Some windows have arches and baroque surrounds. The side walls of the auditorium imitate a Spanish church. On the office section, the windows are recessed and plain in style from the fifth floor upwards. A small penthouse is on the north side of the roof. The marquee faces Fourth Avenue.
Cement quoins marking the corners of the first three floors include niches for statuary.
The Old Globe Theatre used the California Theatre downtown while its Balboa Park home was rebuilt after the 1978 arson fire. A 1988 renovation of the building restored much of the appearance of the 1920s. There were some changes made in the marquee. The building appears much as it did when built. The building was scheduled for demolition in the summer of 1990 but is still standing in 2000.