More SF Iconic Buildings
“Just Thinking"
In last week’s post, I reflected on two iconic San Francisco landmarks, one fading into memory (Alioto’s Restaurant) and one standing strong between San Francisco and Marin County (the Golden Gate Bridge). Earlier this week, an insightful SFGate article by Andrew Chamings caught my attention. It connected perfectly with last week’s “Just Thinking” titled: Why San Francisco’s Most Iconic Buildings Are Sitting Empty.
Chamings explores several once‑beloved institutions now left vacant, buildings that were repurposed, reimagined, or replaced over the decades as the city continually reinvents itself. Change has always been part of San Francisco’s story, sometimes inspiring, sometimes bittersweet. These empty structures now stand as architectural time capsules, reminders of eras, communities, and cultural symbols that helped shape the city.
Here are some of the buildings highlighted in the article:
Louis’ Restaurant
On Point Lobos Avenue perched on a cliff, overlooking one of the best views in the world, Louis Restaurant was opened on Valentines Day 1937. Barely surviving the fire in 1966 that took down the Sutro Baths, but was not able to survive the pandemic, on July 14, 2020, after 83 years Louis’ Restaurant closed for good. Now the building sits with boarded up windows, rusted iron bars and exposed electrical wires where the sign used to be.
The Cliff House
Just down the street from Louis’ Restaurant is the Cliff House, the iconic restaurant that has been on the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean for over 160 years. The building reinvented itself several times, having survived two devastating fires and the explosion of a schooner full of dynamite. The Cliff House fell victim to the pandemic and shuttered in December 2020. It does, however, appear that there are plans to open the ground floor section of the restaurant will open this summer as a new lessee is in place and construction is scheduled to start soon. I have fond memories of Sunday brunches with the family at the Cliff House and exploring the building and watching the seals on Seal Rock.
Julius’ Castle
Located at 1541 Montgomery St. on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, Julius’ Castle’s German-themed turrets and balconies, hidden on the hill below Coit Tower. First opened in the 1920s, and the space was a known speakeasy during Prohibition. In the ’70s and ’80s, the restaurant became a celebrity hangout, counting Robert Redford, Marlon Brando and a group of SI students and their dates having dinner before their junior prom.
The Alexandria Theater
The classic grand old theater located on Geary Blvd. was built in 1923 and was closed in 2004 and has suffered significant damage to the façade. The vertical sign was removed in 2023 after sever storm damage. There is currently a plan to turn the old building into housing. The Alexandria and the Coronet on Geary were two classic theaters that we attended to see many first run movies including double features.
The Stonestown Twin
Opened in 1970, originally a single screen, the theater, three years later it was converted into a twin theater by simply building a wall down the middle. They never re-positioned some of the seats, so some of the seats face the wall. After closing in 2020, like so many other cinemas in America, it never reopened. The Stonestown Twin is scheduled to be demolished soon for the development of the vast parking lots around the mall.
Other iconic buildings remain empty:
1 Ferry Plaza East, most recently home to a dim sum restaurant closing in 2013, the Lucky 13 at the top of Market Street, 2205 Mission built in 1911 and closed in 2010, The Rogue Pub in the heart of North Beach, The Lucky Penny diner on Geary Street has been boarded up since 2015, The Tower Theater at 2465 Mission, Bruno’s on Mission closed in 2020, on Franklin Street, the old Commerce High School stood empty since the earthquake of 1989.
So much of San Francisco’s history in these old buildings, so many memories.
Let me know what you think.
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