The Peter J. Weber House

Designed 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 Riverside, California 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 and later an architect in his own right), but for its eclectic Great Depression-era Folk art design and its reliance on salvaged materials. Bricks were reused from a local high school that was being demolished, used cardboard boxes provided insulation in the walls, bathroom mosaic tile was created from broken scraps purchased for $5 per barrel from Gladding, McBean, and the exterior woodwork was stained with used crankcase oil. Built between 1934 and 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials and finishes, ornate hand-carved details, colorful decorated ceilings painted by a visiting Hungarian refugee in the 1940s, 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, inspired 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 architecture. The house was initially designed to be expanded into a multi-bedroom private getaway for guests, but Weber never finished the intended expansion for a variety of reasons: the birth of his son in 1937, the shift of vacation destinations from Riverside to Palm Springs, and a lack of financial resources. The house was surrounded by nine acres of citrus, stone fruit, and nut trees inspired by groves Weber had seen at the Generalife Gardens at Alhambra in Granada, Spain. As commercial development grew around their home in the 1950s, the Weber House served as a family home for Peter, his wife Clara, their son Peter N. Weber, and mother-in-law Amelia Hartnett from until 1970, when the Webers relocated to Leucadia, Encinitas, California.
== Saved from Demolition ==
The Weber House was owned by the Webers for the next thirteen years. In the early 1970s, it sat vacant until the Webers began renting to students from University of California, Riverside including Lisa Conyers and Bob Kneisel, who later became a founder of Pasadena's Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena, California. In 1981, the house was recognized as Riverside City Landmark #52. After the death of Peter Weber in 1983, the house fell into disuse and the property was sold by Peter N. Weber to Days Inn for redevelopment, who initially sought demolition of the house. Riverside's Cultural Heritage Board and Old Riverside Foundation, along with preservation-minded individuals, convinced the new owner to keep the house intact. It has since been restored to much of its original condition and is available for tours. The Weber House was included in California's first statewide "Doors Open" event in 2022.
Category:1930 establishments