The third version was built in 1909 after the château burned down. Sadly, in recent times, visitors to this neoclassical Cliff House—1.5 million of them a year—have found it in shabby condition, its concrete exterior eroded by salt air and cluttered with clunky additions.

This past October, after 21 months and $18 million, the landmark was reborn yet again. Architects restored the 1909 structure and paired it with a light-filled, modernist building whose two-story glass walls overlook the ocean, the Marin headlands, and the ruins of Sutro Baths, a 19th-century pavilion of six saltwater swimming pools. The blend of vintage and modern has brought fresh energy and new generations to the old gathering place.