North Beach Housing

cliff house

LOCATION	San Francisco, CA
COMPLETION 	November 2004
CONTRACT	$15,740,841 Million
ARCHITECT	C. David Robinson Architects 
OWNER		Dan and Mary Hountalas

		National Park Service /

		Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Nibbi Brothers is proud to have been an integral part of this important project, the renovation of the historic Cliff House. This fourth Cliff House involved demolition of the existing north wing and construction of the Sutro Wing in its place. The Sutro Wing includes the Gift Shop and a 2-story dining room with views of the Pacific Ocean, Sutro Bath ruins, Land’s End and the Marin Coastline. The current dining room has become the Bistro. The old and new elements of the Cliff House are joined by a new glass-walled reception lobby and lounge open to the dining room and bistro. Other changes and improvements include 3 public observation decks with southern, northern and western views and the addition of a passenger elevator from the sidewalk to the Cliff Terrace. Nibbi Brothers worked with the owner, architect and National Park Service (NPS) extensively during pre-construction to ensure that the project would meet the budget, while accomplishing the goals of the owner, architect and the NPS.

The original Cliff House, built in 1863, was destroyed by fire in 1894. A second Cliff House, an elaborate 8-story Victorian, was built in 1896, survived the 1906 earthquake but was destroyed by fire in 1907. The third and current incarnation of the Cliff House was built in 1909 by the daughter of the 1863 Cliff House owner. Since 1973 the Cliff House Restaurant has been run by Dan and Mary Hountalas, and since 1977 it has been part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

View demolition photos of the 1949 addition.