Louise Lowry Davis Center Reopens in Downtown Santa Barbara

New Features Open Access to Senior Center After Nearly a Decade of Renovations

Visitors toured the newly renovated and newly open Louise Lowry Davis Center in downtown Santa Barbara as guests enjoyed the new courtyard outside newly installed glass doors. | Credit: Ellery Wakeman

“A day we never thought would arrive,” remarked Jill Zachary, Parks and Recreation director for Santa Barbara, at the ceremony to officially reopen the Louise Lowry Davis Center on Thursday morning. A full renovation of the center began in 2015 but had been held up first by structural issues and then by COVID-19.

The doors opened once more at a small celebration attended by councilmembers Oscar Gutierrez, Kristen Sneddon, and Meagan Harmon, official ribbon-cutter Mayor Randy Rowse, city staff, and a number of project participants.

Built in 1923, the building at De la Vina Street and Victoria streets was originally part of Santa Barbara’s first public high school, transitioning to a community recreation center in 1933. The building deteriorated over the years until the city began to undertake a restoration about a decade ago. Construction was funded by $1.5 million in Measure C sales-tax funds and $350,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds. Altogether, the project had cost $2.4 million, Zachary said.

City officials, staff, and project participants cut the offical ribbon to open the Louise Lowry Davis Center. | Credit: Ellery Wakeman

An intimate crowd of about 30 people gathered on the courtyard patio, which was one of the focal points of the renovations. Weatherization features added double-pane windows and improved heating and air conditioning systems. All the attendees headed off excitedly to self-tour the facility through the brand new glass doors that replaced the old windows, allowing for clear access into the reconfigured open floor plan.

“It is a place that has seen so much of Santa Barbara’s civic life already, and I’m thrilled that with this new renovation, it will remain home to local civic life for another generation,” said Harmon. Calling the Louise Lowry Davis Center the heart of the downtown community, Harmon said, “It is a place for all of us to come together — a place for senior, youth, and intergenerational programming, a place for our critical nonprofits to do their work, and a place for celebrating life’s milestones, too, from birthdays to weddings to holiday gatherings.”

The Parks and Recreation Department intends for the facility to be used for senior programming and services. The facility can be reserved for events with a capacity of 114 people.