MATT Construction Completes The Huntington Library’s Iconic Rose Garden Tea Room

After closing in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MATT Construction undertook a major 18-month renovation at the Huntington’s historic Tea Room. After a full renovation, The Huntington’s Rose Garden Tea Room officially reopened today to start welcoming guests back into their beautiful new space.

Originally built for Henry E. Huntington’s private billiard room and bowling alley in 1911, the building has served as the Rose Garden Tea Room at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens–an iconic dining destination since it opened to the public in 1930.

The project included the restoration of the front of the original 1911 building, a sweeping new outdoor dining area on the east side, facing the Shakespeare Garden, and upgrades to the indoor dining room, kitchen and other ancillary areas. On the west side of the building, the team also renovated the room that faces the Herb Garden, which will be made available for private rentals.

“The Tea Room presented a unique design challenge because of its history and emotional connection to the entire Huntington property and local community. The ARG (Architectural Resources Group) team devised a thoughtful and versatile renovation plan that respected the history and greatly improved the quality of the facility,” says Mark Josten, MATT’s Project Executive on the Tea Room project.

When asked about project challenges the MATT team faced, Josten said, “There were really a lot of hidden surprises and challenges to solve for a building of this size, but our construction team relished the opportunity to resolve the many technical and aesthetic details required to bring the building back to life.”  

“As a contractor, it’s satisfying and rewarding to be able to contribute in a tangible way to such an important Southern California asset. The Huntington’s management team welcomed MATT as a true partner, and we enjoyed the cooperative working relationship they fostered with the entire building team. This teamwork was a key reason for the successful delivery of this project,” says Josten.

MATT is proud to have had the opportunity to bring this local treasure back to life for The Huntington and the local community and we look forward to seeing the dining destination start to welcome all of its guests back to the new space.