail, residential and other Chapman University properties, the museum’s exterior will incorporate architectural influences from nearby buildings, such as Chapman University’s recent historical adaptive reuse of the California Wire Company Building utilizing brick, exposed beams and corrugated metal. "The design was achieved by blending new construction with existing elements," Bill says. One challenge with that is bringing the finish of existing elements to a standard that's in line with the new construction.