Julius' Castle, located in the city's Telegraph Hill neighborhood below Coit Tower, overlooks the Bay Bridge and carries more than 100 years of history. Owner Paul Scott, who purchased the property in 2012, said his goal has been to preserve its legacy while creating new memories for future visitors.
The building dates back to the early 1920s.
"It was built in 1922, at least that's what the records say on the front of the building, the plaque on the front says 1922, but the permits don't appear to have been finalized until 1923. So, it looks like they built it first and asked for permission later," Scott said.
Julius' Castle was the dream of Julius Roz, an Italian American restaurateur who lived on the building's top floor and operated an upscale restaurant on the middle floor. The restaurant closed in 2007 as the building deteriorated.
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Scott said he was drawn to the project because of his connection to the neighborhood.
"I live in the neighborhood, and the place has been for sale for years. It was dilapidating. I've done some other construction. So as we were driving by, my son looked over and said that'd be cool. And I was just like, we got the ball rolling. I started thinking seriously about it, and before I knew it, I had a huge project on my hands," Scott said.
The restoration has taken more than a decade and included numerous challenges, from construction issues to legal and community setbacks.
"There was work done on the building that was done without permits, and so we had to undo some changes to the building. We had, lawsuits, fires, landslides, and a tremendous amount of deferred maintenance on the building. It was in very rough shape," Scott said.
The reopening process also prompted discussion before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where some residents raised concerns about parking and traffic impacts.
"Particularly now that Uber is a real thing. And Waymo, you know, the neighbors are always concerned about parking and rightly so in this very tough neighborhood for parking," said Bill Reilly, a Telegraph Hill resident.
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Still, excitement about the restaurant's reopening appears to be growing among residents who remember dining there before it closed.
"I'm so glad that he had the perseverance," said Reilly. "I just want it to be a pleasant destination for tourists and locals."
Scott described the project as a tribute to the city he loves.
"I absolutely love San Francisco," he said.
Scott plans to reopen the restaurant in September, first welcoming neighborhood residents and workers who helped restore the landmark over the past decade before opening it to the public. He said he is also continuing to hire staff for the restaurant's return.