Building History

The Jay Paul Company commissioned DES Architects and Engineers to design the New Cooper House, named for the former courthouse that once occupied this site. Max Walden redeveloped the vacant Santa Cruz County Courthouse #5 in the early 1970s, and owned the wildly successful property until 1988, when he sold it following conflicts with tenants. Walden's Cooper House was a meticulously restored facility with a mix of unique shops, restaurants and offices that for many led in the resurgence of Santa Cruz's pedestrian-focused Pacific Garden Mall. The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake caused some damage to the building, but whether or not it was irreparable is not clear. The mood following the quake among many in authority was to remove potentially hazardous buildings rapidly, regardless of their historic value.

The New Cooper House was completed in 1999.

Building Notes

The New Cooper House contained 97,000 square feet, of which 77,000 was devoted to office space, and 20,000 for retail.

PCAD id: 22616