El Capitan Theater and Hotel

1. 1912

   Built.

2. 1928

   Designed by William H. Crim with Gustave Albert Lansburgh as consulting architect and built in sixteen months by Ackerman, Harris & Oppenheim, owners of the Warfield: the El Capitan, with a hotel and shops, was the largest theatre in San Francisco in the 1920s, seating almost 3,000, and the largest of the Mission's post-1906 theatres.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
3. 1957

   The El Capitan, the Mission's largest cinema, was the first of its theatres to close as television emptied them; by 1965 the auditorium had become a parking lot behind the surviving facade, and the building a residential hotel.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. Dec 1982

   Permit 8210021 $$$ $1,500

   Additions alterations or repairs.

5. May 1985

   Permit 8504830 $$$ $5,000

   Remodel space for hair cutting business.

6. 1993

   A fire destroyed more than half of the hotel's 85 rooms; they were rehabilitated and returned to use.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
7. Jun 1993

   Withdrawn Permit 9310025 $$$ $300,000

   Repair fire damaged walls/ceilings/floors/roof/paint/carpet.

8. Jun 1993

   Permit 9311040 $$$ $15,000

   Parapet reinforcement.

9. Jul 1993

   Permit 9312077 $$$ $280,000

   Fire damage to existing conditions.

10. Oct 1993

    Permit 9317283 $$$ $17,800

    Reroofing.

11. Apr 1994

    Permit 9405209 $$$ $200,000

    Comply with umb ordinance.

12. 1996

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 214, El Capitan Theater and Hotel.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
13. Dec 2002

    Issued Permit 200212314374 $$$ $47,600

    To install fire sprinkler system in order to comply with ordinance 170-02 nov 200234589 hid.

14. Oct 2006

    Issued Permit 200610266137 $$$ $23,000

    Comply with nov #200234589. upgrade existing fire alarm system. fire alarm certification required. no penalty due at this time per tv 2-1-07 on nov #200234589 & 200563467; 200789331 his & 200790214 eid.

15. Feb 2011

    Issued Permit 201102110064 $$$ $5,000

    Customary sign maintenance plan for general advertising sign structure.

16. Oct 2012

    Issued Permit 201210162098 $$$ $10,000

    Ada bathroom addition.

17. Nov 2012

    Issued Permit 201211295118 $$$ $1,500

    One unit-patch holes in walls in one room and install 2 cabinets and one exhaust fan all work.

18. Dec 2012

    Permit 201212176377 $$$ $5,000

    Revision to permit application 2012.10.16.2098 - demolition kitchen (tenant decided not to renew lease), space remain vacant.

19. Oct 2013

    Permit 201310300667 $$$ $78,500

    Existing restaurant tenant improvement: ncluding new casework, new framing, new unisex restroom, new kitchen+bar equipment, new stair, new exhausts, remodel existing service bar, modification to existing entry way, new lightig, new power outlets, new or modified plumbing, new finishes, new side-passage egress door.

20. Apr 2014

    Permit 201404233997 $$$ $4,300

    Installation of fire suppression system (upgrade and addition to existing equipment) to ul300 standard.

21. Sep 2014

    Permit 201409055564 $$$ $18,000

    G/f - t.i. - install retail store, install hand railing at entrance & install ada compliant restroom.

22. Mar 2019

    Issued Permit 201903185467 $$$ $2,000

    To comply with abe program per ord 51-16.

23. Jun 2024

    Filed Permit 202406043701 $$$ $7,500

    Raising 10' fence currently enclosing patio space to be 13' tall as mandated by boa. per planning approval record #2022-008254prj. the project proposes to add a nighttime entertainment use to an existing restaurant use and establish an outdoor activity area.

DBI holds 44 permits for this parcel, most of them tenant improvements on individual floors. The timeline shows the 24 largest by stated cost, plus the earliest on file; the DBI query in the sources below returns all 44. 5 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 6 expired or cancelled permits are not shown.