The Crissy Field Hangar (Presidio Building 643) Rehabilitation Project revitalized a historically significant structure to serve a new and critical purpose: becoming the first dedicated facility for the National Park Service (NPS) maintenance team supporting the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The project preserved the building’s historic character while transforming it into a seismically stable, accessible, and efficient workspace for park operations.

Originally constructed in 1923 by the U.S. Army, the 20,000-square-foot building served as two airplane hangars for Crissy Field. Today, it contributes to the Presidio’s designation as a National Historic Landmark, representing a rare and cohesive collection of military architecture, planning, and design spanning more than two centuries of U.S. defense history.

The rehabilitation involved demolishing unreinforced masonry portions of the building, abating hazardous materials, performing seismic and structural upgrades, replacing the roof, windows, and doors, and upgrading all MEPF systems. The seismic retrofit was executed through a hybrid solution that integrated structural steel with the existing heavy timber framing.

Lean construction principles were implemented to reduce waste, improve workflows, and enhance team collaboration. The NPS fully embraced Lean practices—attending the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) conference and establishing a Lean construction committee to incorporate these principles into future initiatives.

Despite its complexity, the project stands as a successful model of how integrated teams can navigate federal processes and deliver high-quality historic rehabilitation—on budget and on schedule.

Additional Features

• Historic wood elements, including windows, doors, and skylights, were carefully rehabilitated to preserve the building’s original appearance in accordance with the Department of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
• The design and installation of custom windowsills, meticulously crafted to replicate the building’s historic fabric.
• Specialized trade partners were engaged to support the precise restoration of the building’s historic features.
• Permeation grouting was used to stabilize the soil beneath the foundation, addressing weak and unstable ground conditions.