Built in 1927 by prominent local real estate and fire insurance salesman Melvin L. Hooper, Regal Court is a historic bungalow apartment complex located on Michigan Street in South Redlands, California. Designed specifically with rentals in mind, the property was configured as a classic U-shaped court featuring ten single-story units flanking the sides and a two-story building anchoring the rear. The architecture boasts striking white exterior walls contrasted by red terra cotta tile awnings over the entryways and windows. When it first opened, Hooper spared no expense in ensuring the property offered an exceptional amount of natural light, engineering each unit to be illuminated from four sides, while also installing advanced artistic exterior lighting that illuminated the entire complex after dark.
Inside, the units combined consistency with unique individual charm, showcasing subtle layout variations alongside high-end amenities for the era, such as dedicated fireplaces, elegant mantels, and space-saving wall or concealed beds. To appeal to discerning tenants, the apartments originally came entirely turnkey, fully furnished with matching rugs, sofas, tables, chairs, silverware, and even personal carpet sweepers. Remarkably, Regal Court has functioned continuously as a rental community for roughly a century while retaining its core structural integrity. Serving as a preserved snapshot of early twentieth-century multi-family housing in the region, the complex remains a standout fixture of Redlands’ architectural and residential history.
