San Francisco City Hall Restoration (1995–1999)
After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake damaged City Hall, the city launched a $294 million restoration that added seismic base isolation and restored the Beaux Arts interior. The project took four years and faced budget overruns and extended closure.
City Hall reopened in 1999, resulting in a fully restored civic landmark with modern seismic safety.
Set a precedent for large-scale historic building restoration in San Francisco, including mandatory seismic retrofitting.
Both projects involve restoring a historic San Francisco civic building, with seismic retrofitting, significant budget increases, and multi-year closures. The City Hall example shows the city's capacity for complex landmark renovations, while also highlighting recurring cost and schedule overruns.