Some unexpected infrastructure problems with the Cliff House building have caused a delay in its reopening, and the new operators are now aiming for 2025 to reintroduce their new concept for the place.
It was big news last fall when the National Park Service finally signed a contract for a new operator for the iconic Cliff House in San Francisco, which had sat dormant since the start of the pandemic. SF native Alexander Leff, an attorney with family ties to the Richmond neighborhood, and his outfit Sutro Lands End Partners, said it was "an honor to be given the opportunity to restore this beloved landmark," and promised an accessible, multi-faceted marketplace with multiple food options.
Leff partnered with Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group, which operates Trestle, The Vault, The Madrigal, and 7 Adams, and has a reputation for high quality food for a good value. The group said they planned to partner with small local vendors as well to place multiple food stalls or carts in the plaza outside the Cliff House building.
Now, as Leff tells the Chronicle, the Cliff House will not be coming alive again this fall as was originally planned. The contract with the Park Service stipulated that at least one food and beverage component would be open within 365 days of the contract signing, which was September 1, 2023.
The reason is that some significant, unanticipated repairs need to be made, which Leff says will cost north of $10 million and take some more time. These include waterproofing issues, trouble with the HVAC system, and repairs to the electrical system and roof.
It's not clear when renovation work actually began on the historic building, but the Chronicle refers to interior demolition work that began "several months ago."
"As you work on an older building, all of a sudden things become clear that were hidden," Leff tells the paper.
He explains further that the infrastructure work all needs to be completed before an anticipated $3.5 million renovation of the kitchens and dining areas can occur.
We still don't have a sense of how the spaces will be divided up. As it was, there was a pricier, white-tablecloth "fine dining" restaurant called Sutro's on the lower level with ocean-facing views, and a more casual but still sort of pricey bar and bistro upstairs at street level, along with a separate event space.
In a likely reference to what the restaurants were in the Cliff House's previous iteration, Leff tells the Chronicle, "We’re very focused on having food and beverage offerings that are accessible to everyone and not to have something that’s terribly expensive or just oriented towards tourists."
And, it remains an open question whether the new operators will get to use the Cliff House name. Former operators Dan and Mary Hountalas trademarked the name and were not happy to lose their contract for the space, and Leff said last year that they were seeking "payment" to continue to use the name — even though the name far predates the Hountalases' involvement in the operation. (A building on the site has been called the Cliff House since 1863.)
Leff tells the Chronicle that he's still in talks with the Hountalases, and adds, that they are "devoted San Franciscans and I hope that they will find a way to allow the Cliff House to be continued to be called the Cliff House."
No opening dates for the venue have been announced, but Leff says that each component will open as its ready, rather than waiting for a complete grand opening.
Also, Leff confirmed to the Chronicle that there was no significant damage caused by that car crashing into the building the other week.
