The long shuttered Cooper-Molera Adobe complex, located on 2.5 acres in the heart of Old Monterey, is now beginning a dramatic revitalization. Ship captain and trader John Rogers Cooper immigrated to Monterey and married into a prominent Mexican family and they expanded the property over three generations. The adobe-walled complex, dating back to 1827, includes historic adobe structures, barns, and a garden. For many years the property has had limited access to the public and growing, unfunded restoration needs.

Foothill Partners, the developers behind the Trader Joe's shopping center next door, is partnering with the owners of the property, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for a $6.5 million restoration. This shared-use project will combine museum space and historic interpretation with compatible commercial uses that are appropriate to the historic setting.

This public-private partnership will establish a creative funding model which will preserve the historic site and maintain museum operations in the Cooper and Diaz adobes. The iconic barns are going through a seismic retrofit and will be reopened as an event center. The Spear Warehouse will hold a restaurant with outdoor seating in its courtyard. A bakery is coming to the store on the corner of Munras and Polk streets. And eventually the long-shuttered gates will be open and the public can enjoy the beautiful "learning gardens." For updates on the project, visit coopermolera.org.

This post is adapted from an article written by Media Assistant Eric Palmer which appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of the City of Monterey’s publication, City Focus. We encourage you to read the entire publication, a great resource for information for Monterey residents.