A small portion of Building 105 currently houses the NPS visitor center/David and Kay Scott
San Francisco's Presidio, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is in the process of planning for a second lodging facility.
The current lodge, Inn at the Presidio, opened in 2012 with 22 guest rooms. These rooms are in a building that once served as the U.S. Army post's bachelor officers' barracks. Four rooms in a nearby building that once served as a home were added a year later. The new lodge is slated for Building 105 at 105 Montgomery Street, a large brick structure constructed in 1895 and which currently houses the National Park Visitor Center. It is anticipated the NPS visitor center will move to a nearby building that once served as a bank.
The Presidio Trust, the nonprofit organization that has control over the interior portions of the Presidio, has agreed to fund the approximately $20 million that will be required to complete structural and interior renovations necessary to make the building ready for overnight guests. The Trust is currently seeking bids from architects and contractors.
It is likely the facility will offer approximately 40 hotel-type rooms that will be smaller and less expensive than the suites that comprise most of the guest rooms at the inn. Guest rooms range from $220 to $375, with most being at the higher end. Rooms at the new facility are expected to be priced at the low end of this range.
The Presidio Trust, the owner of most buildings in the Presidio, hires a hospitality management company to operate the inn. The same firm is expected to manage the new hotel. The most optimistic estimates are that the new hotel will be ready for occupancy in 2016.
Comments
Ah, just what we need. More affordable lodging for visitors to our parks.
But I guess if you can afford $100 a pop for each member of your family to visit Disneyland, you can certainly afford $375 a night for a room at the Presidio.
Shhheeeeeeesh! And we belly ache over a five dollar fee to try to help a park cover expenses of protecting the backcountry or cleaning restrooms.
Agreed, Lee. Blame those soulless fiscal fools trying to judge everything by whether or not it makes a profit. I believe the NPS is something that we should do because it is right, not because we can squeeze additional coinage out of it.
Unfortunately, the Presidio was forced into the postion of being self-supporting back when it was turned over to the Park Service, so it's no surprise. We need to start a campaign to make it a regular unit of the Park System. (That's no guarantee, however, that lodging will be any more affordable ... )